iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Neil Tòmas Smith @ntsmith.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Glasgow Cathedral this eve. New choral+brass piece tomorrow in the Cathedral Fest. Fruity microtones ahoy.

Reposted by Neil Tòmas Smith

sound @soundscotland.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

Great to see soundfestival featured by Creative Scotland as we look ahead to this year’s festival. “Audiences are guaranteed to hear something they’ve never heard before, challenging what they believe about music.” Read more: www.creativescotland.com/news-stories... #NewMusic #MusicScotland

creativescotland.com

Acclaimed new music festival reveals details of 2026 edition

The programme for the 2026 soundfestival, one of Europe’s leading celebrations of new music, has been announced.

041

Reposted by Neil Tòmas Smith

Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan @london.gov.uk · 19/08/2026

This stopped me in my tracks. An independent study by @qmul.bsky.social has found that after ULEZ was introduced, children’s lungs grew faster in Central London and have now caught up with children outside of the capital. Incredible.

1563369975

Reposted by Neil Tòmas Smith

The Author, Séamas O'Reilly @seamas.bsky.social · 12/06/2026

On legitimising yet another pogrom.

Some prefer to step two degrees away from the above conclusion, blaming the violence not on one discrete crime, but rather on long-simmering discontent about “unfettered immigration”, to use the words offered by loyalist MP Jim Allister, in the wake of last year’s Ballymena riots. Such riots are appalling, the argument goes, but their anger reflects a legitimate concern; that immigration has simply gone too far.

Again, we risk demeaning ourselves by pointing out that rates of migration into Northern Ireland have never been connected to any rise in crime, and represent a tremendous benefit to the economy, from workers in hospitality and agri-business sectors to manufacturing and academia. Migrants are most beneficial in the health and care sectors, with 22 per cent of carers in the state coming from outside the UK and Ireland, without whom Tracey Reid, chief executive of the Northern Ireland Social Care Council, says the sector “could not survive”. Such statistics are, of course, broadly similar throughout the UK and Ireland, and were regarded as truisms until it became seemingly gauche for any prominent newspaper or politician to repeat them, in favour of contorting gymnastically to flatter the perceptions and prejudices of those who just hate migrants for entirely racist reasons. No matter how much they contribute to society, and no matter how few of them there are.

A compelling argument that this is the case can be found in the demographics of Northern Ireland itself. Its current population is just shy of two million. According to the most recent figures available, net migration in the state between 2001 and 2023 amounted to around 62,000 people, including less than 2,400 refugees in secure accommodation. Ballymena, which until this week had been the most prominent site of anti-immigrant violence in the state, sits in the Mid and East Antrim council area, which has seen fewer than 5,000 international migrants settle there this century. Only 3 per cent of Northern Ireland’s population belong to any ethnic minority at all.

For those of us who find the constant discussion of “the immigration problem” dehumanising and dishonest in any context, it’s revealing to see it deployed in places where immigration barely exists, not least for what it might suggest about such legitimate concerns everywhere else. We are left to presume that any number of non-white faces, no matter how few, is a salient enough horror for locals that their concerns become legitimised automatically. Even one, it would seem, is one too many.

Most confusing of all has been the near-total absence of any context regarding who, exactly, is committing all this violence. The reluctance among media outlets to specify that these pogroms are the work of far-right loyalist gangs is particularly odd, given that such groups are fond of signing their work. The LVF, and associated gangs, have for decades sprayed their tags on the houses of the people they burn out, whether Catholics, economic migrants or refugees. Even now their graffiti proudly adorns walls and estates, demanding they be reserved for “locals only”. I’m old enough to remember when the LVF attacked the specially modified home of a severely disabled child because his family was insufficiently Protestant. I’m old enough to remember it because it happened less than two years ago.

When loyalist gangs burned Catholic families out of their homes in past years, there were few stern and sombre pleas that we should understand the arsonists’ concerns. Nor was there a reflexive jolt to place such acts in a context the perpetrators themselves might have liked, perhaps by drawing direct links between their violent acts and the existence of alleged crimes committed by disconnected Catholics many miles away. That this same logic is no longer applied to vast acts of violence against dozens of non-white people of all nationalities in Belfast, purportedly due to the actions of a single man from Sudan, is as preposterous as it is repulsive.

