Ailbhe McDonagh from Malahide, Co. Dublin is one of Ireland’s finest young musicians. She has recently graduated from the esteemed Eastman School of Music, NY with a Master of Music Degree under the direction of Steven Doane. Ailbhe began her undergraduate studies at the Royal Irish Academy of Music/Dublin City University Music Performance Degree Programme in 2001. An accomplished pianist, she studied piano with John O’Conor from the time she was eight and won many first prizes at the Dublin Feis Ceoil, including solo piano competitions, repertoire cups and piano concerto competitions.
Her ‘cello studies at the Academy began with Nora Gileece and continued with renowned ‘cellists Aisling Drury-Byrne and William Butt. She graduated with a first class honours degree award in 2005; and completed her studies at Eastman.
Ailbhe's public ‘cello performances over the past years have been widely acknowledged. She has played with a number of orchestras and given solo recital performances at locations in Ireland, England, Germany, Italy and the United States. As winner of the 2004 RIAM Concerto Competition, Ailbhe has played Schumann’s ‘Cello Concerto at four venues throughout Ireland, including at the National Concert Hall, Dublin and the University Concert Hall, Limerick. She also performed ‘Cello Concerti by Dvorak, Haydn and Vivaldi with the RIAM Symphony and Chamber Orchestras.
Since graduating in 2005, Ailbhe has given a recital with Dr. John O’Conor in the National Concert Hall of Ireland. She has performed in masterclasses with the Vanbrugh String Quartet at the West Cork Music Festival in Bantry and with Tsuyoshi Tutsumi at the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival in Lubeck, Germany. She has also played for President McAleese at Aras an Uachtarain, Dublin.
In summer 2004, Ailbhe was awarded a scholarship to study with David Geringas and gave a performance at the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival in Germany; while, in the same year, she was the recipient of the Yamaha Music Foundation of Europe award. She also performed at the London Masterclasses Young Artist of the Future Recitals under the direction of Ralph Kirshbaum. In 2003, Ailbhe was awarded a Fellowship to study for a period of six weeks at the Yale Summer School of Music in Connecticut, USA under the tuition of the celebrated Tokyo String Quartet; while in 2002 she studied with Emilio Colon and performed with the Indiana University Festival Orchestra.
Having worked with several contemporary composers, Ailbhe has a keen interest in contemporary music. In Ireland, she collaborated with and performed works by Kevin O'Connell, Ciaran Farrell and Jane O'Leary. While in the USA, she played and recorded numerous works by the Mexican composer Ricardo Zohn-Muldoon and several other composers.
Recent recitals have included performances at Carnegie Hall, a series of solo recitals with Prof. Orla McDonagh in the west coast of U.S.A, collaboration with the Garth Fagan Dance Company in the Joyce theatre in New York along with other performances and numerous recitals at the Eastman School of Music. While back in Ireland, Ailbhe performed with Steven Doane at the Great Irish Houses Festival and at the West Cork International Chamber Music Festival with the Lambay Piano Trio. Future engagements include a concerto in New York and recitals in Japan. Ailbhe is supported by the Arts Council of Ireland.
Ailbhe McDonagh is one of Ireland’s finest young musicians. She is a recent graduate from the Eastman School of Music, Rochester, NY, studying with the world-renowned cello teacher Steven Doane. Ailbhe graduated from the Royal Irish Academy of Music with a First Class Honours Degree having studied with Nora Gilleese, Aisling Drury-Byrne and William Butt. Ailbhe has performed as concerto soloist numerous times with the RIAM Symphony and Chamber Orchestras all over Ireland and has performed throughout Europe and the USA. Recently, Ailbhe gave a recital with the celebrated pianist John O’Conor at the National Concert Hall in Dublin, Ireland, performed at Carnegie Hall, performed for the Irish President and performed a solo tour of the west coast of the USA. In 2008 in Ireland, she has performed with Steven Doane at the Great Irish Houses Festival and with the Lambay Piano Trio at the West Cork Chamber Music Festival.Future engagements include a concerto performance in New York and performances in Japan. Ailbhe is supported by the Arts Council of Ireland
