Author Archive

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.

I’ve just completed a piece for the Orchestra of St Paul’s, due to be performed on 2nd February at St Paul’s, Covent Garden.  ‘Dagda’s Harp’ for Harp and ensemble, is based on the gaelic folk-tale about an enchanted harp.  This is in keeping with the theme of the concert, ‘Fairy Tales’.  Details of the concert are visible here.  It’s been a while since I composed anything for harp, so I had to reacquaint myself with the conventions of harp writing, including pedals, tuning and other practical techniques.  I recently revisited the Ravel – Introduction et Allegro for inspiration (and for the joy of it!), along with other pieces from the canonic repertoire.

I’ve also completed a piece for the Oxford Philomusica, entitled ‘Ithaca’, which will feature in a concert alongside Mozart’s Requiem.  Magdalen College Choir will also feature in the concert.  ‘Ithaca’ will be conducted by Cayenna Ponchione a talented young conductor and friend and colleague from the Faculty of Music at Oxford.

Solfa has been accepted for representation by the Contemporary Music Centre in Ireland, the country’s national archive and resource for new music, which supports the work of composers throughout the Republic and Northern Ireland.  The CMC is a fantastic resource for composers and researchers on new music, with its library and sound archive containing the only comprehensive collection in existence of music by Irish composers.  Solfa is delighted to be joining the composers represented by CMC, and looks forward to submitting her works and recordings for their archives.

Solfa has recently had a paper published by the ICMS and the Akademia Muzyczna w Krakowie, in a book entitled ‘Music: Function and Value – Proceedings of the 11th International Congress on Musical Signification;.  The conference took place in 2010, and Solfa presented her paper: ‘Axiology, Constructivism and Schemata: The Composer’s Perspective’.  Despite the seeming ambiguity of its title, the paper explores the composer’s motivation for composing, his/her opinion on audience reaction and whether it inhibits or enhances their creative output.  The methodology involved interviews and questionnaires with several young composers, whose opinions are represented in the paper.

Solfa’s piece ‘Fables’ for String Quartet, was recently performed at the West Cork Chamber Music Festival by the Cork-based Chiral quartet.  The work was played in a public workshop on Saturday 29th June led by composer Ian Wilson, alongside pieces by Timothy Cape, Sean Doherty and Patrick Egan.  The piece received its official premiere on Thursday 4th July at the festival, in a concert at St Brendan’s Hall, Bantry.

On Friday 3rd May at St. Finbarre’s Cathedral, Cork, The National Chamber Choir of Ireland, conducted by Paul Hillier, performed Solfa Carlile’s choral work ‘Upon the Rose’, along with Enda Bates’ ‘Euphony’, commissioned for the Cork International Choral Festival.  ‘Upon the Rose’ was the winner of the Sean O’ Riada Composition Competition 2013.  The concert also featured other contemporary works by Rautavaara, Berio, Ligeti and Andriessen.  A report of the festival, written by Declan Townsend for the Irish Examiner newspaper can be viewed here.

Solfa’s flute piece Dystopia will be performed by William Dowdall in a concert at the Kevin Barry Room, National Concert Hall, on 19th April at 8pm.  Tickets and info here.

The following evening, Saturday 20th April, Solfa’s piece ‘Is Mairg an Té gan Cheol’, a collaboration with lyricist Risteard Uí Chróinín, will receive its premiere performance by the Cork Chamber Choir in a concert at St.Anne’s, Shandon, Cork, at 6pm. Tickets and info here.

On Friday 3rd of May, Solfa’s  a cappella choral piece,’Upon the Rose’, winner of the Seán O Riada Composition Competition will be premiered by the National Chamber Choir of Ireland in a concert as part of the Cork International Choral Festival.  Tickets and info here.