📣 Congratulations to CMC Composer Xenia Pestova Bennett who has been appointed to the LSO Soundhub Scheme for 2025/26! Xenia will undertake an initial project at LSO St Luke’s and receive mentorship + support from industry professionals, the Soundhub Community, LSO members & staff 🔗 loom.ly/KejFi_4

Now listening: Tania Chen and Jon Leidecker, "live in Japan"

I wish I didn’t have to share this. But the BBC has decided to censor my first Reith Lecture. They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1

Friends, I am looking for someone to help with management work and/or general admin tasks, flexible occasional basis. Can you recommend someone you’ve worked with? Good if experienced with new music but not essential. Thank you.

@kutlerski.bsky.social Congrats on the new release, bossman! Looking forward to listening nmc-recordings.myshopify.com/products/joe...

I am disappointed - disgusted, really - but not surprised. This is the department I left almost three years ago to pursue a fully freelance career. I am lucky to have that choice - I feel for my talented and hard-working former colleagues who gave their all to academia. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Having a bit of a tough wobbly time at the moment. It’s quite incredible though the kindness today which means I may be able to present more of the series next year www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding...

I’m running my performance anxiety course on Zoom for the last time as my schedule is too full - but so exciting to have folks from Singapore, Ireland, Europe, UK and the Americas. You can still join us - we start next week! www.citizenticket.com/events/xenia... @cmcireland.bsky.social

I‘m up and on my way well before any glimmer of dawn today to talk about death, burial and resurrection rituals involving pianos. Is the king of instruments truly dead? Join me at Trinity College Dublin at 11am to find out. @cmcireland.bsky.social www.tcd.ie/trinitylongr...

Tomorrow in Dublin! www.tcd.ie/trinitylongr...

Here is aomething different: I’m putting on my wellbeing facilitator hat to lead a gentle and relaxing yin yoga workshop on Sunday - in person at Maitri Studio Belfast and also streamed online. Have you tried yin? It’s brilliant. Join me here. xeniapestovabennett.com/yoga-coaching #yinyoga

Ask me ANYTHING (about performance anxiety) - join the free online performance forum this coming Tuesday. We will do a simple anxiety management intervention and share excerpts of what we are working on in a safe setting. xeniapestovabennett.com/events/free-...

Brilliant ‘Leaky Bodies and Touchy Software’ concert last night with @xeniapestova.bsky.social + Martin Parker + Olivia Palmer-Baker bringing together the future and history of music creation in unique location of St Cecilia's Hall 👏

Still a few tickets left to hear @xeniapestova.bsky.social playing these tomorrow at St Cecilia's Hall, plus new work from @tinparksky.bsky.social and @aulichmusic.bsky.social www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/leaky-bodi...

I am playing these bad old boys in concert tomorrow

I know the critics slaughtered it, but for an action film with limited plot capacity, Tron Ares is actually pretty good. And, the soundtrack + visual and sound design are strong - watch on a big screen with a proper surround sound system. Some delicious and satisfying low frequencies in there.

I released "Early Electroacoustic Works" last week. It's a collection of drone, noise, plunderphonics, and acousmatic works from 2010-2016. Give it a listen if you'd like! grizwaldmusic.bandcamp.com/album/early-...

Who should play Daylight's 400th Edition? Inspire me! www.daylightmusic.co.uk/eventarchive...

Coming up in Belfast - experience my audiovisual piece GLOW from this year’s New Music Biennial, alongside grandpa Boulez @cmcireland.bsky.social @prsfoundation.bsky.social belfastinternationalartsfestival.com/event/boulez...

My phone’s new fancy visual voice mail feature transcribes my name as “Senior”. “Hi, Senior!” I know I’m ancient and decrepit, but must you rub it in? Hopefully all these AI bells and whistles are just a bubble that will burst soon.

Xenia’s book, Befriending Performance Anxiety, is brilliant. This is a great opportunity for musicians!

People of the internet! I’m running a free online session on performance anxiety and managing negative thoughts (important!) on 30 October. I’m especially keen to reach non-professional musicians who love music, but struggle with stage fright. Please share! xeniapestovabennett.com/events/intro...

coming up in Edinburgh! www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/leaky-bodi...

Performance anxiety and managing negative thoughts: it’s easy to spiral into self-doubt and rush through what could be a precious and magical experience when we share our work with others… but maybe it doesn’t have to be that way! #performanceanxiety xeniapestovabennett.com/2025/10/07/p...

