NCH Podcasts

2019 marks the fifth year of the National Concert Hall’s Music in Mind programme - a participative music programme for people living with mental health concerns such as depression or anxiety. Designed in partnership with Mental Health Ireland, the programme provides 8-week percussion and singing workshops to service users, staff, and friends/family of mental health support centres in 16 of MHI's network of mental health associations. This podcast documents Music in Mind: Celebrate Together - a gathering of participants at the National Concert Hall, taking part in workshops as well as performing for one another on Tuesday 19 November 2019.

Nadine O'Regan speaks with composer and arranger David Coulter about interpreting the classic Tom Waits album Swordfishtrombones. David will be re-imagining the 1983 opus as part of the NCH Perspective Series on Tuesday 29th November.  Joining him on the night is an impressive team of musicians and special guests - LA singer and performance artist Dorian Wood, Austrian musician and producer Soap&Skin, Mercury Prize nominee Nadine Shah, acclaimed folk singer Lisa O’Neill and singer and songwriter Matthew E. White to the line-up. Here, he speaks to Nadine about first hearing the album, falling in love with Waits music, collaborating with him, and what we can expect from Swordfishtrombones: Revisited. Perspectives is sponsored by Davy as Innovation Partner and media partner The Irish Times.

Nadine O'Regan speaks with Rough Trade/River Lea Records founder Geoff Travis alongside Cavan singer-songwriter Lisa O'Neill.  Lisa will perform as part of the NCH Tradition Now series on Saturday 5th October as part of a lineup curated by Geoff Travis, Tim Chipping and Jeanette Lee.  Also on the bill that evening are Ye Vagabonds and Brìghde Chaimbeul. Tradition Now is sponsored by Davy as Innovation Partner and media partner The Irish Times.

Nadine O'Regan speaks with Gavin Friday & Ute Lemper, two of the performers who will take to the stage for Change the World: Bertolt Brecht Songs & Poems for 2019

NCH CEO Simon Taylor, Head of Programme Planning Gary Sheehan and Head of Learning and Participation Nigel Flegg speak with Nadine O'Regan about the NCH Programme for 2019/2020. 

Nadine O'Regan talks to Rose McGowan ahead of her appearance at the National Concert Hall. Actress, feminist, whistle-blower, activist and agent of change Rose McGowan talks about her early life, her career and the events that inspired her to write the ground-breaking memoir Brave. Rose and Nadine discuss the origins of the #MeToo movement; how it has served to improve conditions in the entertainment industry, and its effects on society at large.

Nadine O'Regan interviews Matt Haig ahead of his appearance at the National Concert Hall.  Author of Reasons to Stay Alive and Notes on a Nervous Planet, Matt Haig is one of the UK’s leading voices on coping with depression and the impact of modern life on mental health. Primarily known as a novelist, he has collaborated with artists across the board and it was recently announced that the producers of award-winning show Fleabag are developing a comedy drama based on Reasons To Stay Alive – his best-selling book.

Nadine O’Regan interviews Catherine Mayer ahead of her appearance at the National Concert Hall. Writer, activist, speaker, consultant and the co-founder and President of the Women's Equality Party, Mayer is also the author of three books: Amortality: The Pleasures and Perils of Living Agelessly, Charles: The Heart of a King and Attack of the Fifty Foot Women: How Gender Equality Can Save the World! Catherine talks about her fascinating career, discrimination, gender representation in tech... fighting back, and much more.