Open Ears Podcast – Season 4, Episode 4 In each episode of Open Ears, podcast host and producer Alain McFadden invites a guest to listen to a recording from Crash Ensemble’s catalogue. Together, they share first impressions, personal reflections, and explore the ideas, emotions, and stories the music inspires. For the fourth episode of Season 4, Alain is joined by broadcaster, musician, and academic Doireann Ní Ghlacáin. Together, they listen to ‘Singing Sands’ by Lara Weaver. About ‘Singing Sands’: Singing Sands, written for the Crash Ensemble, is composed from Weaver’s field recordings of the singing sand dunes of the Rub’ al-Khali (Empty Quarter) desert in the Arabian Peninsula. The piece attunes to these unusual sounds through composed materials derived from my recording of a dune singing in late afternoon. Just as the sound of the dunes has been most often described by likening it to different instrumental timbres, Weaver was curious: how might a stringed instrument ‘sing’ like sand, or a trombone ‘boom’ like a dune? How can a group of musicians tune in to the resonance of the desert? Specific instrumental effects and musical gestures prompt members of the ensemble to engage with the dune’s harmonic and timbral characteristics, illuminating latent aspects. The broader expressive gestures of the piece are then inspired by the sentiments she observed towards the singing dunes: to those who live in the desert here, the sound is a curiosity, a warning or a sign of something ominous, something that inspires awe and spiritual significance, but also a sound that has come to mean a place to gather peacefully (for it is difficult to sneak up on someone when the sand booms from your footsteps). In the vast quiet of the deep desert, the singing of the sands invites a slow listening, attuning to the sounds of the earth, holding space for what might emerge. Presented by: Alain McFadden Music featured: Singing Sands (2025, by Lara Weaver, performed by Crash Ensemble Host: Alain McFadden Guest: Doireann Ní Ghlacáin ‘Singing Sands’ was commissioned by Crash through our Crash Works programme. It premiered live at New Music Dublin. Crash Works is a commission and development hub for music creators at pivotal stages of their careers, offered in partnership with Crash Ensemble and New Music Dublin. These new works are the culmination of a two-year programme of support, mentoring and development, during which each creator has been given the opportunity to investigate and develop new works. Find out more about: Doireann Ní Ghlacáin ~ https://www.instagram.com/doireannnighlacain Lara Weaver ~ https://laraweaver41.wixsite.com/composer Crash Ensemble ~ www.crashensemble.com/about
