Aisling Agnew is a flautist from Belfast. She performs internationally and has performed at prominent festivals such as the National Flute Association’s 40th Convention at Caesar’s Palace Las Vegas, Jeonju International Sori Festival in Korea, Sarajevo Winter Festival and closer to home at New Music Dublin, British Flute Convention in Manchester, Celtic Connections in Glasgow, and Belfast International Festival as both a soloist and chamber musician. Aisling is also host of the successful podcast The Flute NI and has interviewed many other performers, teachers and makers about their experiences.
Aisling has made many successful recordings featuring CDs, radio broadcasts and live performances and she specialises in playing a wide range of flutes, performing on silver and wooden concert flutes as well as baroque and Irish flute and whistle. Her latest solo album recording ‘Alone’ is due for release in 2023. Aisling is a graduate of the Guildhall School of Music & Drama and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and is the recipient of many awards including the Countess of Munster, Arts Council of NI, Creative Scotland and Belfast Classical Music Bursaries.
Reflecting her passion for contemporary music, Aisling is both flautist and concert manager with Hard Rain Soloist Ensemble in Belfast. As Concerto Soloist she has appeared with various orchestras including the Ulster Orchestra and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and she regularly freelances with various orchestras in the UK and Ireland. Aisling performs in several chamber groups such as the Clyde Duo with Welsh harpist Sharron Griffiths with whom she has toured extensively.
Aisling is involved with a variety of music education programmes such as the Ulster Orchestra’s Crescendo Project, she teaches at Queen’s University Belfast and has given many international masterclasses and workshops.