📢 6 works have been nominated by the Irish Section for the ISCM World New Music Days Festival in Romania in 2026. The pieces selected were composed by David Fennessy, Dylan Murphy, Ailís Ní Ríain, Xenia Pestova Bennett, Caterina Schembri and Ian Wilson. Read more at CMC News: loom.ly/RnKLC14 #ISCM

An honour to be nominated by @cmcireland.bsky.social to represent Ireland at World Music Days. I am submitting the audiovisual version of GLOW to the international jury - out now on @nmcrecordings.bsky.social commissioned by @prsfoundation.bsky.social

Alvin Lucier’s organoids keep going!

I’m going back to ca. 1996, before I had a mobile phone and when connecting to the internet involved a dial-up modem.

Can anyone share examples of happy / positive / useful experiences with social media in general, and this platform in particular? I mean, why are we here?

Now listening to FRUSH - Luc Houtkamp, Sebi Tramontana, Steve Beresford, Martin Blume while eating a vegan almond Ritter Sport. That seems to work well.

We've reached 6,000 confirmed exoplanets! I talked with @aussiastronomer.bsky.social about where things go from here. (A great graphic by @unamandita.bsky.social visualizes the amazing jumps in planet finds since the first ones were confirmed in the 1990s.)

Coming soon! Words, music and nature with Dara McAnulty at Aspects Festival celebrates Irish writing and music. With compositions by Xenia Pestova Bennett, @ed-bennett.bsky.social and some lovely classics including Debussy and Ravel - plus, toy piano! #irishcomposers @cmcireland.bsky.social

Now listening: “Bee Reiki” by Faradena Afifi, Steve Beresford & Paul Khimasia Morgan

Now listening: @fantasticdrfox.bsky.social “Dissenting Voices” (Hat Hut)

It’s time to make foraged blackberry jam!

Now reading: “sound design for film” by @timharrison.bsky.social - delighted to see John Cage, Pauline Oliveros and R. Murray Schafer mentioned right from the outset. An engaging, inspiring and informative read for anyone interested in sound art / electronic music / sound narrative techniques.

We will be announcing the results of the open call for new works for toy piano + early music instruments for Sonorities Belfast soon! Thanks to everyone who submitted pieces. Really looking forward to this spring - running since 1981, Sonorities is the oldest biennial new music festival in Ireland.

What a treat (can I say that?) to rediscover the original ALIEN (1978) on the big screen - the young Sigourney Weaver at her best, slow and stark, absolute benchmark for sci-fi noir / horror, dream-like detail in stage and sound design, and of course the gloriously gory Chestbuster!

Now listening to: “Six New Works for Violin”, Larissa O’Grady, farpoint recordings with music by David Bremner, Jenn Kirby, Judith Ring, Anselm McDonnell, Robert Coleman, Fiona Linnane #IrishComposers #contemporarymusic @cmcireland.bsky.social @jennkirbym.bsky.social

Prepping for a collaborative effort with writer, naturalist and activist Dara McAnulty - “Words, Music and Nature” with piano and toy piano sounds from yours truly coming to Aspects Festival on Sunday 28 Sept. Well behaved adults and children over 7 are invited. aspectsfestival.com/whats-on/xen...

I am finally getting some sort of a regular practice schedule happening again. Delighted with my new converted garden shed piano studio. Come and visit.

I am now on Mastodon - @[email protected] - still not convinced by either Bluesky or Mastodon, but let’s give it a try!

Rediscovering Qigong Five Yin Organs as taught by my late teacher in North Wales. So wonderful to have this gift from him - the body still remembers the forms.

Coo!

Concorde celebrate 50 years of performances at the Hugh Lane Gallery with the world premiere of a new work by Ensemble Director Jane O’Leary 🥳

This red squirrel came by to say hello. It’s cute. It’s relaxed. It doesn’t get stressed by world affairs and it doesn’t read or watch any news, ever. It has a fluffy tail and it makes weird little squirrel noises.

When I was 11, I fled a dictatorial regime with my family knowing that I would never see my home, my toys, my friends and my relatives again. One of my teachers at the time told me that only a traitor would leave their home country. I was then told to “go home” every day at school in my new country.

OUT NOW - New Music Biennial 2025 The 2025 edition of NMB 2025 showcases a dynamic mix of brand-new commissions selected through an open call and standout works premiered in the past four years Listen/Buy now 🔗

Earlier, I wrote a ditty for ensemble and electronics as featured at @prsfoundation.bsky.social #newmusicbiennial. You can now pre-order all the works from the festival from @nmcrecordings.bsky.social - available to stream from this Friday! nmcrecs.lnk.to/NewMusicBien... @cmcireland.bsky.social