Ailbhe McDonagh
Ailbhe McDonagh
Ailbhe McDonagh is a renowned Irish cellist who has earned international recognition as both a soloist and chamber musician.
“She plays with flawless technique, faultless intonation, and a strong yet meltingly sweet tone”.
Fanfare magazine USA
‘’Beethoven Cello Sonatas from cellists Yo-Yo Ma and Ailbhe McDonagh are two vibrant complementary recordings.’’
Classical Explorer UK
Ailbhe performs at prestigious venues and festivals globally as well as being a celebrated concerto soloist. She has given performances in the USA, China, across Europe and at home for the Irish President. Ailbhe appears regularly on national television, radio, podcasts and her recordings are broadcast worldwide. As a chamber musician, Ailbhe collaborates with the acclaimed pianist John O’Conor and with violinist Lynda O’Connor. She is a member of the Ficino Ensemble and traditional Irish music crossover group Trio Elatha.
Ailbhe is an established composer with over 250 published works and commissions. She has released several collections of her music through London-based publishers Boosey & Hawkes including ‘It’s a Cello Thing’. Other publishers of her works include ABRSM, Hal Leonard and RCM Canada. She has composed works for solo cello and for cello and piano which are performed worldwide.
Ailbhe has been teaching at the Royal Irish Academy of Music since 2010 and is in high demand as a masterclass instructor. Her recent Popper Project with US cellist Katie Tertell, which includes 40 hour long instructional videos, was featured in The Strad magazine. Her albums, ‘It's a Cello Thing’ (2012) and ‘Skellig’ (2020) were RTE Lyric FM CD of the week and Irish Examiner’s Top Albums of the Year respectively.
In 2021, Ailbhe released ‘Beethoven: Complete Cello Sonatas’ with John O'Conor on the Steinway label. "McDonagh and O'Conor coalesce perfectly, as if propelled by the music's undertow, and echo each other's expressive mien with dynamic balance" Classical Music Sentinel proclaimed it as one of their Essential Recordings. AllMusic gave the album 4.5 out of 5 stars. In 2024, she will release her new album, ‘The Complete Bach Cello Suites’. Ailbhe performs on an Andrea Postacchini cello from 1833.