2239103

Reposted by Neil Tòmas Smith

sound @soundscotland.bsky.social · 14/05/2026

sound is pleased to announce that we will be offering 13 places on three development opportunities for Scottish composers / composers based in Scotland. ⏰Deadline: Sunday 7th June 2026 For more information and how to apply: sound-scotland.co.uk/news/develop... #DevelopmentOpportunity #OpenCall

021

Reposted by Neil Tòmas Smith

Jo Grady @drjogrady.bsky.social · 12/05/2026

Yesterday Kier Starmer announced Labour will nationalise British Steel, and save 2700 jobs. Today, the Uni of Nottingham put 2700 staff at risk of redundancy. This is just one university. Across the UK 15,000 higher education jobs need saving. Where is the rescue package for our universities?

19776363

Reposted by Neil Tòmas Smith

Giles MacDonogh @gilesmacdonogh.bsky.social · 01/05/2026

The German painter Georg Baselitz has died. He was 88.

033

Reposted by Neil Tòmas Smith

GOETHE @dailygoethe.bsky.social · 29/03/2026

…

08015

Neil Tòmas Smith @ntsmith.bsky.social · 22/03/2026

Re Moby, if you want a really quite genuinely problematic song by the Kinks, look no further than 'Apeman'. Made all the worse by a very catchy hook. Has anyone made a study of the Kinks as the sound of Empire? Maybe too obvious...

020

Reposted by Neil Tòmas Smith

Laurie Macfarlane @lmacfarlane.bsky.social · 19/03/2026

NEW: We often hear that Scotland’s more progressive income tax is “driving people out the country.” New HMRC data shows the opposite. Far more taxpayers are moving to Scotland than leaving it. Let’s look at the data 🧵

4160111

Neil Tòmas Smith @ntsmith.bsky.social · 15/03/2026

Everyone in the arts: stop making art and start answering my emails. Also, sorry for the delay in getting back to you.

011

Neil Tòmas Smith @ntsmith.bsky.social · 28/01/2026

I can't pretend I am up on my accounting knowledge to fully grasp what is discussed here. But the conclusions are pretty stark.

020

Neil Tòmas Smith @ntsmith.bsky.social · 29/12/2025

Cf. young composers on the second point.

000

Neil Tòmas Smith @ntsmith.bsky.social · 25/12/2025

Pain Pain Pain Have a Beckett Christmas 🎄

000

Reposted by Neil Tòmas Smith

Joanne Cormac @jcormac.bsky.social · 15/11/2025

Richard Morrison has reported on the suspension of our Music courses in yesterday’s The Times. Please keep sharing the petition www.change.org/p/stop-the-s.... @thetimes.com @adlington.bsky.social @royalmusical.bsky.social @nottinghampost.co.uk @nottinghamlive.bsky.social

074

Reposted by Neil Tòmas Smith

MedRen2025 @medren2025.bsky.social · 07/11/2025

This is awful news to come out of Nottingham. MedRen-ers will be aware that Nottingham has hosted three MedRens in 2012, 1985, and the first ever MedRen in 1972. Do consider signing the petition in the next post. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

bbc.co.uk

Music and modern languages courses suspended at University of Nottingham

In a statement the institution also says it is

1910

Neil Tòmas Smith @ntsmith.bsky.social · 03/11/2025

Prepping up the first batch of books for Next time ur in london listeners. neiltomassmith.bandcamp.com/album/next-t...

010

Neil Tòmas Smith @ntsmith.bsky.social · 28/10/2025

OUT TODAY! New album 'Next time ur in london' With a BEAUTIFUL accompanying book made with Desmond Clarke and Cassandra Barron. neiltomassmith.bandcamp.com/album/next-t...

neiltomassmith.bandcamp.com

Next time ur in london, by Neil Tòmas Smith

8 track album

000

Neil Tòmas Smith @ntsmith.bsky.social · 24/10/2025

Campaign to rename mixed nuts 'stratified nuts'.

