大象传媒

Ailbhe Nic Oireachtaigh is an Irish viola player living in Glasgow. She grew up playing classical music but became increasingly interested in improvisation and undertook a degree in jazz performance. After graduating, her focus shifted to early and Baroque music which led her to explore the tonal possibilities of gut strings in both amplified and acoustic contexts. Her amalgamations of influences from improvised, traditional and early music styles can be heard on her solo recordings Oreing (Fort Evil Fruit 2017) and The Rounds (KRUT 2021).

Nic Oireachtaigh has played in and toured with experimental Irish bands Woven Skull and Cian Nugent & the Cosmos and has performed internationally with artists Josephine Foster and Circuit des Yeux. She has created music for theatre works by Isadora Epstein and collaboratively with Pat Thomas and Rhodri Davies. In Glasgow she has performed with Quinie, Alasdair Roberts & Friends, collaborated with artist Anne-Marie Copestake and plays in Dome Riders with Fritz Welch, Armin Sturm and Mike Parr-Burman.

Other passing/recurring musical companions include Cal Folger Day, Andrew Cheetham, David Lacey, AonghusMcEvoy, Jorge Boehringer, David Donohoe, Anna Clock.

In her first work for orchestral instrumentation, Nic Oireachtaigh explores ideas of temporal flexibility and spatial potential in the Old Fruitmarket. Taking timbral focus as a starting point and dissolution of definition and specificity as compositional spurs, she creates an enveloping sound environment for both listeners and players. Listeners are invited to experience sound without analysis.

‘Nic Oireachtaigh’s virtuosity is immense, but her ability to weave fully fledged compositions out of thin air is downright unique.’- The Wire

‘like an over-packed bowl of noodles explosively hitting a kitchen floor.’ - Ears for Eyes