Ailbhe McDonagh

Ailbhe McDonagh (born November 29, 1982 in Dublin) is an Irish concert cellist and composer. Her compositions have been published by Boosey & Hawkes, Hal Leonard, RIAM and ABRSM. She performs worldwide as a soloist, chamber musician, recording artist and teaches at the Royal Irish Academy of Music in Dublin, Ireland.[1]

Ailbhe McDonagh
Background information
Born (1982-11-29) 29 November 1982
Dublin, Ireland
GenresClassical
InstrumentsCello
LabelsSteinway, Bridge Records, Ergodos, Boosey & Hawkes
Associated actsRTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, Ficino Ensemble, McDonagh Sisters, Trio Elatha
Websitewww.ailbhemcdonagh.com

Career

Irish cellist, Ailbhe McDonagh, performs throughout Ireland and internationally as a soloist and chamber musician. She is a graduate of the Eastman School of Music, Rochester, New York, USA (Steven Doane) and the Royal Irish Academy of Music, Dublin, Ireland (Aisling Drury-Byrne, William Butt). Ailbhe currently teaches cello performance at the RIAM.

Ailbhe gave her debut recital with celebrated Irish pianist John O'Conor at the National Concert Hall in Dublin, Ireland.[2] She performs throughout Europe, Asia and North America and has appeared as a concerto soloist numerous times in Ireland and abroad. Performances include concerts at Carnegie Hall, the Yale Norfolk Festival, Schleswig Holstein Music Festival, Great Irish Houses Festival, for the Irish President at Áras an Uachtaráin and on Irish national television and radio.[3][4][5]

As a chamber musician, Ailbhe performs in a duo, The McDonagh Sisters, with pianist Orla McDonagh. She is also a member of the Ficino Ensemble and the crossover traditional Irish music group Trio Elatha where she plays traditional Irish music on the cello.[6][7][8]

Ailbhe is an established composer with numerous compositions and commissions to her name. London based publishers Boosey & Hawkes have released two books of her piano music entitled It's a Piano Thing.[9][10] Current projects include It’s a Cello Thing, a collection of two books of pedagogical pieces for cello which were published in 2021. Ailbhe collaborates with many composers and other artists worldwide and has recorded several works of contemporary music.[11]

Ailbhe joined the cello faculty of the RIAM in 2010 and is invited to give masterclasses worldwide.[12] Her debut solo album 'It’s a Cello Thing' was named CD of the Week on Ireland’s national classical music station RTÉ Lyric FM, and is played internationally.[13] 'Skellig' was released in 2020 with the McDonagh Sisters.[14] In 2021, Ailbhe released the complete Beethoven cello and piano sonatas with John O'Conor on the Steinway label.[15][16] She performs on a Postacchini cello.

Recordings

Albums
YearTitleNotes
2012It's a Cello ThingCD of the Week, RTÉ Lyric FM[17]
2015TrasnánWith Trio Elatha[18]
2017It's a Piano Thing, Books 1 & 2Sound recording, Boosey & Hawkes[19]
2019WinterWith Ficino Ensemble, Ergodos label
2020SkelligWith The McDonagh Sisters, Top Picks 2020 by Irish Examiner[20]
2021Complete Beethoven Cello & Piano SonatasWith John O'Conor, Steinway label[21]

Publications

Books
YearTitlePublisher
2017It's a Piano Thing Book 1Boosey & Hawkes[22]
2017It's a Piano Thing Book 2Boosey & Hawkes[23]
2020Grade by Grade, Double Bass Pieces in Grades 1-4Boosey & Hawkes[24]
2020Exploring Grade 2Hal Leonard[25]
2021Piano Syllabus 2021-2022ABRSM[26]
2021It's a Cello Thing Book 1Boosey & Hawkes[27]
2021It's a Cello Thing Book 2Boosey & Hawkes[28]

References
  1. "Ailbhe McDonagh". RIAM. 4 August 2019. Retrieved 2021-05-04.
  2. "Malahide cellist set for a major concert performance". Irish Independent. Retrieved 2006-03-22.
  3. "Dublin Musical Saunter". Journal of Music. Retrieved 2019-04-19.
  4. "President leads European Music Day tributes to Ireland's essential workers". President of Ireland. Retrieved 2020-06-21.
  5. "The Hamilton Scores". RTE Lyric FM. Retrieved 2020-11-28.
  6. "Sister Act: Talented Siblings Join Forces". Irish Independent. Retrieved 2013-01-26.
  7. "Ficino Ensemble". Music for Galway.
  8. "Trio Elatha Trasnan CD Laucnh". Journal of Music. Retrieved 2015-01-27.
  9. "It's A Piano Thing, Book 1". Boosey & Hawkes.
  10. "It's A Piano Thing, Book 2". Boosey & Hawkes.
  11. "Music Here & Now (2017)". Alibris.
  12. "July Masterclass Series". National Concert Hall. Retrieved 2020-01-09.
  13. "Lorcan Murray's Weekend Drive". RTE Lyric FM. Retrieved 2014-12-28.
  14. "How was 2020 for you? Irish Examiner classical music writer Cathy Desmond picks her highlights". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 2020-12-17.
  15. "Beethoven Cello Sonatas - Ailbhe McDonagh - John O'Conor - Steinway & Sons".
  16. "Hope amid Tears: Beethoven Cellos Sonatas from cellists Yo-Yo Ma and Ailbhe McDonagh". Classical Explorer. Retrieved 2021-06-23.
  17. "Sister act: talented siblings join forces". Irish Independent. Retrieved 2013-01-26.
  18. "Trio Elatha 'Trasnán' CD Launch". Journal of Music. Retrieved 2015-01-28.
  19. "It's a Piano Thing". Boosey & Hawkes. Retrieved 2021-05-04.
  20. "How was 2020 for you? Irish Examiner classical music writer Cathy Desmond picks her highlights". 17 December 2020.
  21. "Beethoven: Complete Cello Sonatas 1-5". AllMusic. 7 May 2021.
  22. "McDonagh, Ailbhe - It's a Piano Thing - Book 1 (Grades 1-3)".
  23. "Ailbhe McDonagh - It's a Piano Thing - Book 2 (Grades 3-5)".
  24. "Grade by Grade Double Bass Grade 3".
  25. "Exploring Grade 2".
  26. "ABRSM Piano 2021 & 2022 Grade 3 Syllabus".
  27. "Ailbhe McDonagh - It's a Cello Thing - Book 1 (Grades 1-3)".
  28. "Ailbhe McDonagh - It's a Cello Thing - Book 2 (Grades 4-8)".
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