Born in Cork in the Irish Republic, the composer and writer Ailís Ní Ríain is a graduate of University College Cork (BMus), the University of York (MA), the University of Manchester (MPhil) and the Royal Northern College of Music (PGDip RNCM, PCRNCM) in Manchester, where she became the first Junior Fellow in Education. Although her formal training has primarily been in classical music as a composer and pianist, Ailis is also a published playwright and has been writing texts for many years, often incorporating these within her musical compositions, her particular interests are in voice theatre, cross-artform collaboration, chamber music and soundscape. Her music has been performed in the USA, Italy, Holland, UK, Brazil, Denmark, Germany, Switzerland, Canada, Serbia, Greece, France and on Irish, German and Greek radio and released on CD. She has been selected to attend numerous composition, new media and writing residencies throughout Europe and is grateful to the Arts Council of Ireland and Arts Council England for their financial support. In 2004 Ailis was proud to represent Ireland at Culture 2004 in Italy and Greece with composer Salvatore Sciarrino. See Press . Education University College Cork BMUS(Hons) York University MA in Composition Manchester University MPhil in Composition Royal Northern College of Music PGDipRNCM Royal Northern College of Music PCRNCM RNCM Junior Fellow in Education Selected AwardsJoint First-Prize, ISCM World New Music Days Short Cuts Competition, Stuttgart July 2006 for StreetSongSecond prize Vienna Masterworks Nancy Van der Vate Competition for New Opera 2006 for EXIT (see list of 'List of Works' page for instrumentation) First prize in the Brass in Association Competition (SPNM/Leeds University/Brass Association) in 2002 for flat-footed-former-flyer First prize RTÉ Millenium Composer of the Future Competition 2000 for The Man Made of Rain First-prize IMRO/Mostly Modern Composition Competition 1999 for Dogs in Waiting Second-Prize RTÉ Composer of the Future Competition 1998 for Orizzontale Residencies | 2006 | Cubed3 Emerging Writers Residency at Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh | 2006 | Interact 2006, Roskilde, Denmark international artists collaboration with Sophie Hjerl and ensemble Voz Nueva | 2006 | Ty Newydd, Wales, Playwriting residency with David Britton and Jilly Adams | 2005 | Arvon Foundation Playwriting Residency at Lumb Bank, Yorkshire with Tim Fountain | 2004 | Selected to represent Ireland at Culture 2004 International Workshops for Composers with Salvatore Scarriano and Theodore Antoniou in Italy and Greece, 2004 | 2004 | LabCulture Residency with Simon Poulter & Duncan Speakman, Birmingham, July | 2004 | THREAD, Dublin Fringe Theatre Festival Annaghmakerrig, Tyrone Guthrie Centre, Ireland | 2003 | Acanthes, France with Klaus Huber, Gilbert Amy, Toshio Hosokawa & Les Jeunes Solistes | 2003 | Aldeburgh Productions/Genesis Foundation, Aldeburgh, Opera Writing Course | 2002 | Britten Pears Young Artist Programme, Dartington, New Music/New Media & Joanna MacGregor | 2001 | Czech International Composition Course, Cesky Krumlov, with Michael Finnissy, Guy Reibel & Marek Kopelent | 2001 | Young Composers Meeting, Apeldorn, Holland with Louis Andreissen & Martin Padding | 2000 | Dartington International Summer School with Kurt Schwertsik |
Ailis is grateful to the Arts Council of Ireland, Arts Council England and the Contemporary Music Centre of Ireland for their support. | 'Fallen' - Ailis Ni Riain
Ailis' works have received performances by: Gareth Davis & Elsbeth Moser Psappha Frode Haltli Anna Klett arthurs.hoiby.ritchie Dermot Dunne Barry Guy Der Ereprijs Black Hair Tim Williams Harry Sparnaay Bones Apart Adam Swayne Les Jeunes Solistes Brett Baker RNCM New Music Ensemble with James MacMillan Capricorn Ensemble Roger Heaton & Steven Pruslin Concorde Ensemble Cornelius Cardew Ensemble Eleven Ensemble Mark O Keffee Amy Liptrott Kate Ellis |
