NAVIGATOR Artist in Residence Cathal Roche announced for Source Arts Centre this June, 2025

IMC’s Navigator Jazz Residency programme was established in 2021. Since then 25 musicians have enjoyed bespoke residencies through venue partners Ballina Arts Centre, The Source Arts Centre Thurles, An Grianán Theatre in Letterkenny, Riverbank Arts Centre Newbridge and Courthouse Arts Tinahely and Garter Lane, Waterford.

NAVIGATOR offers jazz and improvising musicians professionally remunerated time and space to develop and perform work, while building creative and professional relationships in new locations.

Cathal Roche is an Irish saxophonist and composer whose work transcends traditional boundaries, crafting immersive sound worlds where the spatial dance of speaking and musical voices converge. In his compositions, forgotten soundscapes find refuge, embraced by the collective listening in a visual shelter. His work explores the resonance of stability and instability within intimate pauses, celebrating a paradoxical and fragile oneness that invites listeners into a profound auditory experience. His art resonates with a deep exploration of sound, space, and human connection.

Ahead of his Navigator residency, Cathal said:

"I’m very grateful for this opportunity to further develop my solo spatial music practice through IMC’s Navigator residency with The Source Arts, Thurles. Creating and choreographing new sound objects within locally harvested immersive soundscapes allows me to relate more meaningfully with audience, fashioning the harmonic and melodic as threads to locate, connect and bind community voices within my work. I am thrilled to be spending 2 weeks in Thurles this June. My work will culminate in the presentation of a new performance installation for automated woodwind 10tet and solo performer in the Source Arts Centre’s gallery space."

Brendan Maher, The Source director said:

"The Source is delighted to join again with the Improvised Music Company’s Navigator Programme for 2025 and we look forward to having the multi-instrumentalist composer, and sound installation artist Cathal Roche to come and stay with us in Thurles this June. The Navigator Programme offers a great opportunity for The Source to be involved with a practising musician like Cathal, to interact and support the development of his work and encourage connections to be made between him, local musicians and the wider public in Tipperary."

The NAVIGATOR residency programme is part of IMC's commitment to further develop the national scene for jazz and improvised music, improve artist touring mobility, develop audiences nationwide, and develop creative opportunities and fruitful new relationships for musicians.

Further NAVIGATOR artist residencies will be announced in due course.

Cathal Roche: cathalroche.com
IMC: improvisedmusic.ie
Source Arts Centre: thesourceartscentre.ie