Composer

Úna loves free jazz, which sometimes gets out of control and turns into funky far-out composition. While studying at University College Cork, she was exposed to dangerous things like poetry, the polka and electronics, and found herself writing rocky-trad-influenced-minimalist-fun-text-based- topical sound art. Because she plays the neo-Irish harp, she considered it perfectly normal to write all this stuff for neo-Irish harp, only to find out that it’s not, really. She’s since found out that she’s the first person (and so far, the only person) to have written for solo Irish harp and tape.

So far, Úna’s had pieces performed in Cork ("Fiáin" newmusic showcase, 2004), Connecticut (Wesleyan University, 2004) Dublin (World Harp Congress, 2005), Belfast (artistic residency at the Sonic Arts Research Centre, Queen's University, 2005), Toronto ("Red" Performance Art Cabaret, 2005), and Waterloo, Canada (the Zero-To-One Contemporary Performance Space). She’s won a scholarship to Wesleyan University, Connecticut, and the World Harp Congress “Young Composer” Competition, which meant that she got to perform a piece at the Ninth World Harp Congress (where Victoria Jordanova told her “I like your energy”, Mercedes Gomez gave her a hug, and she accordingly nearly died from starstrike.) She also got to spend 2 weeks at the Sonic Arts Research Centre, Queen’s University Belfast, locking herself into fire escapes, improvving with a small army of live laptoppers, and writing music.

Other fave composery-performery moments so far have been, in no particular order:

• Performing in concert with Anthony Braxton’s Small Ensemble (we love free jazz legends.)
• Writing and performing for contemporary dancers (Laurel Steinhauser, you rock.)
• World premiering “Air-Drawn Curves”, for multiple neo-Irish harps, by Rachel Holstead at the Trasna Music Festival (we are the Rachel+Deirdre fanclub)
• Performing aggressive electro-acoustic Úna-music at Killimor Irish Countrywomen’s Association (we really, but really, love Úna’s Mom.)

If you’re desirous of commissioning a piece, or getting a young funkster out to play some new choons, just ring Úna and have a chat. She’d love to hear from you, particularly if you’re a dancer or a member of the I.C.A.