NAVIGATOR Artist in Residence Emily O’Rourke announced for Garter Lane Arts Centre this August, 2025

IMC’s Navigator Jazz Residency programme was established in 2021. Since then 27 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, 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.

Emily O’Rourke is a guitarist and composer based in Co. Kildare. She regularly performs with ReRoute, a jazz guitar and vocal duo with Rufina Tishina, whose debut EP “Can You Speak To Me?” was released in 2024. She is also part of the trio River Daughter, a sax, voice and guitar improvising group. Emily graduated from DCU’s BA Jazz and Contemporary Music Performance in 2022, where she developed her love for improvising with music and sound. She honed her skills as a guitarist and composer, focusing on using music as a moment for reflection and meditation. Emily is currently training as a music therapist through the University of Limerick’s MA in Music Therapy. She is passionate about sharing music's intrinsically motivating and powerful nature with others.

Ahead of her Navigator residency, Emily said:

"During this residency, I intend to compose for my duo, "ReRoute", a jazz and contemporary-styled voice and guitar duo featuring Rufina Tishina. The music I write for this duo often centres on pivotal moments in life and how they can resonate and impact us. I'll always leave space within these compositions for improvisation, so there is an opportunity to reflect musically on how these stories currently feel within ourselves. I'll often combine different experiences within one song and try to find the similarities within them. I hope to explore minimalist compositions for this duo as this is not something we have ventured into before, while also taking time for more long-form compositions that could contribute to future recordings and performances. I am incredibly grateful to IMC and Garter Lane for providing me with this opportunity. I look forward to sharing the results of this crucial artistic time with them in the future."

Síle Penkert, director of Garter Lane Arts Centre said:

“We are delighted to welcome Emily O’Rourke to Garter Lane’s Studios building as she takes up the 3rd Navigator residency here. Emily’s time will be spent in the surroundings of a vibrant Arts Centre with two venues. The Studios is a place of practice, education, development, and preparation. It is a truly multidisciplinary environment and therefore it not only makes sense, but we are thrilled to have a working musician contribute to that mix of artists who populate the spaces day in day out.”

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.

Emily O’Rourke: linktr.ee/emilyorourkeguitar
IMC: improvisedmusic.ie
Garter Lane Arts Centre: garterlane.ie