A lovely article about the forthcoming premiere of ‘Pay The Piper’ for Glyndebourne Opera
https://operawire.com/glyndebourne-to-world-premiere-pay-the-piper/
A Harpy Christmas Gift Guide
Hello! I though i’d write. a post to draw together some of my top harp picks for Christmas gifts this year. From cards and decorations to tunebooks, handy accessories and beautiful prints, there’s lots to explore.
I’ve also put together a Celtic Christmas playlist, to get you in the festive spirit while you shop!
HARP CHRISTMAS CARDS
Charity Angel with Harp Christmas cards
Celtic Harp Christmas Card
CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS
Wooden Miniature Harp Tree Decoration
Angel with harp Glass Bauble
Harp Slate Heart Hanging Ornament
Angel with Harp Stained Glass
ONLINE HARP COURSES
Subscription to Ailie’s Patreon Harp Lessons
Winter Harp Festival Weekend Pass (early bird pricing til Dec 15)
Somerset Harp Festival Subscription
Get Ready for Grades with Eleanor Turner and Keziah Thomas
HARP ACCESSORIES
Born To Play Harp Tote Bag
Keep Calm and Play Harp Tote Bag
Sterling Silver Celtic Harp Charm Necklace
Celtic Harp Earrings
Evolution Harp Player T-Shirt
Beautiful Harp Artwork by Claire Caillebotte
Irish Harp Watercolour Print
Irish Harp Bone China Mug
Harp Tea Towel
HANDY HARP EQUIPMENT
Magnetic Pencil Holder and Pencil for on Music Stand
Clip on Music Stand Lights
Adjustable Height Deluxe Music Stool
HARP BOOKS
Ailie’s new First Things First Book
Hal Leonard 50 Christmas Carols for All Harps
76 Disney Songs for the Harp
Rachel Hair downloadable Harp books
Marianne Gubri Harp Books
Elinor Evans Christmas with the Clarsach
Anouk Platenkamp Dutch Music for Harp
Eira Lynn Jones - Pick and Mix Warm Up Exercises for Harp
CHRISTMAS HARP MUSIC
The Outside Track - Christmas Star CD
4 Girls 4 Harps at Christmas CD
Ruth Wall - The Three Harps of Christmas CD
Kim Robertson - Celtic Christmas CD
Ailie wins Scottish Award for New Music
I was thrilled to be awarded the prize for Innovation in New Traditional Music, along with Greg Lawson's GRIT Orchestra at the Scottish Awards for New Music 2019! Read more about the awards here: https://www.rhinegold.co.uk/classical_music/scottish-awards-for-new-music-winners-announced/?fbclid=IwAR2iEdXea4G1tPuNGxgbau6VkHxMxCVCQyh39bHPkVl9qZZzBl1u5YpPLAI
BBC Proms Commission
I am delighted to have been commissioned by the Dunedin Consort for a new work to be premiered at the BBC Proms on Sep 11 2019. More info here:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/proms/events/performers/1cca9a39-48c5-48f8-9710-969f81c4d319
2 nominations in the 2019 New Music Scotland Awards
I am honoured to have been nominated for 2 categories in the 2019 New Music Scotland Awards:
Large scale New Work (11+ performers) sponsored by PRS for Music
Helen Grime – Woven Space
David Fennessy - Triptych
Ailie Robertson – Caoineadh
The Good Spirits Co award for innovation in New Traditional Music
Niteworks
Ailie Robertson - Seven Sorrows
Grit Orchestra - Bothy Culture
Read more about all the nominations here:
Glyndebourne Composer in Residence
I am overjoyed to announce that I have been selected as one of four composers-in-residence with Glyndebourne Opera for the next 2 years. As one of the most important organisations for Opera in the world, this is a huge honour and I am so excited to develop new work for them.
Live Ireland Female Musician of the Year 2019
New Lecturer Post at Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
I am delighted to have been appointed as a lecturer at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in Glasgow from Nov 2018. The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland is a national and international centre of excellence for performing arts education. They are consistently recognised as one of the world’s top 10 performing arts education institutions (QS World Rankings – 2016, 2017, 2018). This international ranking acknowledges the quality of the unique curriculum, the performance and educational opportunities made available to our students and the reputation of our conservatoire and our graduates around the globe.
Sound Composer in Residence
I'm absolutely delighted to announce that I've been appointed Composer-in-Residence at sound for the next 3 years. I look forward to building an inspiring relationship with them and the local musical community over the next three years, and am excited to have the opportunity to experiment, develop and create new works with their support.
“We are very pleased that Ailie will be our next Composer-in-Residence,” says soundDirector, Fiona Robertson. “She’s a composer rooted in traditional music who also has a burgeoning career in contemporary classical music. Her enthusiasm and dedication to introducing new audiences to new music is inspiring, and in alignment with our own aims.”
“We will now be working with Ailie to identify particular areas of work that she would like to be involved in during her time with sound as Composer-in-Residence,” she adds.
Read more at http://sound-scotland.co.uk/news/ailie-robertson-to-be-sounds-next-composer-in-residence
LPO Premiere - Queen Elizabeth Hall, London
I'm excited that on July 9th, my new piece Caoineadh will be premiered by the London Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Sir James MacMillan at Queen Elizabeth Hall, London.
The programme includes five world premieres:
Lillie Harris
Karol Nepelski
Laurence Osborn
Ailie Robertson
Neil Tòmas Smith
Sir James MacMillan conductor
echo
LPO Foyle Future Firsts
Members of the London Philharmonic Orchestra
The London Philharmonic Orchestra brings together some of the UK’s most talented young musicians and composers for an evening exploring the common thread of Gregorian chant through a thousand years of music.
World premieres of new orchestral works from the LPO’s Young Composers, each based on a different chant melody, are woven into a programme that delves into the history of Gregorian chant music, presented by the joint forces of the LPO Foyle Future Firsts, accomplished young chamber choir echo, and LPO players under the baton of Sir James MacMillan.
Join us as the sacred and secular, choral and instrumental, and old and new all find a common language at Southbank Centre’s Queen Elizabeth Hall.
https://www.lpo.org.uk/whats-on-and-tickets/5214-lpo-debut-sounds-common-language.html
Composer of the Year Nomination
VOTE for Ailie in the Scottish Trad Music Awards!
Some rather exciting news that I've been shortlisted for 'Composer of the Year' at this years Scots Trad Music awards!!
It's a public vote now, and I'm up against a cast of very talented composers but if you'd like to cast your vote for yours truly, I would be humbled and delighted!
This can be from anywhere in the world and all you need to do is click the link below.
Thank you :-) X
London Philharmonic Orchestra
I'm thrilled to have been chosen for the London Philharmonic Orchestra's Leverhume Young Composer Scheme 17/18, along with 4 other wonderful composers. It's an extraordinary opportunity to get to write for the orchestra, with mentoring from James MacMillan, and to have a work premiered at the Southbank Centre in London next summer! Very exciting times!!!
https://www.lpo.org.uk/ed…/meet-the-lpo-young-composers.html
The Secret North
I've just finished a dream 2 weeks of creating and performing new music with a project called The Secret North. The idea is one that myself and Donald Grant had a few years ago, to bring together composer/performers from Scotland, Ireland and Scandinavia for a week long residency, to co-create new music, followed by a tour round Scotland. Here's a wee teaser video we made before the tour - more to come soon!