News

1st September 2021: Xenia Pestova-Bennett performs Ní Ríain's Soberado for toy piano [commissioned in 2017] as part of the Contemporary Music Centre of Ireland's 'Courtyard Series' alongside works by Ed Bennett, Andrew Hamilton and improvisations by both performers....

Music for Galway and Cúirt Literary Festival, Ireland have commissioned a string quartet from Ailís Ní Ríain to be premiered by Ireland's leading quartet RTE ConTempo Quartet in April 2022. The 25 minute work is inspired by the poem 'Wait' by the American poet Galway...

Contemporary specialist soprano Elizabeth Hilliard and leading clarinettist Paul Roe join forces to produce a concert experience that will resonate around the walls and arches of the IMMA courtyard on 8th August 2021. "Revisiting work we’ve performed before with fresh...

The outstanding Irish violinist, Darragh Morgan premieres Ní Ríain's new commission for solo violin and fixed media [altered piano] Hiding Out 'neath the Everything as part of New Music Gathering 2021 in the USA. New Music Gathering is an annual conference/festival...

NMC Recordings will release the first portrait album by Irish composer Ailís Ní Ríain in 2022/23. The album will comprise a rich selection of diverse works created over a period of fifteen years. "NMC Recordings is an award-winning record label with charitable status....

A vinyl recording of Ní Ríain's Aerial Sparks/Galway European Capital of Culture 2020 commission East:West - Where Morning is the Sea was released in July 2021. Seven artists, writers and composers from across Europe have produced a series of compelling standalone...

Ailís has been commissioned to compose a new work for British percussionist Dame Evelyn Glennie and the New London Chamber Ensemble wind quintet.  Gratefully supported by the PRS Foundation for Music. The work is due to be premiered in 2022.

East:West - Where Morning is the Sea is featured on RTE Lyric FM radio on 12th July 2021. Listen here. The work is a 12 minute audio-visual installation commissioned by Aerial Sparks for Galway 2020 European Capital of Culture and created after three weeks spent at...

Theater Kapow - New Hampshire - USA I Used to Feel by Ailís Ní Ríain 30th April - 2nd May 2021 A woman has not been seen since she checked into this hotel room, alone, three days ago. This intimate music-theatre piece set in a hotel room questions the essence of...

Ailís has been awarded funding by the PRS Foundation for Music Open Fund to support 'Ailís Ní Ríain Debut Discs NMC Recordings' – the first portrait album of compositions by the Irish classical composer Ailís Ní Ríain.  The album will be produced and released by NMC...

The Royal Academy of Music turns 200 in 2022 and, as part of its bicentenary celebrations, has launched the 200 Pieces project. As part of this Ailís Ní Ríain has been commissioned to compose a new work for solo double bass. The ‘200 Pieces’ project celebrates Royal...

Performing with Toy Pianos | Gresham College Lecture-Recital | Xenia Pestova Toy pianos were first made in the 19th century. This lecture/recital by Xenia Pestova tells the story of an instrument originally marketed at children, that subsequently made a surprising...

Ailís is delighted to have been invited to join the board of Disability Arts Online. Ailís is deaf/hearing-impaired and has been making work which references sensory disability since 2006. More detail here Established in 2004 with support from Arts Council England,...

The Irish violinist Darragh Morgan has commissioned Ailís to write a new work for solo violin and altered piano. Hiding Out 'Neath the Everything will be premiered in the USA at New Music Gathering 2021. Darragh Morgan leads a successful career in classical music and...

IMMA OUTDOORS CONCERTS IN THE COURTYARD The Irish Museum of Modern Arts presents Within – Without17 June, 6.30pm Contemporary specialist soprano Elizabeth Hilliard and leading clarinettist Paul Roe join forces to produce a concert experience that will resonate around...

Ailís continues her ongoing collaboration with the USA dance company Kinetic Light while the company work in a Covid secure bubble in San Francisco continuing to develop and refine our work on Wired. The collaboration originally start in early 2019 with Ailís joining...

The New York based Exponential Ensemble have given a digital E-portrait performance of Don't! [2001] for bass-clarinet and cello. The Exponential Ensemble is a chamber music ensemble made of top-notch performers and experienced teaching artists. Throughout each...

Ailís is working with the Northern Irish writer Maria Fusco and the Royal Opera House Engender Programme to develop a new opera. The duo have been awarded time and space by the Royal Opera House, London, as part of their Engender Open Studio, to write a new opera...

Ailís was invited by The Contemporary Music Centre of Ireland to write an audio essay about her response to the first anniversary of the first Covid 19 lockdown. The piece was released by the CMC on as part of their Amplify series on 17th March 2021 coinciding with St...

The British pianist/keyboard's player Kate Halsall has released Ailís Ní Ríain's '2 Steep 4 Sheep [some hills are]' on her new album 'Breathe in me'- a solo album for piano, harmonium and electronics, released March 2021. Described as 'intriguing' by The Wire magazine...

Ailís is honoured to have been nominated to join the Ivors Academy Classical Committee. She will formally join in October 2020. For over 75 years, The Ivors Academy have represented songwriters, composers and music creators. The Ivors Academy of Music Creators is a...

Ailís Ní Ríain's work for solo altered piano Furibund has been included as part of Sound and Music's Vol 1 contemporary release. Sound and Music is the UK's new music development agency.  You can listen/buy the album here. Definition of furibund: full of fury,...

Ailís has been award funding by The RVW Trust to support the release of her Debut Disc by NMC Recordings. The RVW Trust is one of the most significant sources of funding for contemporary and recent music in the UK since 1956. The trust was established by the composer...

Extract from East:West - Where Morning is the SeaAilís' commission for the Aerial/Sparks programme curated by Louise Manifold for Galway European Capital of Culture opens to the public on Inis Oirr - the smallest of the three Irish Aran Islands - off the coast of...

Ailís has been invited to give a presentation pitch about her Pencil Piano - supported by Unlimited R & D in 2019/20 at the Southbank Centre in London on 15th January 2021. This session of creative ideas and encounters is curated by the Unlimited commissions...

Ailís has been working as a composer with the New York based dance company Kinetic Light on a new dance-theatre work to be premiered at The Shed in New York from 22nd October 2020. Ailís and Kinetic Light spent two weeks as resident artists at the renowned American...