Scores
Choral
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SSAATTBB
3’ 30”
Text by Áine MallonCommissioned by the National Youth Choir of Great Britain
Programme note
Dreamer:1 marks the beginning of a series of choral works inspired by the rich and varied landscapes of human dreams. Over the course of several months, I invited friends and strangers to share their dreams, which I then carefully gathered and categorised according to the predominant emotions experienced by the dreamers throughout their dreams. Rather than following a conventional or linear progression, the dreams are grouped to reflect the spontaneous and often unpredictable nature of the subconscious, transitioning fluidly from one sequence to another.
For this opening piece, I have focused on hypnagogic dreams—the fleeting, sometimes surreal visions that occur as one drifts into sleep. Selected dreams are presented through a blend of verbatim text and narrative retelling, and woven into a narrative that captures their unique, immersive qualities. Dreamer:1 serves as an introduction to the larger collection, which will trace the journey through different stages of sleep and the mysteries held within each. This playful yet evocative movement invites listeners into a world where reality dissolves, and imagination takes the lead.
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SSAATTBB
6’10”
Text by Áine Mallon
Commissioned by the National Youth Choir of Great Britain.
Recorded for NMC Records by National Youth Choir, and published by Stainer & Bell. View Score and purchase here.
Bones and Glass is a journey of self-discovery and transformation, both in its poetic and musical elements. The piece begins in darkness, where the speaker readies themselves for a deep and challenging exploration of their inner world, with their growing shadow symbolizing the weight of this endeavour. As the narrative progresses, a broken mirror becomes a powerful tool, reflecting light that gradually grows into a beacon of hope and renewal.
The light, once a mere spark, is nurtured into something vibrant, used to craft intricate glass structures that symbolize beauty and resilience—formed on the foundation of past experiences. By the end, the speaker embraces the duality of their nature, both the shadow and the light, and prepares for future challenges with the broken mirror on the wall, now, a testament.
This piece serves as a reminder that even in our darkest moments, we have the capacity to create our own light. It's a reflection of the enduring human spirit, which finds ways to foster hope and resilience, no matter how difficult the circumstances.
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SATB
4’46”
Text by William Butler Yeats
Commissioned by Bernie Sherlock and New Dublin Voices with funds from
the Arts Council / an Chomhairle Ealaíon
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SATB
9’
Text: Song of Songs. Excerpts from Canticle Two
Commissioned by Chamber Choir Ireland and New Music Dublin with funds from the Arts Council / an Chomhairle Ealaíon. This work was premiered at St Ann’s Church, Dublin on 22 April 2023 by Chamber Choir Ireland conducted by Sofi Jeannin.
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SATB choir and soprano soli
5’45”
Text by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
Commissioned by Britten Pears Arts for the 73rd Aldeburgh Festival 2022. First performance given by the ORA Singers at Saturday 11 June 2022, Bury St Edmunds Cathedral.
Programme note:
‘Liminal Dawn’ is a reflection on Gibbons' Long Live Fair Oriana.
Oriana, a Latin word used as a nickname for Queen Elizabeth I, translates to Sunrise. In the Gibbons’ piece the ‘nymphs’ joyfully herald the coming of ‘Oriana’, the sun, and welcome the new day.
My work exists in the liminal space before the sun rises, the dawn of the day where the sky glows faintly and the world slowly wakes up; where a dawn chorus of birds sing to one another in anticipation of the new day and the hope that it brings.
Whilst this piece contains hope for a new day, it also brings a sadness. Bird populations are in sharp decline with some species losing up to 95% since 1970. This piece pays homage to the songsters of the springtime and laments the loss of future song, and the potential of a silent Spring to come.
To find more information on this, and what we can do to help, please visit:
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SAB choir and electronics
5’
Text by Áine Mallon
Commissioned by The Contemporary Music Centre of Ireland & Sing Ireland 2022, for the Irish Youth Training Choir
Programme note:
Mother Moon explores the juxtaposing concepts of time and timelessness through the ever-present satellite orbiting our planet, the moon. It also explores the cultural, religious, temporal, mythological and semantic significance humans have attributed to moon throughout the ages.
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Solo and Duo
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Viola and Percussion
5’10”
Commissioned by The Contemporary Music Centre Ireland with support
from PRS Foundation’s Beyond Borders, a co-commissioning and touring
programme run in partnership with Creative Scotland, Arts Council of Wales,
Arts Council of Northern Ireland and Arts Council of Ireland / An Chomhairle
Ealaíon. This work was premiered at University College Cork on Friday 3rd of
March 2023 by Alex Petcu-Colan and Nathan Sherman.
Programme note:
Arboreal is a piece about communication between trees. Hub trees, otherwise known as Mother Trees, can recognise their offspring and send communications, warnings and most vitally nutrients to their offspring, as well as other trees. They send electrical pulses through their root systems that travel underground through the web of mycelial network and up through the root systems of other trees. The mycelium that weave through the roots of trees, like an extremely dense web highway, exchange information and nutrients in this symbiotic relationship to allow both fungi and trees to thrive.
In Arboreal, the wooden sounds of the percussion and viola weave the narrative of the communication, transformation and reception of these messages from Mother Trees to their young.
