Elaine Agnew

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).