Camac Electroharp Featured Recital · Borough New Music, London

News

October 8, 2018

Ailie Robertson. Photo: Archie MacFarlane

The DHC 32 is a special point of focus in Ailie Robertson‘s concert at Borough New Music Series 12, 1PM on January 22nd, 2019. On the programme: Ailie’s own composition ‘Seven Sorrows’, for DHC 32, string quartet and electronics;  ‘Fall’ by Kaija Saariaho; Josef Tal’s Concerto for Harp and Electronics; and a new work by Will Handysides. 

‘Seven Sorrows’ was commissioned by New Voices, premiered on February 4th, 2018 in Glasgow, and is inspired by the Gaelic grief ritual of keening. The DHC is given three pedal chains on three splits; a bowed, wire-strung harp also features, as do archive sound recordings. 

Winner of The Sofia International Composition Competition, the SCO iCompose Prize, and 2nd in the Oslo Grieg Competition, Ailie has received commissions, awards and residences from Creative Scotland, Enterprise Music Scotland, the CCA, Culture Ireland, Celtic Connections, EIFF, and CALQ Montreal. She was chosen for the 2016/17 RSNO Composer’s hub, awarded a BBC Performing Arts Fellowship and was winner of the ‘Achievement in New Music’ prize at the inaugural New Music Scotland Awards. She is one of the LPO Young Composers 2017-18, and is currently in the final year of her PhD in composition at Trinity Laban.  She studies with Sam Hayden, Michael Finnissy – and Dominic Murcott, with whom we worked intensively with our MIDI concert harp. 

On January 15th, Ailie will also direct another concert for Borough New Music, featuring Gabriella Dall’Olio’s class Trinity Laban. In line with Trinity’s ‘Venus Blazing’ special focus on women composers throughout 2018-19, this concert will include works by Hannah Lash, Mared Emlyn, Ailie Robertson, Anne Marie O’Farrell, Ada Gentile and Kirsty Devaney.