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Cello and Piano
5’
Composed for the Psappha Ensemble ‘Composing for Cello and Piano Scheme 2021’
The River Callan runs through my hometown of Keady, Co. Armagh, in the North of Ireland. This piece was devised during the lockdown period of the global pandemic in 2020/2021, when like so many people I was unable to travel home to my native Ireland to see my family.
In this piece the cello takes the role of the protagonist, longing and yearning to be at home, near the river; whilst the piano expresses the spirit of the river itself.
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Solo Piano
7’48”
‘Raindrop Prelude’ is a precursor to one of Beethoven’s most stormy and dynamic Piano Sonatas, No. 23 “Appassionata” in F minor, Op. 57. It was composed for Michael McHale, and comissioned by Moving On Music and was released on the Ergodos Record Label. It features on McHale’s album ‘Moonlight’ and is available on Bandcamp.
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Voice and Chamber
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Solo Mezzo Soprano and Piano trio
20’
Funded by Arts Council Northern Ireland
Text by Áine Mallon and Emily De Dakis
Programme Notes:
i Pandora
ii Eve
iii Medusa
iv The Marys
v MeSongs for Revered Scorned Women is a song cycle in five movements for Mezzo Soprano and piano trio. In this work each movement uniquely adopts the perspective of a woman drawn from history, mythology, or religion, who has served as the archetype for misogynistic treatment or the establishment of patriarchal standards. Throughout the cycle, every movement delves into these thematic elements, offering an exploration of the experiences and narratives associated with each featured woman from her point of view.
In the fifth and final movement, titled 'Me,' the exploration extends to the enduring impact of the stories and treatment of women who preceded us; how these narratives continue to resonate within modern women, shaping their experiences today. From Pandora's curiosity deemed sinful, to Eve's burden of shame, guilt, and sin; Medusa's ordeal of sexual assault, victim blaming, and subsequent punishment and demonisation; and the complex dichotomy faced by the Marys, oscillating between exaltation and denigration based on entrenched moral judgements on virginity and promiscuity — each of these stories is intricately woven into our collective heritage. The patriarchal ideals imposed on these women persist, casting a shadow that influences and restrains us in the present day. -
Solo Soprano and Piano trio
4’
Commissioned by GlasDrum with funds provided by The Arts Council Music
Commission Award. Premiered by the Fidelio Trio and Daire Halpin at
GlasDrum Winter Chamber Music Festival 2022.
Programme note:
My piece sets a beautiful poem by Thomas Kinsella; Elderly Craftsman at his Bench. Kinsella weaves a story of an artist trying to understand and make sense of the fundamentals of the human existance; the meaning and purpose of life. The artist whilst trying to work is ‘disturbed repeatedly’ by these thoughts searching for meaning. He allows the thoughts to come to the fore, tries to hear and acknowledge them before attempting to accompany them back, so that he may calmly continue with his work.
In my setting of this beautiful poem the solo soprano will take on the role of the craftsman trying in earnest to catch and assuage their thoughts, whilst the ensemble acts as the intrusive thoughts searching for understanding.
Orchestral
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Chamber Orchestra and Solo Uilleann Pipes
16’50”
Commissioned by the Irish Chamber Orchestra, 2025.
Programme Note:
i An Omen
ii A Prayer
iii An AnswerThe Mórrígan, the Pagan Goddess of War, Fate, and Death, holds a commanding and multifaceted presence within Irish mythology. She is a shapeshifter, a warrior, a queen, and an omen of death, appearing in many forms—whether as herself or as her sisters, Badb or Macha.
At the core of this piece lies the duality of The Mórrígan. Known as The Great Queen or Nightmare Queen, she embodies both creation and destruction; her influence over war and sovereignty weaving these roles together. To a warrior, seeing The Mórrígan was often an Omen of death. She would appear in stories as The Washer of the Ford, washing the bloody clothes of the person who was to die. This appearance happened either in eerie silence or accompanied by a loud wailing sound, called keening, likened to the well known Irish mythological figure, the Bean Sídhe (Banshee). While often portrayed as a harbinger of death and chaos, she is equally a force of transformation, rebirth, and protection of the land. The Mórrígan governs the passage between life and the afterlife, frequently taking the form of a crow to guide fallen warriors to their eternal rest.
In researching The Mórrígan, I became fascinated by the persistence of her worship in contemporary practice. I wondered why people today would revere such a seemingly ruthless deity, and the answer—much like the Goddess herself—is layered and complex. At its heart, I believe it reflects the human desire to discover and cultivate power within oneself.
This exploration of the aspects of modern devotion to the Goddess, revealed echoes of the theme of duality: ancient stories meeting renewed worship. This interplay inspired the structure of the piece—the mortal seeking guidance from the divine.
An Omen. A Prayer. An Answer.
Opera / Theatre
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Soprano, Piano, Cello
60 minutes
Commissioned by The Nerve Centre, Produced by Dumbworld
This is the story of Cassiopeia and Andromeda and how they came to be star constellations. Their story is one of countless archetypes with similar solidified gender roles; 'wicked' mothers who do wrong by their children, 'innocent, helpless' daughters,
and 'heroic men' saving the day. These women are deemed as being incredibly beautiful, and are valued for little else, and as a result they have no agency over their own lives. In this reimagining of the story, the audience take responsibility for the agency of the women, making choices for Cassiopeia and Andromeda depending on what they want to see happen. This Choose-Your-Own-Adventure-Operetta gives the audience the power to change the narrative for our Carbon Women.