Ailís Ní Ríain

TAKEN music installation extended until June 2012

admin — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 23:19:49 +0000

To coincide with the 400th anniversary of the Lancashire Witch trials, TAKEN, a music installation for Clitheroe Castle ‘Keep’ commissioned by Mid Pennine Arts has been extended until June 2012. It can be heard daily through the Winter months between 12 noon and 4pm and is free to visit. TAKEN is a music installation comprising 12 humming voices and harp especially composed for the ‘Keep’ at Clitheroe Castle in Northern England. TAKEN has attracted over a thousand visitors and is based on the last days and hours of the Lancashire Witches – England’s most famous witch trial-as they were held captive awaiting trial before they were subsequently hung.

TAKEN was featured on BBC Radio 4′s Woman’s Hour in July 2011.

“It is a haunting piece…what an interesting way of interpreting the place, the landscape and historic episode – a tragic one – in Lancashire’s past. Wonderful, thoughtful.”

Streetsong at The Manchester Irish Festival 2012

admin — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 22:37:01 +0000

Streetsong will be played as part of the 2012 Manchester Irish Festival on Sunday 11th March at Manchester Cathedral alongside chamber orchestra works by Irish composers Elaine Agnew, Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin and Ireland’s greatest living symphonist John Kinsella. This unique all-Irish programme will launch a new Irish chamber orchestra – Invernia, conducted by Sínead Hayes.

Premiere at York Late Music Festival 2012

admin — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 04:04:19 +0000

The Welsh baritone and champion of new music Jeremy Huw Williams will premiere a new work by Ailís Ní Ríain on 7th April 2012 in York as part of the York Late Music Festival. She has chosen to set a recent poem by the contemporary York-based poet Carole Bromley entitled Mourning Bracelet written in the voice of Charlotte Bronte as a woman haunted and over-shadowed by her siblings. “I wear my sisters round my wrist. Loop over loop their twisted hair chafes my skin…”

Premiere of ‘Quantitas Speaks’, Royal Festival Hall, London

admin — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 07:36:35 +0000

The piano duo duoDorT will give the premiere performance of Quantitas Speaks, a new work they commissioned and developed at Aldeburgh Music, at the Royal Festival Hall on 9th March 2012 as part of Women of the World Festival. It will be also be performed at Newcastle University on 20th April. Based on a new illustration by Artist Zeke Clough, Quantitas Speaks is composed for a new instrument, the Pianvoglass- a combination of glasses, pianos and voices and based on a new text by the composer.

“As brutal Beaujolais and murderous Merlot oil our maudlin memories-the extended tentacles of our minds connects us to hand, to heart, to hammer-klavier.” -Ailís Ní Ríain

Streetsong broadcast on RTE Lyric FM

admin — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 07:15:27 +0000

Streetsong was commissioned by the Contemporary Music centre of Ireland in 2006 to celebrate their 20th anniversary was installed outside the Centre in the old Temple Bar area of Dublin city. It will be broadcast on RTE Lyric FM’s Blue of the Night on 1st February and on Nova on 5th February.

Streetsong won 1st Prize in the ISCM World Music Days sound art category in 2007 in Stuttgart and was chosen to represent Ireland on the 2009 MIDEM Irish Showcase CD. Subsequently, StreetSong has been programmed in Brazil, Canada, Germany, Ireland and France.

“Captivating with its icon-like sounds and musical form… Simplicity and intensity are married in a congenial way.” - Jury citation of StreetSong, winner 1st Prize ICSM World Music Days 2006 Short Cuts Competition

StreetSong launched on CMC CD Volume 10

admin — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 03:26:37 +0000

A new CD featuring my 2007 piece StreetSong will be launched on 7th December at the Contemporary Music Centre of Ireland. StreetSong was commissioned by the Contemporary Music Centre of Ireland in 2007 to celebrate their 20th anniversary and was installed for one month in the ‘old city’ area of Temple Bar, Dublin.

It went on to win 1st Prize in the ISCM World Music Days sound art category in 2007 in Stuttgart and was chosen to represent Ireland on the 2009 MIDEM Irish Showcase CD. Subsequently, StreetSong has been programmed in Brazil, Canada, Germany, Ireland and France.

Watch interview.

Residency with DuoDorT at Aldeburgh Music

admin — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 03:03:05 +0000

In November 2011 Ailís took part in a Residency at Aldeburgh Music with piano duo DuoDorT where she developed a new work for two pianos, voices, text and wine glasses based on an artwork by Manchester based Zeke Clough. Quantitas Speaks will be premiered by DuoDorT in 2012.

Lighthouse Lullaby at Cardew Festival, London

admin — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 03:07:28 +0000

Lighthouse Lullaby, a sound installation for Maryport Lighthouse in West Coast Cumbria is presented as part of the 2011 Engine Room Festival in London until 15th December 2011. Lighthouse Lullaby was featured on BBC Radio 4′s The Today Programme. Listen here and watch on Channel 4′s Big Art Project website.

DON’T! Performed by Concorde in Dublin

admin — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 02:45:39 +0000

DON’T! – a duet for Bass Clarinet and Cello was performed at the Rubicon Gallery, Dublin on 13th November by the Irish contemporary music ensemble Concorde – Martin Johnson and Paul Roe.

Desolate Heaven at Everyword, Liverpool

admin — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 02:51:35 +0000

Desolate Heaven (a play) was presented as part of the Liverpool Everyman’s Everyword Festival at Liverpool Playhouse on Wednesday 16th November with Bríd Brennan, Laura Pyper and Lisa Hogg. Directed by Tessa Walker.