Author Archive

Solfa is producing a score for solo ‘cello to accompany ‘Victory’ – a new theatre work produced by the Nightingale Collective and written by Madicken Malm.  Information on the play here

The piece ‘Dear, Dirty Dublin‘, for ‘Cello and percussion, composed and first performed in 2010 will receive another performance by the G Project on Thursday, March 5th at a non-classical event at the Cafe Royal, London.  Details of the event here.

Also on March 7th, Solfa’s ‘Two Joyce Songs‘ for SATB choir will be premiered at the Forte Festival in Cork, Ireland, along with the third performance of ‘Is Mairg an Te gan Cheol’ (2012).

On Monday 8th December, the London Russian Ballet School performed a concert at Cadogan Hall, featuring Solfa’s orchestral arrangements, including Act II of Adam’s Giselle, and a new orchestration for ‘Humoresque’ by Gela Charkviani.

On 24th January, the orchestral version of ‘Little River’ will be performed by the Oxford Sinfonia at the church of St Mary the Virgin in Oxford.  Tickets and info here.

Solo flute piece ‘Dystopia’ will receive another performance by William Dowdall in Dublin on Thursday November 20th, at a concert presented by the Association of Irish Composers.  The concert, ‘The Irish Canon’, also features pieces by Patrick Connolly, Rhona Clarke, Raymond Deane and others.  Details here.

A video featuring clips from an earlier performance of ‘Dystopia’, and the flautist in discussion with composer Ian Wilson is visible here.

On Friday 31st October, a song by Solfa Carlile and Gillian Pencavel, ‘Rastlose Liebe’ (a setting based on a new translation of the original Goethe text, by Pencavel) will be performed in Oxford as part of the Lieder Festival, at 1.10pm in the Hollywell Music Room.  Details of the concert can be found here.

The following week, Solfa’s piece ‘Little River’ will feature as part of the ‘Art, Science and the Thirsty World’ conference in Ithaca, New York.  Together with conductor and fellow composer Cayenna Ponchione, Solfa will give a presentation on the piece at Cornell University, following a performance on the evening of the 7th November at 8pm.  Details of the event here.

Solfa’s piece ‘Upon the Rose’, premiered by the Irish National Chamber Choir last year, is now published by Choralies and available for purchase from their website here.  The sheet music includes a French translation of the text, which is by Joseph Mary Plunkett.

Solfa is writing a short fanfare for three trumpets to be performed at the Oxford graduation ceremony in June.  The fanfare is an homage to composer sir Harrison Birtwistle who is to receive an honorary award at the event.

Solfa is also completing her opera ‘The Exile’ as part of her doctoral project at Oxford, and has recently taken part in workshops with the Cavaleri quartet and BBC singers.

I’m currently completing ‘The Exile’, which I have been writing in collaboration with librettist Gillian Pencavel.  The piece is a chamber opera for four singers and Pierrot ensemble with percussion.

I was fortunate to take part in a workshop with the BBC singers at Maida Vale studios on May 2nd, where they workshopped a new two movement piece for choir I’d written, entitled ‘O Sun’ based on some writing by Irish poet Joseph Mary Plunkett.

I’m also working on a musical play  entitled ‘A Brief Engagement’, which is a fantasy inspired by the works of Jane Austen, with libretto by my father, Orison Carlile.

Three upcoming performances in February 2014

‘Dagda’s Harp‘ – for Harp and ensemble, 2nd Feb – Orchestra of St Paul’s

‘Ithaca‘ – for Orchestra, 22nd Feb – Oxford Philomusica

There will also be a premiere performance of a new Aria, composed by Solfa Carlile and Azfa Awad on Thursday 27th February at the Jacqueline du Pre music building at 8pm.  This is part of the ‘Make an Aria’ project, in collaboration with Music Theatre Wales.  Composers and librettist team up to create an original aria, to be performed in a public masterclass and subsequent concert.

Three upcoming performances in February 2014

‘Dagda’s Harp‘ – for Harp and ensemble, 2nd Feb – Orchestra of St Paul’s

‘Ithaca‘ – for Orchestra, 22nd Feb – Oxford Philomusica

There will also be a premiere performance of a new Aria, composed by Solfa Carlile and Azfa Awad on Thursday 27th February at the Jacqueline du Pre music building at 8pm.  This is part of the ‘Make an Aria’ project, in collaboration with Music Theatre Wales.  Composers and librettist team up to create an original aria, to be performed in a public masterclass and subsequent concert.