Greg Felton

Mr

Contact Details


B141
T:Ext. 2275

E:Greg.Felton@dcu.ie

B141

T:8842275

E:Greg.Felton@dcu.ie
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Greg Felton is a pianist, improviser, composer and educator from Dublin, Ireland.

‘Good Friday’ the debut album of the jazz piano trio, Origin Story, was named the jazz album of 2020 by the Irish Times. He is a fulltime jazz tutor in DCU where he specialises in composition, rhythm studies and advanced harmony and jazz piano

He holds an MA in composition from Waterford Institute of Technology and an AGSM in Jazz Performance from Newpark Music Centre/ Guildhall School of Music and Drama. He studied South Indian classical rhythm and melody in Chennai with Dr. K.S.S. Subramaniam and Trichur Narendran in 2006, creative improvisation in Banff with Vijay Iyer, Greg Osby and Dave Douglas in 2005 and advanced harmony and composition in Pennsylvania with Dave Liebman in 2004.

Past and present bands include Origin Story (co-composer), Michael Buckley’s Ebb & Flow, Greg Felton Quartet, White Rocket (co-composer), Ronan Guilfoyle’s Always Know, Mappa Mundi and Evidence, Louis Stewart Quintet, Mike Nielsen Quartet and Mel Mercier’s Pulsus and MÓNCKK. He has performed in many countries worldwide including India, USA, Mexico, Italy, Canada, Greece, France, Macedonia, UK and Scotland as well numerous jazz festivals around Ireland.

‘An incredible force for good in Irish jazz’ - BBC Radio Ulster

‘One of the Irish jazz scene’s most original piano players’ - The Irish Times

On Origin Story: "One of the freshest voices in Irish jazz and a must-hear for anyone who wants to know where the piano trio is headed in the 21st century." - The Irish Times

Professional Associations

Association Function From / To
Music Network 'Why I Play' Ambassador 04/09/2020 -
Music Network Capital Scheme panel member 23/05/2023 -
Arts Council Peer panel member 26/04/2018 -
Music Network Capital Scheme panel member 18/11/2014 -
Dublin Institute of Technology External examiner for MMus performances 22/05/2013 -
Irish Musicians Rights Organisation Member 01/05/2004 -

Honors and Awards

Date Title Awarding Body
01/06/2023 Michael Buckley's Music Bursary Arts Council
01/12/2020 Jazz album of the year Irish Times
01/05/2018 Music Network Capital Scheme Music Network
01/03/2006 Travel and Training Award - India Arts Council
01/03/2005 Travel and Training Award - Banff, Canada Arts Council
01/03/2004 Travel and Training Award - USA Arts Council

Employment

Employer Position From / To
Newpark Music Centre Jazz Lecturer 01/09/2002 - 10/05/2017
DCU Fulltime jazz tutor 15/09/2017 -

Education

Start date Institution Qualification Subject
15/09/2007 Waterford Intitute of Technology Master of Arts Composition
10/09/1999 Newpark Music Centre/ Guildhall School of Music and Dance AGSM Diploma Jazz Performance and Skills

Creative Outputs

Year Title Type
2024 Michael Buckley's Ebb & Flow Recording
2023 Cian Nugent, She Brings Me Back To The Land Of The Living Recording
2023 May Story Composition
2023 May You Wonder Composition
2022 Mel Mercier's Pulsus Recording
2021 Anakronos, Island of the Saints Recording
2021 I Draw Slow, I Draw Slow Recording
2021 Origin Story live at IMMA Recording
2021 Origin Story live at the Black Gate Recording
2021 Origin Story live at the Sligo Jazz Festival Recording
2021 Gerry Buckley, Kilnamartyra Recording
2020 Origin Story, Good Friday (Jazz album of the year - the Irish Times) Recording
2020 Same Downbeat, Bitches, Episode 1 Composition
2019 Regarding Time Composition
2016 Good Friday Composition
2015 Ear Storm Composition
2014 Blues for Louis Composition
2014 Blues #13 Composition
2013 Dodecaphonish Composition
2013 Instatune Composition
2012 Zoid vs the Jazz Musicians of Ireland Recording
2011 Wild Garlic Blues Composition
2010 Herbish Composition
2010 Intense Brew Composition
2008 Piano Sonata no. 1 Composition
2008 Sovereign Deed Composition
2008 Washed Out Composition
2007 Dark Horse parts 1-5 Composition
2007 White Rocket, White Rocket Recording
2007 Take a Breath Composition
2007 Hugh Buckley, Sketches of Now Recording
2006 Gandhi's Gita Composition
2006 Lonely Toad Composition
2006 Fiddle Sticks Composition
2006 Sung Once Composition
2006 Susan Styra Composition
2006 Brick-laying Composition
2006 RUM Composition
2006 Unborn Composition
2005 His Story Composition
2005 Straight Story Composition
2005 Supine Lupine Composition
2004 Shifts Composition
2004 Robust Drugs Composition
2004 Eavesdropping Composition
2003 Inish Freeish Composition
2003 McPhellimey's Discourse Composition
2002 Ritual Composition
2002 Nine Flat Monkeys Composition
2001 Elders Composition

