Aine Minogue, Irish Harpist, Singer & Composer ~ Biography
Áine Minogue
Background
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Born and raised in Borrisokane, County Tipperary, Ireland, Áine Minogue is an award-winning harpist, singer, arranger and composer who has entertained Presidents and Prime Ministers, as well as traveled extensively to perform at concerts across the United States and around the world.
At the age of 12, while at boarding school in County Galway, Áine discovered her true love - the harp. After completing school, she spent three years developing her incomparable talent as a harpist at Bunratty Castle, one of Ireland’s most treasured landmarks and the perfect setting to accentuate the harp's emotional and lyrical connections to Irish history.
With a dozen solo album recordings to her credit, Áine has been nominated for several awards for her work as a record producer. Her recordings include Were You at the Rock, To Warm the Winter's Night, The Mysts of Time, Between the Worlds, Circle of the Sun, The Twilight Realm, Celtic Meditation Music, Celtic Pilgrimage, Celtic Lamentations, and Close Your Eyes, Love. She also has collaborated on a series of music videos with filmmaker Michael Yip entitled Winter, A Celtic Meditation.
Áine’s music, in varying styles including Celtic, World, Folk, Spiritual and New Age, has appeared on compilations for industry labels such as BMG, Decca, Universal, Virgin Records, Windham Hill and Putumayo. Many of these albums have topped Billboard Magazine’s World, New Age and Classical Charts for months at a time. In addition, she has completed extensive soundtrack work for PBS, NBC, CBS, ABC, FOX, and MTV.
She has a Master’s Degree in Traditional Irish Harp Performance from the University of Limerick, Ireland. Her music is on Pandora, Spotify, iTunes, and Amazon. You can follow Áine on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Press Reviews
Áine Minogue…. A breath of fresh Éire.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY
Áine Minogue….a balm for our times.
BOSTON GLOBE
Musically compelling
LA TIMES
Somewhere between listening and dreaming, between classical and folk, between myth and history, you’ll find Áine Minogue’s music
WORCESTER GAZETTE
Anyone who’s skeptical of the concept of heaven as a place where eternity is spent listening to harp music should hear this. Áine Minogue proves beyond reasonable doubt why the harp is indeed the instrument of angels.
LA TIMES (pick of the week – 4 stars (maximum)
She has a fragile, lilting voice that wraps around the mostly Gaelic lyrics like a gently windblown satin sheet.
BILLBOARD MAGAZINE
...Áine pushes her art to the edge of her music. She embraces a traditional core and re approaches it, wrapping it in new and exciting clothing. She's a terrific musician, with an uncanny ability to connect with her audience."
BRIAN O'DONOVAN
WGBH RADIO, BOSTON
...The beauty of her poetry and music evokes images from the misty past celebrating the seasonal feasts of the Celtic world. Her creativity shines...
BILLBOARD MAGAZINE
This Irish harpist combines a hypnotic Celtic spirituality and contemporary sophistication in her playing and delicately lovely singing.
BOSTON GLOBE
Áine Minogue proves beyond reasonable doubt why the harp is indeed the instrument of angels
LA TIMES (Pick of the week)
Minogue’s ethereal voice caresses her Gaelic lyrics like a breeze through Irish mists, but her sound is more organic, mixing her own Celtic harp with acoustic guitars, cello, fiddles, flutes, and percussion from Irish bodhrans to Indian tables.
Áine Minogue is close enough to her Celtic sources to be nourished by them, but not so close that they root her to the spot.
BILLBOARD MAGAZINE
Beauty, grace, passion, and excellence are the hallmarks of this fabulous album. Don't miss it (Review of the album Between the Worlds)
NEW AGE VOICE
Each piece is a rich collaboration, with various musical voices, fiddle, bass, table, djembe, even didgeridoo - layered like jewels on glass. Review of Circle of the Sun)
TIME OUT, NEW YORK
Exquisite Celtic music that encompasses the old and the new in a jaunt through the seasons. Very highly recommended. (Circle of the Sun)
SONGWRITER'S MONTHLY
This lovely album (Between the Worlds) seamlessly draws on classical, traditional, and contemporary influences. More important, it evidences the spiritually healing quality of Celtic music, which helps explain the genre's remarkable worldwide popularity.
THOM DUFFY
BILLBOARD MAGAZINE
A haunting and beautiful creation.... on the of the most unusual, original and beautiful Christmas (or should I say Holiday) Albums to appear in a long time. (Review of To Warm the Winter’s Night)
THE IRISH ECHO
Áine Minogue is a most versatile singer and harpist, a craftsman of balance, taste and skill, always conscientious and reasoned, and beautiful in her art.
(Review of a live show)
CELTIC BEAT
Ms. Minogue is at home with love songs sung in Gaelic, the foot-tapping rhythms of jigs, reels, and Irish hornpipes, those plucked from Irish history, and the classical music of the masters. She's at home with Irish music based on the rhythms of Bach, with her own compositions, with the music of contemporary composers, and the music of great Irish composers.
SOUTH SHORE NEWS
Minogue has succeeded in stunning audiences with both her harp playing and her angelic voice.
THE PATRIOT LEDGER]
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….this Irish harpist combines a hypnotic Celtic spirituality and contemporary sophistication in her playing and delicately lovely singing" BOSTON GLOBE
As traditional Irish music and dance continue to enjoy phenomenal success both here and in Ireland, Áine Minogue is an artist who has long explored its themes and who captures its very essence. Her voice reflects the lyricism and richness to be found in Irish music, mythology and poetry with a voice undeniably her own and a diverse group of instruments that add to the traditional flavor of her work.
