Mare Nostrum
Aileen Sweeney
This piece was written in collaboration with writer Martin Raymond as part of Refugee Week held at Stirling University. Displayed at the university is "The List" which traces information relating to the deaths of 34, 361 refugees, asylum seekers and undocumented migrants who have lost their lives within, or on the borders of Europe since 1993.
Mare Nostrum, 'Our sea' in Latin was the Roman name for the Mediterranean. It is also the name of the Italian governments year-long operation in 2013 in response to unprecedented losses of refugee ships around the island of Lampedusa.
The number, 34, 361, has been inscribed into the piece within the time signatures as a stark reminder of the vast and ever growing number of refugees, asylum seekers and migrants who have lost their lives.
Instrumentation Genre Ensemble (no conductor)
Tag quartet
Duration 6 minutes
Instrumentation
Performances of this work
| Date | Venue | Performer | Link |
Upcoming events
- 12 Jan 2026, 12:30
[Covfefe: online monthly coffee chat for composers & musicians] - 23 Jan 2026, 18:00
[The Night With... Haptic and Stef Conner] - 25 Jan 2026, 19:30
[The Night With... Haptic and Stef Conner] - 26 Jan 2026, 12:30
[Covfefe: online monthly coffee chat for composers & musicians] - 30 Jan 2026, 20:00
[Nordic Resonance | Live performances in Malta, Shetland and Glasgow, 2026]
Recent updates
Works
- Quartet no 6 (Ma), by Matthew Whiteside
- Perihelion, by Neil Tòmas Smith
- Above the Stars, by Aileen Sweeney
Events
- Nordic Resonance | Live performances in Malta, Shetland and Glasgow, 2026
- The Night With... Haptic and Stef Conner
- The Night With... United Strings of Europe
Projects
- Aides... mémoires... Project album launch
- On a Wing and a Prayer
- On a Wing and a Prayer - presentation
Opportunities
- Noisy Nights in Glasgow – Call for Scores
- Red Note is looking for a new Chair of the Board
- In Motion 2026 - Sound and Music