Enterprise Engagement

Year Engagement Type Client Description
2024 Invited talk/presentation DCU Jazz Society Jazz performance and masterclass with Michael Buckley
2024 Invited talk/presentation Rock Jam All Stars/DCU Centre for Jazz Workshop on Improvisation and Blues Shout Choruses
2021 Invited talk/presentation Irish World Academy, University of Limerick Guest lecturer in ‘The Great American Songbook’
2021 Invited talk/presentation DCU Jazz Society Workshop on ‘Quick and Creative Composition’
2020 Invited talk/presentation Irish World Academy, University of Limerick Guest lecturer in ‘Songwriting’
2013 Invited talk/presentation Dublin Institute of Technology Guest Lecturer ‘Compositional styles of Thelonious Monk and Lennie Tristano’ for MMus students

Outreach Activities

Year Engagement Type Organisation Description
2018 Educational Outreach/Public Engagement Earth Song: Dance, Drum and Movement Camp Led workshops on musical improvisation
2017 Educational Outreach/Public Engagement Music Generation Presented jazz workshops in Mermaid Arts Centre, Bray to Music Generation students
2017 Educational Outreach/Public Engagement Earth Song: Dance, Drum and Movement Camp Led workshops on South Indian Rhythms
2015 Educational Outreach/Public Engagement Newpark Comprhensive School Presented jazz and improvisation workshops to secondary school classes at Newpark Comprehensive School, Dublin
2013 Educational Outreach/Public Engagement Monkstown Educate Together National School Between 2013-2017 Presented numerous jazz workshops to primary school classes: Monkstown Educate Together National School
2002 Educational Outreach/Public Engagement Improvised Music Company Presented workshops on improvisation and trio creativity to the general public

Media

Title Year Type Authors
Tommy Halferty, Cormac O'Brien, Greg Felton at Scott's Jazz Club 2023 Newspaper article (online) All About Jazz
The Island of Saints 2022 Film Heresy
Origin Story, Good Friday Review. Unique and instantly engaging jazz 2020 Newspaper article (online) The Irish Times
Rum, Negotiating interaction through composition 2019 Newspaper article (online) Dr. Damian Evans
Music Network Piano Scheme and piano performance of compositions 2018 Radio Interviews RTÉ Lyric FM - Arena with Seán Rocks

Research Interests

  • Music Composition
  • Improvisation
  • Rhythm
  • Advance Harmony and Melody

Modules Coordinated

Term Title Subject
2022 Rhythm Studies 3 MC326
2020 Ensemble Performance 1 MC323
2022 Performance Ear Training MC330
2022 Rhythm Studies 1 MC121
2022 Arranging 3 MC320
2022 Instrumental / Vocal Skills 2 MC220
2022 Instrumental / Vocal Skills 3 MC325
2022 Instrumental / Vocal Skills 4 MC410
2022 Instrumental / Vocal Skills 1 MC118
2021 Harmonic Ear Training and Sight Singing MC331
2022 Instrumental / Vocal Labs 3 MC324
2022 Jazz Composition 2 MC322
2020 Keyboard Skills and Tonal Harmony MC119
2022 Instrumental / Vocal Labs 4 MC409
2022 Advanced Harmony MC414
2022 Transcription 2 MC327
2020 Transcription 1 MC222
2020 Irish Composers' Workshop MC408