Áine Minogue is close enough to her Celtic sources to be nourished by them, but not so close that they root her to the spot. BILLBOARD MAGAZINE
Born in Borrisokane, County Tipperary, Áine's large musical family encouraged her to pursue a number of different instruments during her youth (which explains her obvious skill at arranging). They played together as a family and attended fleadhs (traditional music festivals). But it was at the age of twelve while at boarding school in County Galway that Áine discovered her true love - the harp which soon became the basis for her unique compositional and vocal style. After completing school she spent three years developing her talent as a harpist at Bunratty Castle, County Clare - the perfect setting to emphasize the harp's lyrical connection to Irish history.
Like so many Irish before her, Áine moved to the United States and settled in New England and continued to concentrate on the traditional music of her homeland, both as a soloist and collaborator. As well as writing music, Áine takes an ancient art form, extensively explores its underpinnings but adds her own creativity to each piece, combining ancient and modern.
Áine's harp has entertained Presidents and Prime Ministers, and is a regular performer at folk festivals and concerts throughout the country.
Her sixteen recordings include, Were You At the Rock, To Warm the Winter's Night, The Mysts of Time, Between the Worlds and Circle of the Sun, The Twilight Realm, Celtic Meditation Music, and Celtic Pilgrimage, Celtic Lamentations, Close Your Eyes, Love, In the Name of Stillness, Epiphany and several Holiday/Christmas albums.
Her albums focus heavily on the lifecycle exploring such themes as birth, union, pilgrimage, even death. These concept albums and song cycles embrace poetry, mythology, and folklore, taking ancient melodies and ideas and wrapping them in new musical formats for modern ears.
Her album “Celtic Lamentations,” an emotional and historical exploration of grief, loss and mourning traditions, was awarded Celtic Album of the Year in 2005 (NAV Lifestyle Awards); was among Boston Globe’s Top Ten albums of the year, as well as one of NPR’s most popular feature stories on the World.
Áine's music, in varying styles, has appeared on compilations for such labels as BMG, Decca, Universal, Virgin Records, Windham Hill and Putumayo. Many of these albums have topped Billboard’s World, Classical-crossover and New Age Music Charts for months at a time..
"Áine Minogue proves beyond reasonable doubt why the harp is indeed the instrument of angels….” Randy Lewis, LA TIMES ***** (5 star review)
Minogue has remained true to herself and her craft: continuing to creating gorgeous, calming, contemplative music that observes Celtic tradition while adding something new and unique. Her fans return to her music again and again, particularly during holidays and special times of year—she has tens of millions of plays on Pandora and over 100,000 Spotify listeners, along with steady album sales that have continued over her career.
She has a Master’s Degree in Traditional Irish Harp Performance from the University of Limerick, Ireland. Her music is on Pandora, Spotify, iTunes, and Amazon. You can follow Áine on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
“Minogue’s ethereal voice caresses her Gaelic lyrics like a breeze through Irish mists, but her sound is more organic, mixing her own Celtic harp with acoustic guitars, cello, fiddles, flutes, and percussion from Irish bodhrans to Indian tables” BILLBOARD MAGAZINE
Áine Minogue... a balm for our times... BOSTON GLOBE
Áine Minogue... a breath of fresh Éire... ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY
Career Highlights
- New England Emmy Nomination (Best Producer) for the TV Special “A Winter’s Journey”
- NAR Lifestyle’s “Celtic Album of the Year” (2005, Celtic Lamentations)
- Masters in Irish Traditional Music Performance (First Class Honors)(University of Limerick, 2002)
- Numerous albums on major and indie labels (www.aineminogue.com)
- FIMA Nominations for record production
- Extensive performance resume
- Ongoing member of the New England Foundation for the Arts Touring Roster and Education programs
- Owner and artistic Director of the production company DruidStone
- Compilation tracks for labels include Warner Brothers, Universal, BMG, Windham Hill, Putumayo and Narada – many of which remained on the Billboard World Music charts for several months.
- Numerous Television soundtracks on NBC, ABC and UPN, The WB and Fox (ongoing); Appearances on PBS soundtracks and videos
- Owner and director of Little Miller Music, a publishing company specializing in film and TV placement.
- Music Videos “Gaire na mBan” and “Goodnight to You” – billboard chartings and Video Pools
- Sample Radio Chartings as follows: College (#6 CMJ World Music Chart); NPR; folk/new acoustic; acoustic shows (#4 New Age Radio Charts); world music shows (#6 CMJ New World Music Chart); Celtic (#3 Celtic Music Chart)
- Music featured on Irish Tourist Board promotional programming
- Worked with Irish poet and philosopher John O’Donohue at performance spaces and retreat centers including Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and Kripalu Retreat Center (“Beauty of the Mind”)
- Performed for several Irish presidents Mary McAleese and Mary Robinson (one of Aine’s great heroes) as well as several Irish Prime ministers and other dignitaries (Duchess of York, Senator George Mitchell (ME)
- Numerous interviews and airplay on NRP, including “The World” with Lisa Mullins and specialty programming
- Print media coverage; Billboard, Boston Globe, LA Times, Wall Street Journal, Entertainment Weekly, Washington Post, Dallas Morning News