Composer releases song honouring Ukrainian women refugees in Dundalk
Emer Kenny's piece reflects on resilience amidst conflict, inspired by Dundalk's Ukrainian community
Composer and harpist Emer Kenny has unveiled her latest musical endeavour with the release of the emotionally charged song and video (see below), 'Bright Star'. Inspired by the stories of Ukrainian women who sought refuge in Dundalk amidst the ongoing conflict in their homeland, Kenny's newest creation is a poignant tribute to resilience and hope.
The genesis of 'Bright Star' took root during Kenny's tenure as musician-in-residence at An Táin Theatre in Dundalk.
The song was recorded with producer and engineer John Murphy, capturing Emer’s distinctive harp playing and emotional vocal performance.
The video for Bright Star features contemporary dancer Polina from Donetsk and also harpist Rosie Murphy, John and Emer’s daughter, performing in An Táin Theatre.
Iryna, Yara and Maryna from conflict zones in Ukraine who shared their stories with Emer, feature as audience members in the video.
The video also includes frontline footage from Ukraine, filmed by the video director, Finn Boylan who is a documentary film maker in areas of conflict globally.
Kenny's musical journey traces back to her childhood, having started playing the harp at the age of nine. She honed her craft through classical training at DIT, Dublin, and Trinity College of Music, London, eventually signing with prestigious labels such as Warner Chappell Publishing and Mercury Polygram.
This is Emer's second socially engaged project working with survivors of conflict. The first being 'Ghosts', a musical work commissioned by the Derry Playhouse and their project partner Queen's University, based on the testimonies of survivors of the Troubles.
In September 2019 'Ghosts' was one of the artistic works featured in an extended international online conference 'Art in a Place of Conflict' The song was recorded by the Ulster Orchestra in the Waterfront, Belfast in 2020 for their album 'Our Songs, Our Place'.
In 2023 Emer was musician-in-residence in An Táin Theatre, Dundalk. It was during this time that she researched and developed the creative possibilities of writing music based on the testimonies of Ukrainian women who had fled the war and were now living in Dundalk.