Hard Rain
Hard Rain SoloistEnsemble is a world class group of musicians based in Belfast, dedicated to the performance of modern and contemporary music. Founded by composer Greg Caffrey in 2013, they recently celebrated their 10th anniversary season.
In addition to an established concert series at home, and having performed at major festivals around Ireland, and internationally, in May 2024 Hard Rain will perform at Classical NEXT in Berlin. As Ensemble in Residence at Queen's University Belfast, Hard Rain are based at the Sonic Arts Research Centre, a state of the art facility opened by Karlheinz Stockhausen in 2004.
Hard Rain’s mission is to give a platform and visibility to the vibrant community of local composers, performing their work alongside the music of leading exponents of contemporary music worldwide. Through extensive commissioning and programming of cutting edge contemporary music, HRSE gives audiences access to music and composers’ voices that would otherwise not be heard.
Contemporary Cities
Composer Conversation: Ailís Ní Ríain | Counterweight | Hard Rain SoloistEnsemble
Composer Conversation: John McLachlan | Aurora | Hard Rain SoloistEnsemble
Composer Conversation: Esteban Correa | Industry of Nostalgia | Hard Rain SoloistEnsemble
Composer Conversation: Morales Ossio | Políptico 1 (Péndulo) | Hard Rain SoloistEnsemble
Composer Conversation: Jane O'Leary | Skips and Swirls | Hard Rain SoloistEnsemble
Composer Conversation: Daniel Quigley | Blixt | Hard Rain SoloistEnsemble
Composer Conversation: Leo Kuzmenko | Cognitive Inertia | Hard Rain SoloistEnsemble
Composer Conversation: Felipe Pinto d'Aguiar | Remansos | Hard Rain SoloistEnsemble
Composer Conversation: Gareth Williams | Hard Rain SoloistEnsemble
Composer Conversation: Greg Caffrey | Hard Rain SoloistEnsemble
DIVISIONS II (2017) Sean Doherty
FROM THE DISTANT PLAINS II (2010/2015) Wang Lu
SOFT GROUND (2024) Lara Weaver
Crana (2024) Pedro Rebelo
These hills used to be forests (2024) Robert Coleman
KITTENS IN THE KITCHEN (2023) Kevin Free
SKEW WEFT (2023) Raymond Deane
IF A TREE FALLS IN THE FOREST (2024) Daniel Quigley
SECUNDUM (2001) Deirdre McKay
IN BLUE AND GOLD (1998/2024) Simon Mawhinney
INFLORESCENCE (2020/2024) Peter O'Doherty
THE DISMEMBERMENT OF PENTHEUS (2023) Sam Chambers
VESTIGES (2023) Luka Venter
BIRGISHERAÐ (2017) Lisa Robertson
BREAKING NEWS (2024) Geoff Hannan
HIS FEET ARE LIGHT AND NIMBLE (2024) Sam Chambers
DIATRIBES (2024) Omar Zatriqi
LISNABREENY TOWNLAND (2024) Fionnuala Fagan-Thiébot
ECHOSYMBIONT (2024) Anselm McDonnell