110

Neil Tòmas Smith @ntsmith.bsky.social · 21/10/2025

New tunez out 1 week today! Some available now IF you would like: - Scotrail announcements + saxophones - a surreal podcast using AI trained on me doing a middling/poor impression of an American podcaster - an archived John Maynard Keynes speech neiltomassmith.bandcamp.com/album/next-t...

neiltomassmith.bandcamp.com

Next time ur in london, by Neil Tòmas Smith

8 track album

010

Reposted by Neil Tòmas Smith

Christiaan Monden @cmonden.bsky.social · 10/10/2025

Great (paid) PhD opportunity. Excellent environment, conditions, and supervisors. And a topic close to my heart. (Selfish reason for promoting this: I fear there won't be enough concerts for retired me to go to. Geen dag zonder Bach.) vacatures.knaw.nl/job/The-Hagu...

vacatures.knaw.nl

PhD position "Is the audience for classical music concerts fading out?"

058

Neil Tòmas Smith @ntsmith.bsky.social · 01/10/2025

Trained a podcasting software on me doing a (middling to poor*) impression of an American podcaster. The results will ASTONISH** you. neiltomassmith.bandcamp.com/album/next-t... *In my defence, I had to do it for ca 15 mins **May not astonish you. Potentially will ASTOUND.

neiltomassmith.bandcamp.com

Next time ur in london, by Neil Tòmas Smith

8 track album

010

Neil Tòmas Smith @ntsmith.bsky.social · 26/09/2025

Arts Council: ORIGINS. My contribution to the as-yet-non-existent Arts Council Cinematic Universe neiltomassmith.bandcamp.com/track/univer...

neiltomassmith.bandcamp.com

Universal Opportunity, by Neil Tòmas Smith

from the album Next time ur in london

000

Neil Tòmas Smith @ntsmith.bsky.social · 24/09/2025

Next time ur in london releases in 1 month! Thoughts on London's place in British cultural life from someone who has taken many trains to the capital. Sound art meets contemporary composition meets experimental EP. 3 tracks available for prelistening: neiltomassmith.bandcamp.com/album/next-t...

020

Reposted by Neil Tòmas Smith

UCU Edinburgh @ucuedinburgh.bsky.social · 12/09/2025

HUUUGE turnout this morning to demand protection for our jobs and our students' learning conditions. There is no deficit!!!

02413

Reposted by Neil Tòmas Smith

Alastair McIntosh @alastairmci.bsky.social · 03/09/2025

This, from Scotland’s first minister @johnswinney.bsky.social, is the most powerful statement that I have yet read on Israel & Palestine from the leader of a western nation. It calls for respect of the 1967 borders and a 2-state future. Read the full statement at: www.gov.scot/publications...

gov.scot

Situation in Gaza: First Minister's statement - 3 September 2025

First Minister John Swinney's statement to the Scottish Parliament on 3 September 2025.

0198

Reposted by Neil Tòmas Smith

Maud Anne Bracke @maudannebracke.bsky.social · 24/08/2025

'the protests will continue until the PM stops treating migrants as a burden' - Dani Garavelli

173

Reposted by Neil Tòmas Smith

Sunder Katwala (sundersays) @sundersays.bsky.social · 10/08/2025

Calls for a "huge nationwide wave" of protests in last 48 hours saw about 300 people attend one locally-organised protest in Nuneaton (serious charges in local case) + 19 protests range from 6 peoole (Wolverhampton) with about four more reaching 100-200 people (Altrincham,Canary Wharf) Total < 2000

26573219

Reposted by Neil Tòmas Smith

Hugh Morris @hwfmorris.bsky.social · 10/08/2025

“hit by gunfire”

063

Reposted by Neil Tòmas Smith

News Eye @newseye.bsky.social · 04/08/2025

This is amongst the most impactful two minutes of broadcasting I’ve ever seen. By Emma Murphy, International Editor, ITV News. #Gaza

17046933344

Reposted by Neil Tòmas Smith

UNRWA @unrwa.org · 24/07/2025

#Gaza: People are being starved, while a few kilometers away supermarkets are loaded with food. UNRWA has thousands of trucks in neighbouring countries, loaded with food and medicines. We are just waiting for the green light. Lift the siege and let aid in at scale.

