A selection of arts related projects Tony has worked on.
"Still Dance" is Nahelli Chavoya's first creative output as a PhD candidate in Arts Practices at the Irish World Academy, University of Limerick.
It was presented as an installation on April 14, 2023, at the Irish World Academy in Limerick, Ireland. Through this installation, Nahelli explored the experience of dance as poetry, drawing on her own background as an Irish dance practitioner.
For Nahelli's installation I composed an ever evolving ambient soundscape using sounds influenced by Nahelli's poetry. The soundscape featured a number of ambient sonic gestures, interacting with each other in unpredictable ways. These sounds were played back through speakers strategically placed around the venue.
Aire - The Irish World Academy, Sept 26th 2024
Featuring Dr Óscar Mascareñas (Voice) and Tony Monahan (Guitar)
AIRE is an invitation to sit and listen. A conversation beyond words
through shared sound, silence and space. AIRE (from the Irish ‘attention’) is a practice, developed by Óscar Mascareñas and Tony Monahan, that has its origins in the idea of inter-being (promoted by Vietnamese Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh), and is grounded in observation through silence, stillness and sound. It is a practice of silence. But not always silent. Of observing (in) silence. But not always silently. An action of poetry, towards poetry. From/in/into stillness.
Awaken album launch and sound installation, May 3rd 2024, Spacecraft Artist Studios, Limerick.
With special guest Oscar Mascarenas.
Featuring pictures, video footage and live clips taken from various mobile phones.
A tower seminar marking the release of Oscar Mascarenas' book 'Like Drinking Water'.
March 13th, 2024, Theatre 2 at The Irish World Academy,
University of Limerick, Ireland.
Featuring:
Steve Boyland (voice), Oscar Mascarenas (voice/demung),
Tony Monahan (electric guitar), Eugene Murphy (piano),
Anya Peterson Royce (voice).
A generative re-composition of my forthcoming debut album 'Awaken'.
The album was re-presented at the installation in a way that was new to both me and the attendees. I used varied loops of sounds and musical parts from my album, which interacted in unpredictable ways, set to visuals from photographs captured throughout the making of the album.
This was my final project presentation for my MA in Composition and Creative music practice at the Irish World Academy, Theatre 2 on 25th August 2023.
A visual representation I made of Nahelli Chavoya's PhD Arts installation at the Irish World Academy, Limerick. For 'Still Dance' on April 14, 2023.
For the installation I composed an ever evolving ambient soundscape. This video is a sample of that soundscape set to images from the installation.
During the first Coronavirus lockdown in 2020 we had to figure out a way to keep the Limerick Voices programme alive so we went online!
We had regular Zoom meetings (both group and individual ones) on Saturdays with our teens and devised a programme using Soundtrap to allow the teens to create music together and individually.
This mixtape was the result of those sessions. It was recorded by the teens from their homes using phones, laptops and tablets.
Music Generation Limerick City's Limerick Voices project has been running every Saturday morning since 2014. I'm proud to have been on the tutor team since it's inception.
The project is free to attend and offers teenagers the space to create their own music with like-minded individuals, with expert tutors on hand to offer guidance and advice.
In this video we rounded up some people who participated in the project at the start of their musical journey, Hazey Haze & Krome from Limerick rap collective PX Music, Anna & Laura from alt-rock band Powpig and acclaimed poet/rapper Strange Boy.