The hills are alive with sounds

Excerpts from an opera for Barbie dolls, Spanish percussion and wild improvisations – and all for the price of a decent round of drinks? Music lovers, it’s time to head for the hills. This weekend, the Hilltown New Music Festival takes place in Castlepollard, Co Westmeath, with eight concerts featuring musicians from here and abroad.

Jennifer Walshe, she of the Barbie opera, will be in action over the weekend, along with Roberto Oliviera, Barbara Lüneburg and Rory Walsh, and there will be installations by Aideen Barry, Anthony Kelly and David Stalling, among others, as well as a host of screenings.

There are plenty of overlaps with musicians, composers, filmakers and artists all dipping into each other’s genres over the weekend, so expect an electrifying set of challenging works.

One day tickets are €15, or €25 for the weekend. See hilltown.ie for more details and directions on how to get there.