Elaine Agnew
(* Larne Co. Antrim 1967)
Elaine Agnew grew up in the Northern Irish countryside and studied at Queen's University, Belfast (BMus 1990), where her composition teachers were Michael Alcorn and Kevin Volans. She continued her studies at Glasgow with James Macmillan and travelled to Iceland and Indonesia on scholarships. Her largest pieces so far are the orchestral works Tir na nÓg (1992) and Strings A-stray (1994), the latter lending its title to a Black Box CD. Agnew's music is an individual soundworld of contrasts, freely mixing sharply dissonant and quietly consonant material to suit dramatic ideas.
Recorded Works:
Strings A-stray (1994, rev. 1998) str-orch
Black Box Music BBM 1013, CD (1998): Irish Chamber Orchestra, Fionnuala Hunt (cond)
Statues (2001) vn, pf
Lorelt LNT 117, CD (2004): Ensemble Lontano
Bread (2004) satb
Contemporary Music Centre CD05, CD (2005): National Chamber Choir of Ireland, Celso Antunes (cond)
The Moon (2002) str-orch
Irish Chamber Orchestra [no label code], CD (2011): Irish Chamber Orchestra, Gérard Korsten (cond).
April Awake (2004) Mez, pf
Métier MSV 28558, CD (2016): Aylish Kerrigan (Mez), Dearbhla Collins (pf).
Seagull (2005) pf
Contemporary Music Centre CMC CD08, CD (2009): Romain Descharmes
Diatribe Solo Series DIACDSOL 001, CD (2010): Isabelle O'Connell
Curoo Curoo (2008) sa, pf
RTÉ Lyric fm CD 123, CD (2009): New Dublin Voices, Jonathan Wilson (pf).
Hiccup (2008) 2 baroque vn, violone, hpd
RTÉ Lyric fm CD 123, CD (2009): Trio Quattro.
Twilight (2010) str-orch
Irish Chamber Orchestra [no label code], CD (2011): Irish Chamber Orchestra, Gérard Korsten (cond).