updated: 908 days ago
Aisling was born and raised in Belfast and is now based in Glasgow. She regularly performs around the UK and Ireland and has appeared in concert across Europe and America. Her performances have been broadcast on BBC Radio, RTE Lyric FM and Resonance FM and include many high profile concerts such as a Wigmore Hall chamber music recital. As concerto soloist she has appeared with various orchestras including the Ulster Orchestra and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. In 2006 she released her acclaimed debut album Recital with Natural Studio Records and has continued this affiliation with the release of two further chamber music recordings.
Aisling studied at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama with Richard Blake and David Nicholson where she followed masterclasses with players such as Jacques Zoon, Robert Dick, Wissam Boustany and Wilbert Hazelzet. In her third year she won a scholarship to the Lake Placid Institute for Arts in New York and in her final year she was selected to perform the Penderecki Concerto with the RSNO at the Henry Wood Hall in Glasgow; the first performance of this work given in Scotland.
Aisling also holds a Masters degree from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama where her studies were generously funded by awards from the Belfast Classical Music Bursaries and the BELB. There she enjoyed lessons with Sam Coles, Ian Clarke, Sarah Newbold, Philippa Davies and Sharon Williams and took part in rehearsal sessions with the Philharmonia and London Symphony Orchestra. On completion of her Masters Aisling studied privately in London and Paris thanks to an award from the Countess of Munster Musical Trust.
Aisling has a keen interest in performing new music and working with composers and regularly performs with the Scottish based contemporary music group ‘The Research Ensemble’. Aisling has premièred works written specifically for her by Douglas Whates, Matt Rogers, Greg Caffrey and David Flynn and has enjoyed working with other composers such as Edward McGuire and David Fennessy. The Agnew/McAllister Duo’s première recording of Greg Caffrey’s Pluck, Blow II (The Return) was recently featured on RTE Lyric FM’s latest CD release Hiccup. The Duo’s recording was selected from 65 works commissioned by RTE over the past 8 years. As a widely active chamber musician, Aisling performs with various ensembles including the Kelvin Trio, the Frevo Quartet and her long established flute and guitar duo with Matthew McAllister.
“it was a pleasure to hear this difficult work delivered with a beautiful sound, clear articulation, secure intonation and minimal vibrato”
Pan Flute Magazine (British Flute Society)
“a perfect display of phrasing, tone and control… it was Aisling’s spectacular performance of a host of Bizet melodies that stood out in spectacular style. I had heard this many times played by solo violin, but it is just as impressive for flute, especially with a flautist of this standard.”
The Courier
“Agnew’s playing throughout was beautiful with extended techniques on her instrument existing within the musical landscape of the piece, always resisting the temptation of highlighting her own considerable prowess to the detriment of an unknown work.”
Belfast Telegraph