49375

Reposted by Neil Tòmas Smith

Carmela Ríos @carmelarios.bsky.social · 23/07/2025

La portada de Libération, edición jueves 24 de julio. “Gaza. El hambre”

15345456

Reposted by Neil Tòmas Smith

Farrukh @implausibleblog.bsky.social · 20/07/2025

Stephen Flynn, "On Brexit, everyone across the UK right now feels that Britain is broken" "And the guy who orchestrated Brexit, Nigel Farage, doesn't have to face the consequences of the economic damage that Brexit has done to the UK"

741920628

Reposted by Neil Tòmas Smith

University and College Union (UCU) @ucu.org.uk · 20/06/2025

🚨IT'S A WIN 🚨 Well done to every single @newcastleucu.bsky.social member 44 days on the picket line ZERO compulsory redundancies University bosses need to look at what our members have achieved in Newcastle & heed the warning: work with us or face disruption www.ucu.org.uk/article/1406...

27617

Reposted by Neil Tòmas Smith

M. J. Grant @campaignbear.bsky.social · 20/06/2025

I am on strike today, protesting senior management’s plans to cut potentially thousand of jobs at the University of Edinburgh in a financial “crisis” entirely of their own making. @ucuedinburgh.bsky.social

162

Reposted by Neil Tòmas Smith

University and College Union (UCU) @ucu.org.uk · 20/06/2025

UCU members at @ucuedinburgh.bsky.social are striking today over University of Edinburgh plans to make £140million in cuts and threaten jobs We're fighting against these reckless proposals Share to show your support ✊

06247

Reposted by Neil Tòmas Smith

Jules Rawlinson @julesrawlinson.bsky.social · 17/06/2025

The always excellent Plus-Minus Ensemble are back at @edincollegeofart.bsky.social for their final concert as Reid School of Music's Ensemble in Residence featuring work by Stravinsky, Francesca Fargion, Natacha Diels, Alex Paxton and Peter Maxwell Davies. Free!! www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/plus-minus...

eventbrite.co.uk

Plus Minus Ensemble: The Mad Moon and the Owls

Plus Minus presents 5 pieces for clarinet and keyboards performed by Vicky Wright (clarinet) and Roderick Chadwick (keyboard)

144

Reposted by Neil Tòmas Smith

RMA @royalmusical.bsky.social · 10/06/2025

Please share - Call for Applications for our brand new RMA 150th Anniversary Fellowships! Fellowships available for scholars not holding full-time, open-ended teaching and research, or full-time research-only academic posts in Higher Education. www.rma.ac.uk/2025/06/10/t...

rma.ac.uk

The Royal Musical Association 150th Anniversary Fellowships (for Early Career Researchers) – Royal Musical Association

11111

Reposted by Neil Tòmas Smith

Continuo Connect @continuoconnect.bsky.social · 30/04/2025

On 16 and 17 May, soprano Anna Dennis joins the sublime @dunedinconsort.bsky.social and the mighty @rsno.bsky.social for the world premiere of Hidden Polyphony by @ntsmith.bsky.social! Neil tells us about how he's illuminating Scotland's lost music 👉 go.continuoconnect.com/neil-t-smith...

portrait picture of neil tomas smith with blue background

012

Reposted by Neil Tòmas Smith

Christopher Fox @fantasticdrfox.bsky.social · 17/04/2025

Peter Ablinger died today. ‘Extraordinary’ is a much-used word in the arts but Peter really was extraordinary, fearless, thoughtful. He will be sorely missed.

0243

Reposted by Neil Tòmas Smith

lawrence @ldunn.bsky.social · 17/04/2025

RIP Peter Ablinger 1959-2025

051

Reposted by Neil Tòmas Smith

Matt Sargent @mattsargent.bsky.social · 17/04/2025

Peter Ablinger was one of the absolute great artists of our time. Incredible body of work that also produced new ideas and directions for so many composers. Exceptional in the purest sense. Rest in peace. www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMRI...

youtube.com

Der Regen, das Glas, das Lachen (1994) for 25 Instrumentalists

YouTube video by Klangforum Wien - Topic

083

Reposted by Neil Tòmas Smith

Seán Clancy @seanlclancy.bsky.social · 17/04/2025

Sad news about Peter Ablinger. Each piece he wrote was a unique world… a remarkable body of work. RIP

0172

Reposted by Neil Tòmas Smith

sound @soundscotland.bsky.social · 18/03/2025

Four years ago, sound worked with Ben Lunn on What We Need to Thrive, a guide to help organisations better support autistic composers. We sat down with Ben to reflect on progress made & challenges that remain within the music industry. Read more: sound-scotland.co.uk/news/champio... #NCW

001