Gwendolyn’s ‘Origin’ celebrates multi-cultural background

The Portershed in Eyre Square will host a gig with a difference next Friday, March 9 when violinist Gwendolyn Masin will be joined by her six-string Origin Ensemble for a dance-inspired show that will cross styles and continents.

Born into a family of classical musicians, Gwendolyn has been travelling the world, performing for audiences, since the age of five. At 11 she gained national exposure in Ireland after appearing on The Late Late Show and still guests regularly on radio and TV shows. She has performed in Asia and throughout Europe, Russia, South Africa, the Middle East, and North America, both as a soloist with orchestras and as a chamber musician.

In addition, Gwendolyn also writes, transcribes music, and advises composers.  And, in an effort to make music more accessible, she collaborates with composers and commissions work from them.

“I feel that music is a perpetual companion and my life feeds and informs my love for it and vice versa,” she explains. “The experience of live music is everything. It’s the ultimate form of communication, moving us into dimensions that language, for example, cannot reach.”

The programme for Portershed, Origin, is based on Masin’s album of the same name in which she pays tribute to her multi-cultural background.

■ Tickets for this left-of-centre show are €20/€18 from O’Maille’s, Shop Street, or from Music for Galway on 091 705962 or at www.musicforgalway.ie. It starts at 6pm.