Biography
She is a contemporary classical composer and published writer for stage who aims to produce work that challenges, provokes and engages. A regular collaborator with artists in other art-forms, Ailís’ artistic interests are diverse and combined with an unwavering desire to push and develop her artistic practice through each new project or commission.
Ailís composes concert music, site-specific music installations, opera, music-theatre and often collaborates with artists working in other forms such as visual art, text, photography and illustration.
There have been performances of her work at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, London, The National Concert Hall of Ireland and Carnegie Hall, New York, throughout Europe and on BBC Radio and RTE Radio.
In 2016 she was awarded the Paul Hamlyn Award for Composers.
She was made a member of the Ivors Academy Classical Committee in 2020.
Ailis is/has been an artistic assessor for the PRS Foundation, the Irish Arts Council, Sound and Music, Art & Disability Ireland and Arts Council England.
Ailís is represented by The Contemporary Music Centre of Ireland.
Awards & Prizes
The Arts Council of Ireland Commissions Award
Ralph Vaughan Williams Trust
2019
National Endowment for the Arts [USA] Yaddo Residency Fellowship
PRS for Music Foundation Women Make Music Award
Hinrichsen Foundation Award
The Arts Council of Ireland Music Bursary Award
Unlimited/Shape Arts/ArtsAdmin Commission
2018
Shortlisted ISCM World New Music Days Tallin
Culture Ireland Grant
Arts Council England Project Grant
Finalist Annelie de Man Prix
2017
Shortlisted ISCM World New Music Days Beijing
Travel & Training award Arts Council Ireland
2016
The Paul Hamlyn Foundation Award for Composers
Spitalfields Music Festival Project Award
Travel & Training Award from The Irish Arts Council
Irish Arts Council Commissions Award
2015
Britten Pears Foundation Bursary
Arts Council England Grants for the Arts Award
PRS Foundation for Music Award
2014
Culture Ireland Travel Award
Travel & Training Award, Irish Arts Council
Sound & Music Composer Curator Award
Unlimited R & D Bursary
ACE/British Council International Artist Development Award
PRS Foundation for New Music Award
2013
Finzi Trust Travel & Research Scholarship
2012
Arts Council England Grants for the Arts Award
2011
Abandon Normal Devices/DaDaFest Research Award
2010
Arts Council England Grants for the Arts Award
2009
Music Bursary from The Irish Arts Council
RVW Trust Grant Award
2006
Vienna Modern Masters Nancy Van De Vate Prize for Opera
First Prize ISCM World Music Days Short Cuts competition
2002
First prize SPNM/Brass in Association competition
2000
First prize, RTÉ Composer of the Future competition
Residencies
Yaddo Artist Colony, Saratoga Springs, USA
Ragdale Foundation Residency, Illinois, USA
2018
MAKE Residency, Tyrone Guthrie Centre, Ireland
Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, Virginia, USA
2017
Fellowship – Omi International Arts Center, New York
Residency at Centre Culturel Irlandais in Paris, France
2016
Associate Artist Residency Atlantic Center for the Arts, Florida
2015
Residency at METALCulture, Southend on Sea, UK
Bogliasco Foundation Fellowship, Italy
2011
Aldeburgh Artist Residency, Aldeburgh Productions, UK
2006
Interact Roskilde, Denmark
2004
THREAD Residency, Tyrone Guthrie Centre, Ireland
Formal Training
PCRNCM
The Royal Northern College of Music
Junior Fellow
The Royal Northern College of Music
PGDipRNCM
The University of Manchester
MPhil in Music Composition
The University of York
MA in Music Composition
University College Cork
BMus(Hons)
Cork School of Music
Diploma in Performance (Piano)
