Launching this month, May: artist-musician Katie Richardson will research, develop and produce a large-scale, soundscape score, THE BEAT. Rhythmic drive and diversity from Beat’s carnival roots will be newly expressed in electronic soundscape and song. The soundscape will be realised by Beat Carnival’s percussionists, BEATnDRUM, electronica musicians, singers and other instrumental collaborators. The new music will premiere in a 30-minute performance with 75 musicians plus visuals and dance at BEAT’s 30th Anniversary outdoor spectacle in September. The project moves Beat Carnival’s artform forwards, facilitates a significant progress-step for the commissioned artist and creates a legacy of artistic & collaborative excellence for supported professional and up-coming musicians in the performance’s orbit.
Katie is a musician, composer, songwriter, producer making music under the name Hex Hue. She has been a significant Beat Carnival artist, contributor, creator, performer since 2001 and has a strong understanding of Beat’s artistic work and values. She has developed skills, profile and connections as a composer throughout her career. With an excellent range of music skills, experience and networks, Katie excels as a practitioner and a music leader.
This new music creation, inspired by historical roots of carnival and street performance, feeling contemporary in style, looking to the future, will encourage development directions for the artist, for Beat Carnival music and music collaborators. Commissioned musician, Katie Richardson, says:
“I am incredibly excited to create this music inspired by rhythms rooted in carnival and expand them out into something new, contemporary and representative of the music and creativity in Northern Ireland. It is a great development opportunity for me in my career as I expand my portfolio as a composer and electronic artist. Collaboration is at the core of my musical practice so I’m excited to work with new music creators and instrumentalists as part of this project. Beat Carnival has always been an important organisation to me. Beat gave me some of my first opportunities in making and curating music in collaborative ways when I was just starting out and it will be an honour to create this new collection of music for Beat’s 30th birthday. The musicians I met through my early work at Beat remain great friends and collaborators 15 years later.”
Beat Carnival gratefully acknowledges support from the National Lottery through the Arts Council of Northern Ireland and from the PRS Foundation’s The Open Fund for Organisations
