About
Linda Buckley is an Irish composer (born in Cork, 1979) who has written extensively for orchestra (BBC Symphony Orchestra, Dresdner Sinfoniker Orchestra, RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, Irish Chamber Orchestra), and has a particular interest in merging her classical training with the worlds of post punk, folk and electronica. She is “one of the leading figures in the thriving Irish new music scene” (Christopher Fox, Tempo) with her work being described as “sublime and brilliant” (Tom Service, BBC Radio 3) “strange and beautiful” (Richard Dyer, Boston Globe), and “engaging with an area of experience that new music is generally shy of, which, simplified and reduced to a single word, I’d call ecstasy” (Bob Gilmore, Journal of Music). She was elected to Aosdána in November 2021.
She has worked in many collaborative contexts including scoring film by Pat Collins (Living in a Coded Land, Henry Glassie: Field Work at Toronto Film Festival) and Tadhg O’Sullivan (Solas Céad Bliain, To The Moon), dance by Liz Roche Company (I/Thou) and installation with Clare Langan (The Human Flock). Awards include a Fulbright scholarship to New York University, a Civitella Ranieri Fellowship, the Frankfurt Visual Music Award (for Silk Chroma) and Gold at the New York Festivals Radio Awards (for Mother’s Blood, Sister Songs documentary with Athena Media).
Recent collaborations include work with experimental folk duo Anna & Elizabeth, writer Doireann Ní Ghríofa as well as premieres by Irish National Opera, Hebrides Ensemble, Contempo Quartet, Iarla O’Lionaird, Joby Burgess (Barbican commission), Nordic Viola and Crash Ensemble. She was invited by John Schaefer’s New Sounds Live (WNYC) to present the New York premiere of a new live score to the silent horror film Nosferatu (co-composed with Irene Buckley) at Brookfield Place. Linda holds a Music Degree from University College Cork, a Masters in Music and Media Technologies and a PhD in Composition from Trinity College Dublin. She has lectured in Composition at Trinity College Dublin, Pulse College at Windmill Lane and at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. In September 2020 her NMC record, From Ocean’s Floor was released: “The Irish composer combines traditional séan-nos singing with an electronic soundscape, connecting past and future … It’s clear how much Buckley deeply connects her past to her present, opening up possibilities for our mutual musical futures.” Guardian – Album of the Month, ‘a masterpiece in connecting the past and future.’ Evening Standard
Past events
- February 2020
- Performance – voice/electronics for Imagining Ireland
Performing with Kate Ellis and Eliza McCarthy alongside Irish singers and writers, for Imagining Ireland – Barbican London
- February 2020
- Solás Song Cycle performed by Rachel Kelly & John Hess, NCH Dublin
Three songs composed for the Irish Art Song Project, premiered at the National Concert Hall Dublin:
Marginalia (foraois gan fhaobhar) with text le/by: Doireann Ní Ghríofa
Sólás le/by: Doireann Ní Ghríofa
Faoi Shamhain le/by: Doireann Ní Ghríofa- February 2020
- Curating concert for Beethoven Reflected, Triskel & Hugh Lane
Curation of concert programme featuring newly commissioned work by Linda Buckley and Irene Buckley, as well as music by Julia Wolfe – connected to Beethoven’s String Quartet Op.131 performed by Contempo Quartet, Triskel Arts Centre Cork and Hugh Lane Gallery Dublin.
- February 2020
- Opening for Black Glass Ensemble, Queen’s Hall Edinburgh
Located in the beguiling liminal territory between contemporary classical and experimental music, Black Glass combines the cream of Scotland’s chamber players with longstanding pioneers of the UK’s avant-garde electronic underground. Support comes from Glasgow-based Irish composer – and Liminal Nights performer – Linda Buckley.
- February 2020
- Performance – voice/electronics for Imagining Ireland
Performing with Kate Ellis and Eliza McCarthy alongside Irish singers and writers, for Imagining Ireland – Galway Town Hall.
- February 2020
- Performance – voice/electronics for Imagining Ireland
Performing with Kate Ellis and Eliza McCarthy alongside Irish singers and writers, for Imagining Ireland – National Concert Hall Dublin.
- January 2020
- Isabelle O’Connell performs Fridur for piano and electronics, New York
- ‘Three of New York’s most exciting pianists: Brian Mark, Isabelle O’Connell, Kathleen Supové’ with music also by Meredith Monk, Missy Mazzoli, Paula Matthusen & Howie Kenty, Areté Gallery Brooklyn.
- December 2019
- Score contributions for To The Moon, film by Tadhg O’Sullivan
Music featured in new feature film directed by Tadhg O’Sullivan, a cinematic ode to the moon.
- December 2019
- Show with Maria Somerville, Projects Arts Centre Dublin
Performing a live electronic/vocal improv set opening for Maria Somerville, Project Dublin.
- December 2019
- Joby Burgess performs Discordia, RNCM Manchester
Performance of Discordia for aluminium harp and electronics, with DJ set, for Credo in USA – Original Voices