My dream weekend - getting a night train all across Europe

Tell us a little bit about yourself:

My name’s Sam Perkin, born and raised in Cork. I am a composer of music in the space between classical music and experimental music.

I did a BMus Degree in Performance and Composition, and an MMus Masters in Composition at the Cork School of Music. I then did a Post-Masters in Composition at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Music et de Danse de Lyon in France.

I have composed for and worked with many of the leading classical musicians, ensembles, and orchestras in Ireland.

Particularly fruitful creative periods working with Irish musicians were born out of collaborations with The Irish Chamber Orchestra, Ortús Festival, and Kilkenny Arts Festival.

Internationally, I recently had my debut in London at Wigmore Hall, where The Sitkovetsky Trio performed my Freakshow.

Other recent artistic highlights include a work for Flute Choir, Smartphones and Audience, at La Côte Flute Festival in Switzerland, and a commission for Network for New Music, in Philadelphia.

Working with Crash Ensemble was a dream.

I still can’t wrap my head around how open to, and supportive of, my work they have been.

They are releasing a large-scale work which I composed between 2020 and 2022.

It is scored for Diamanda La Berge Dramm on solo violin with Crash Ensemble and synths. Diamanda acts as our guide during the piece, not through words and directed thought, but through emotion and space-creating. It works as a call to individual and collective awareness of awe. It may sound like a mouthful, though children seem to get this stuff fairly easily.

The piece is called Children in the Universe. The work takes inspiration from the remarkable work of Charles Eisenstein.

On a final personal note, you may know my dad, who runs Bruce Perkin Pine Antiques and Restoration on the Lower Glanmire Rd.

What is your ideal way to spend a Friday night?

There are contrasting periods when you are a composer. If you have lots of rehearsals, alone time can be great. In contrast, if you are spending months working alone, it is great to reconnect and go for a pint!

Lie ins or up with the lark ... which is it for you?

I used to be the cliché, always working late into the night, though I have managed to find a better balance. On a meditation retreat, we got up to do a meditation at sunrise every morning, it was a fantastic reset.

Does work creep into your weekend at all?

It always does. You need to be infinitely creative, but one of the important things to know is when to stop.

If money was no object where would you head to on a weekend city break? And who would you bring with you?

That would have to be getting a night train all across Europe to Venice with my French partner, Valentin. Hopefully one day!

Closer to home, is there some place you like to head to recharge the batteries?

I did a meditation retreat in April in the Cévennes region. It was so silent. I also occasionally enjoy Osho meditation. Another must try is “arm-swinging”, from Qigong. Other than that — walking in a forest or swimming in the ocean.

Do you get to indulge any hobbies? Even as a spectator?

I am a skateboarder.

Entertain or be entertained? If it’s the latter do you have a signature dish?

I love both in equal measure, though I make the desserts. Matcha layer cake is one of my specialties.

We have so many places to eat out in Cork — where are your go to spots for coffee/ lunch/ special meal?

I’ve always loved Ó Conaill’s hot chocolate. I’m a huge KC’s fan, maybe the biggest, so every time I’m back, a trip to Douglas is in order.

Sunday night comes around too fast ... how do you normally spend it?

I love watching great films. Tarkovsky and Bergman are some of my favourite directors.

Something totally different I have been watching is a Japanese guy on YouTube called Rambalac. He does these random-walk videos with no talking in which he walks around different places in Japan.

What time does your alarm clock go off on Monday morning?

I set an alarm and put my phone on silent. Seriously though, I might start do what a performer colleague of mine does and set the alarm sound as people applauding.

Tell us about the upcoming release:

I have gone deep for this work. There are two years of life in here.

Our guide, Diamanda, will take us on a sacred journey to a place where only music can. She will act as a medium through which, with open ears, we can dream much needed counsel. Together, we can use this guidance to create the more beautiful world our hearts know is possible.

The new piece is a hybrid symphony for Crash Ensemble, a group of world-class musicians who play the most adventurous, ground-breaking music of today.

Led by cellist and artistic director Kate Ellis and principal conductor Ryan McAdams, the ensemble commissions, collaborates, explores, investigates, and experiments with a broad spectrum of music creators and artistic collaborators.

“We love to innovate, with quality always at the heart of everything we do,” they have said previously.

“We create experiences; exploring new ways of presenting music and bringing our audiences on new adventures.”

Crash perform both in Ireland and internationally. The ensemble’s music is available on their own label, Crash Records, and they have recordings on Nonesuch, Cantaloupe, NMC, Ergodos and Bedroom Community labels.

Children in the Universe, composed by Sam Perkin, is out on November 3 on Bandcamp.