30 artists selected for IMC's 30/30 platform

Improvised Music Company was founded in 1991 by a group of Irish jazz musicians and supporters, with a goal of supporting and developing Irish jazz and improvised music. We are celebrating 30 years of work by looking to the future, and supporting the musicians who are shaping the improvised music scene in Ireland in the years to come.

The 30 artists were chosen from a large number of suggestions, including nominations from the public and industry figures, and direct applications from the musicians. Over the next 12 months, the 30 artists will receive bespoke support from IMC towards their career goals, with everything from performance platforms, to recording opportunities, to national and international touring advice, to album promotion, and plenty more. Upcoming concerts featuring some of the 30/30 artists will be announced shortly.

The 30/30 artists showcase the huge range of improvised music in Ireland today. Some delve into the interpretation of life and humanity as material for songs, some work with the sounds of the environment in field-recordings, some explore elevated states of consciousness through music, some bring advocacy and activism into their art, and some draw inspiration from traditional music of Ireland, Romania, Indonesia, and India to name only a few.

Their common thread is a spontaneous element to their music. Improvisation means composing on the spot to one extent or another, and within their diverse styles, they share a sense of absolute presence in the moment as the music unfolds. Improvisatory music exists only in the now, between the artists and the audience - it can never happen in quite the same way again.

For music-lovers of any taste, there will be something to enjoy in this diverse pool of artists. Over the year, there will be opportunities to enjoy the work of these artists in many different ways. Concerts featuring the 30/30 artists will be a regular part of the IMC calendar, with some announcements coming very shortly. We’ll be sharing music on our social media and website, and digging into discussions of how they make music on our podcast.

The artists on the 30/30 programme are:

Adam Nolan - Kilkenny saxophonist & rapper
Aengus Hackett - Galway guitarist and electronic musician
Aleka Potinga - Romanian-born vocalist and cellist
Aoife Doyle - Clare-based singer & songwriter
Bianca Gannon - Pianist, composer & percussionist
Chris Guilfoyle - Guitarist & composer
Cora Venus Lunny - Violinist/violist & composer
Cormac McCarthy - Pianist & composer
Dan Walsh - Cork-based drummer
Dana Masters - US-born, NI-based vocalist & songwriter
Eimear Reidy - Cellist & experimental musician
Emilie Conway - Singer, songwriter & activist
Izumi Kimura - Japanese-born pianist & composer
Jamie Thompson - NI composer & bandleader
Jenna Harris - Vocalist & electronic musician
Jenny Hallahan - Donegal-based bassist
Laura Hyland - Wexford composer & songwriter
Lina Andonovska - Australian-born contemporary flautist
Matthew Berrill - Galway clarinetist & saxophonist
Matthew Halpin - Saxophonist & bandleader
Matthew Jacobson - Drummer & bandleader
Matthew Noone - Australian-born sarode player
Max Zaska - Guitarist & bandleader
Meilana Gillard - Saxophonist & vocalist
Micheal Murray - Donegal saxophonist & bandleader
Neil Ó Lochlainn - Bassist, composer & bandleader
Niwel Tsumbu - Guitarist & bandleader originally Congolese
Olesya Zdorovetska - Ukrainian-born vocalist & composer
Paul Dunlea - Cork trombonist & composer
Scott Flanigan - Northern Irish pianist & composer

Explore the work of the 30/30 artists now on our 30/30 page.