Aisling Agnew
Flute / Artistic Director
Aisling Agnew is a flautist from Belfast. She has performed internationally including prominent festivals such as Musicahora in Chile, National Flute Association’s 40th Convention at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas, Jeonju International Sori Festival in Korea, Sarajevo Winter Festival and also closer to home at New Music Dublin, the British Flute Convention in Manchester, Celtic Connections in Glasgow, and the Belfast International Festival. Aisling is host of the successful podcast The Flute NI and she has made many successful recordings, many of which have been broadcast on BBC Radio, RTE Lyric FM and Classic FM. Aisling is a graduate of the Guildhall School of Music & Drama and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and is the recipient of many awards including the Countess of Munster, Arts Council of NI, Creative Scotland and Belfast Classical Music Bursaries.
Aisling’s involvement in Hard Rain SoloistEnsemble reflects her continued passion for new music and working with composers. She has premiered and recorded many contemporary works for flute and highlights include performing for Sir Peter Maxwell Davies 80th birthday concert and giving the first performance in Scotland of Penderecki’s Flute Concerto. Aisling regularly performs with various orchestras in the UK and Ireland, she is a founding member of the Irish Memory Orchestra and she also performs in the Clyde Duo with Welsh Harpist Sharron Griffiths. Aisling is also involved in music education, in addition to teaching flute at Queen’s University, she works with the Ulster Orchestra’s Crescendo Project. Having previously acted as concert manager, Aisling is delighted to extend her role as HRSE’s Interim Artistic Director for Season 11.