updated: 53 days ago
Aisling performing The Kestrel Paced Round the Sun by Peter Maxwell Davies.
This performance was part of the Concert & Lecture series ‘Notes from Scotland: Celebrating Maxwell Davies and MacMillan’ which took place in Edinburgh at Greyfriars Kirk & The National Museum of Scotland on the 6th December 2009.
‘Notes from Scotland’ was produced by Napier University in association with The Research Ensemble & Edinburgh Quartet.
updated: 153 days ago
Review of solo flute concert from The Courier by Garry Fraser:
“Lunchtime concerts in St Paul’s Cathedral, Dundee, regularly produce performances of outstanding quality. They seldom, however, include world premieres. Saturday’s concert did have that innovation, a work for solo flute by the young Maltese composer Veronique Vella that both entranced and excited. And for it to stand out in a programme of music that included works by Bach, Debussy and Telemann speaks volumes for its immediate attraction. As well as this important inclusion, the concert was innovative in itself, for performances by solo flute are rare indeed.
It’s just a pity a bigger audience had not been there to witness this somewhat unique event.
Wens ( translated from the Maltese to “comfort”) needs a flautist of sufficient expertise to cope with its contemporary demands, percussion and vocal effects. Aisling Agnew has that by the spade-full as well as beautiful tone, perfect phrasing and effortless delivery. These were not only reflected in this work, but in the contrasting music that made up the rest of the programme. Three Baroque works, side by side with Debussy and Vellas’ delightful creation, were all linked together with Aisling’s skills which are, after her several appearances in the Cathedral in duo, trio or quartet form, quite familiar to regular concert-goers.
Marin Marais’ Les Folies d’Espagne…a superb theme and variations with its inner contest between legato and staccato…might have eclipsed Telemann’s D minor solo Fantasie, but it couldn’t compete with Bach’s A minor solo Partita in which Agnew was at her thrilling best, with the slow Sarabande the only respite from some severe passages of demand and difficulty.
If you add Debussy’s famous Syrinx, an indispensable part of any flautist’s repertoire, and the ultra-modern 21st Century Wens to these three, you get an idea not only of the concert’s variety, but also of the vast expanse of music that is available to one performer and one flute.”
updated: 163 days ago
On the 26th September 2009, Aisling gave the World Premiere performance of Wens for solo flute by Veronique Vella during a recital at St Paul’s Cathedral, Dundee.
You can watch the live performance of this new work below:
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updated: 164 days ago
Aisling Agnew & Matthew McAllister will perform a recital at the Barockmuseum Salzburg as part of the MIM – MUSIC IN (E)MOTION Concert Series.
The recital will contain two World Premieres alongside a selction of Baroque & Contemporary repertoire
Barockmuseum Salzburg
(Orangerie des Mirabellgartens)
Mirabellplatz 3
5020 Salzburg
Austria
The concert begins at 6:30pm on Thursday 1st October
updated: 183 days ago
Just back from a busy tour featuring nine concerts, masterclases, private teaching, radio interviews and tv performances in both Peru and Costa Rica. The tour was great fun and the performances were really well received!
updated: 266 days ago
Frevo Quartet
“Piazzolla’s Histoire du Tango has been recorded many times. This recording is like no other. The Frevo Quartet’s arrangement adds depth and sparkle to the original flute and guitar version. These musicians (and they are all excellent) bring the work to life in this performance recorded before an audience at Crail Parish Church in Fife. There is nothing else on this twenty-two-minute CD, and nothing else is needed. A little gem, and presented in a beautifully-produced folder. Wonderful.”
updated: 296 days ago
The Agnew / McAllister Duo is delighted to have been featured on the latest release from RTÉ lyric fm – Hiccup.
The Duo’s 2007 recording of Greg Caffrey’s Pluck blow II (The Return) was one of the works chosen by RTÉ to feature on this latest release!
RTÉ lyric fm has commissioned over sixty five works from more than fifty composers since 2002.
These include songs, solo works, chamber music, orchestral compositions with narrator, electroacoustic pieces and improvisatory works. The musical styles range from quite tonal pieces in classical, world and jazz styles to the most challenging of contemporary music.
Hiccup includes works by Bernard Geary, David Fennessy, Rhona Clarke, Elaine Agnew, Gain Bryars, Fergus Johnston, Andreja Malir, Jurgen Simpson, Marian Ingoldsby, Greg Caffrey, Siobhán Cleary and Fergal Carroll presented in a beautiful gate-fold case with extensive notes on each work.
“Greg Caffrey’s Pluck, Bow II (The Return) makes virtuosic demands of flute and guitar with its aerated but rhythmically intricate interplay ably realised by Aisling Agnew and Matthew McAllister.”
Michael Quinn, The Journal of Music
If you would like a FREE copy of Hiccup, email us at lyric@rte.ie and include your name and full address.
Please mention the Agnew / McAllister Duo when requesting your copy!
You can also write to us to request a copy at:
RTÉ lyric fm
Cornmarket Square
Limerick
Ireland
For more information click on the link below:
updated: 341 days ago
The Agnew/McAllister Duo will travel to Peru this August to give concerts in and around Lima. More details to follow shortly…
updated: 344 days ago
The Agnew/McAllister Duo’s concert for Ilkley Manor House at the end of last year was reviewed by Classical Guitar Magazine.
To read the review click here
updated: 344 days ago
Hiccup: a selection of RTÉ lyric fm commissions 2002-2008 including the Agnew/McAllister Duo’s recording of Greg Caffrey’s Pluck, Blow II is due for release in May 2009.