FEDORA - Finola Merivale at the Columbia Institute: A Concert Bridging Sound, Place, and Imagination

Finola Merivale at the Columbia Institute: A Concert Bridging Sound, Place, and Imagination

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23 March 2026

Paris / France

Industry News, Winners

On 30 April 2026, Columbia Global Centers in Paris will host “Bones, Rocks and Jackhammers: A Portrait Concert by Finola Merivale” at Reid Hall, inviting audiences into the richly textured sound world of the Irish composer.

Finola Merivale, known for her evocative blend of acoustic and electroacoustic writing, has developed a distinctive artistic voice shaped by explorations of landscape, memory, and environment. This portrait concert brings together works that reflect her fascination with both natural and urban sonic environments—capturing everything from the resonance of rocks to the pulse of machinery.

Merivale is also the composer of Out of the Ordinary/As an nGnách winner of the FEDORA Digital Prize 2021, led by Irish National Opera. This groundbreaking project exemplifies her innovative approach to storytelling, combining music, digital creation, and interdisciplinary collaboration to expand the boundaries of operatic experience. The FEDORA Digital Prize is supported by Kearney in collaboration with IMZ Media, as part of the FEDORA Prizes Biennale, co-funded by the Creative Europe Programme of the European Commission.

Her presence on the international stage highlights the impact of FEDORA-supported artists, whose work continues to shape the future of opera and contemporary music through bold and imaginative creations.

BONES, ROCKS AND JACKHAMMERS

This portrait concert celebrates the launch of her album Abhaile – the Irish for “home”– for saxophone and electronics recorded with Merivale's close collaborator Catherine Sikora, The three works on the album are paired with two solo pieces for violin and electronics, performed by Maya Bennardo.

Out of the Ordinary/As an nGnách

Out of the Ordinary harnesses the creativity and life experience of diverse Irish communities that currently have little or no connection to opera. It uses cutting edge technology as a tool to distil and present their stories. It results in the world’s first ever VR community opera.

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