For the first time the music of an inclusive ensemble of musicians and composers of differing abilities will form part of the National Collections at the National Library of Ireland (NLI).

The inaugural performance took place at the NLI on Friday, 10th January 2025.

Led by composer Karen Power, the ensemble was made up of a group of ten musicians – five living with intellectual disabilities and five students of the Royal Irish Academy of Music (RIAM). The composition incorporates sounds that capture the distinctive atmosphere of the National Library.

An inclusive ensemble is built on a shared process-based approach to music-making. The process is open, unbiased and offers equal opportunities for genuine exchange between all the musicians. ‘Sounding the hidden at the NLI’ pairs acoustic instruments, iPads as digital instruments, and field recordings.

Read the full press release.