Announcing Cora Venus Lunny as NAVIGATOR Musician-in-Residence at Riverbank Arts Centre
Riverbank Arts Centre and Improvised Music Company are delighted to announce Cora Venus Lunny as the latest artist-in-residence for the 2023 NAVIGATOR programme.
The 10-day Navigator Jazz Residency programme was established in 2021, and since then 11 musicians have enjoyed bespoke residencies through venue partners Source Arts Centre in Thurles, Ballina Arts Centre Co. Mayo, An Grianán Theatre Letterkenny, and Tinahely Courthouse, Co. Wicklow. 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.
Cora Venus Lunny is a freelance improvising and composing musician with a classical lineage and decades of professional experience in contemporary classical, improvised, recorded and folk musics. A violinist since early childhood, who performed around the world as a soloist and chamber musician before specialising in collaborative contemporary music, they have been exploring improvisation and composition for many years. A fascination with consciousness, groove, power and connection drives their compositional curiosity.
Cora will spend time in Riverbank this July and September developing their practice as an improviser, collaborator and composer, including working on the development of an improvised opera, and creating collaborative, process-based art workshops with local young people as part of IMC’s Navigator Residency programme.
“While my background is as an instrumentalist playing violin and viola, in recent years I have been feeding my improv and composition work more and more, and working on text based pieces for improvisers. Last year I was supported by the Arts Council to research and develop techniques for writing opera for improvised players – it has been very exciting and educational to develop this with esteemed colleagues and mentors, and I’m more or less ready to write an opera now!
I feel very privileged to have been welcomed so warmly by everyone here at the Riverbank in Newbridge, and hope to make long lasting connections and memorable collaborations while I have the run of this wonderful place.” — Cora Venus Lunny
Venue Director Caroline Williams states:
“We are thrilled to partner with Improvised Music Company on our first NAVIGATOR residency, and to welcome Cora Venus Lunny and their collaborators to the venue this summer and a follow up period in Autumn. We are delighted that as part of their residency exploring improvised opera, Cora will engage with local groups and artists. We welcome the opportunity to support such an innovative and talented music artist and look forward to sharing more details about the residency in the weeks to come. Artist support and development is a core activity for Riverbank Arts Centre, made possible by our funders The Arts Council and Kildare County Council”.
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.
The 2023 Navigator jazz residency programme has been expanded to 7 partners across the island of Ireland, with Garter Lane, Waterford, Riverbank Arts Centre, Newbridge and Crescent Arts Centre, Belfast joining the initial 4 other partners. Three of the residencies are programmed from IMC’s 30/30 programme and the other four residencies by an open call.
Further NAVIGATOR artist residencies will be announced in due course.
Riverbank Arts Centre: www.riverbank.ie
Artist website: www.coravenuslunny.ie