ZOË CONWAY & JOHN Mc INTYRE
with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra
Philippe Cousin
Zoë Conway has always played music. Having learnt to play the violin as a child, she began classical studies and then joined the Irish National Symphony Orchestra before turning to traditional music. She has several albums to her credit, both solo and in a group, as well as with her husband, guitarist John Mc Intyre.
Born in County Louth, north of Dublin, he studied classical guitar and piano. But he too has been immersed in the Donegal tradition since his earliest childhood, and of course he plays traditional music. As well as playing with John, Zoë has recorded on the soundtracks of several films. In 2023 she was given an Associate Artist role with the RTÉ Orchestra. It was with this orchestra that she and her partner recorded the album From a Forest to a Fiddle - Forais Go Fidil, the soundtrack to a film of the same name.
This meditative art film tells the story of luthier Jim McKillop, who is seen making a violin in his workshop in the Cooley Mountains. The music was composed by Zoë, arranged by J. McIntyre and orchestrated by Gavin Murphy. We discover the enchantment of craftsmanship as J. McKillop breathes life into the wood. A process filmed over six months, revealing the alchemy behind each violin.
The soundtrack is inspired by the ancient Irish alphabet Ogham, in which each letter represents a tree: Oak, Heather, Rowan, Willow, Apple, Blackthorn, Fir, Gorse, Ash, Hawthorn and Birch. All the tracks explore the shape, colour and texture of trees, from the forest to the finished instrument.
An album that may seem far removed from tradition, so classical does it sound with the presence of the orchestra, but in fact is never far from it, so imbued are Zoë and John's playing with it. A highly original album to discover.
Autoproduit BAMBACD4026 - www.zoeandjohn.com