Áine Minogue (born 27 May 1977, Borrisokane, County Tipperary) is an Irish harpist, singer, arranger, and composer, now living in the Boston area.[2] She has recorded thirteen solo albums[3] in styles generally categorized as Celtic, world, folk, spiritual, and new age.[1]
Áine Minogue | |
|---|---|
| Born | 27 May 1977 Borrisokane, County Tipperary, Ireland |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) |
|
| Instrument(s) | Harp, vocals |
| Years active | 1994–present |
| Labels | RCA Victor, BMG, Sounds True |
| Website | www |
Early life edit
Áine Minogue was born in Ireland to a family of ten, which often played and sang at traditional Irish events such as fleadhs and Hunting the Wren.[4] She was 12 when she started playing the Irish harp at a boarding school in Galway. Minogue became a harpist at Bunratty Castle in County Clare.[5] She obtained a Master's Degree in Traditional Irish Harp Performance from the University of Limerick.[6] She moved to Boston in 1990.[7]
Music career edit
Minogue's debut album, Were You at the Rock, consisted of traditional dance and concert pieces.[5]
Mysts of Time (1996) was a mix of traditional tunes and original songs, with mostly Gaelic lyrics. It was seen as belonging to the Irish wave of New Age/Celtic fusion and associated with the sound of Enya. Her voice was described as "fragile, lilting... like a gently windblown satin sheet."[8] To Warm the Winter's Night (1996) was a popular collection of Celtic and English midwinter and Christmas music.[9]
Circle of the Sun (1998) was a musical journey through the seasons with a focus on the four Celtic calendar festivals of Lughnasadh, Samhain, Imbolc, and Beltane.[10] She mixed her own Celtic harp with guitars, cellos, fiddles, flutes, and bodhráns, but also folk instruments from other traditions such as didgeridoo and djembe.[11] Celtic Lamentations (2005) explored how ancient people used music to mourn.[12] It won Zone Music Reporter's Best Celtic Album award.[13]
A Winter's Journey, a CatholicTV Christmas special produced by Minogue where she plays Celtic music with her friends in the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Boston, was nominated for a New England Emmy Award.[14]
Discography edit
Solo albums edit
| Year | Title[3] | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Were You at the Rock | Beacon Records |
| 1996 | Mysts of Time | North Star Music |
| To Warm Winter's Night | Evergreen Music Recordings / Music Design | |
| 1997 | Between the Worlds | RCA Victor / RCA |
| 1998 | Circle of the Sun | RCA |
| 1999 | Vow: An Irish Wedding Celebration | North Star Music |
| 2004 | Twilight Realm | Little Miller Music |
| Celtic Meditation Music | Gemini Sun / Sounds True | |
| 2005 | Celtic Lamentations | |
| 2008 | Celtic Pilgrimage | |
| 2012 | Close Your Eyes, Love: Lullabies of the Celtic Lands | CD Baby |
| 2014 | Winter a Meditation | Self-published |
| 2017 | In the Name of Stillness | Little Miller Music |
With Druidstone (band) edit
- Vow: an Irish Wedding Celebration (1999)
- The Spirit of Christmas
Collaborations and compilations edit
- (Various Artists), Celtic Visions (RCA Victor/BMG)
- (Various Artists), "Sacred Spirit" Celtic Twilight (Hearts of Space)
- (Various Artists), Celtic Wave (Sony/BMG)
- (Various Artists), Dublin to Dakar (Putumayo)
- (Various Artists), Echoes Living Room Series, Vol. 4
- (Various Artists), A Winter's Tale (Universal)
- (Various Artists), "Celtic Lullaby" (Putumayo)
- (Various Artists), Exotica – World Music Divas (BMG Classics)
- (Various Artists), Celtic Heartbeat Christmas (Decca)
- (Various Artists), "European Playground" (Putumayo)
- (Various Artists), Celtic Christmas II (Windham Hill/BMG)
- (Various Artists), "Highlands IV" (Warner Bros)
- (Various Artists), "A Celtic Heartbeat Christmas" (Atlantic)
- (Various Artists), Celtic Spirit (Narada/Virgin)
- (Various Artists), Celtic Love (JVC Victor)
- (Various Artists), "Celtic Christmas" (Putumayo)
- (Various Artists), "Still" (Echoes)
- (Various Artists), "Celtic Dreamland" (Putumayo)
- (Various Artists), "Comfort & Joy" (Rounder)
- (Various Artists), "A Christmas Celtic Sojourn" (Rounder)
- (Various Artists), "Exotica, World Music Divas" (RCA Victor/BMG)
- John O'Donohue "To Bless the Space Between Us" (Sounds True)
- John O'Donohue, "Soul Friend/Anam Chara" spoken word (Sounds True)
Special projects & collaborations edit
- Tommy Makem Ancient Pulsing (PBS/TV and CD)
- Tommy Makem's Ireland (PBS/TV)
- John O'Donohue, "Soul Friend/Anam Chara" spoken word (Sounds True)
- Michael Dowling, Artist installation "Freshwater"
- Stirling Harris The Little Horse That Could (soundtrack)
- Wilfred E. Richard, Photographer The Four Seasons/Hidden Landscapes (soundtrack)
- Dr. Ray Shea Yeats Country (soundtrack)
References edit
- ^ a b "Áine Minogue: Biography". AllMusic.
- ^ "Aine Minogue at Club Passim". Boston Globe. April 1999.
- ^ a b "Áine Minogue: Discography". AllMusic.
- ^ "Winter solace". Mercury. 14 December 2005. p. 20.
- ^ a b "Minogue masters 'ultimate instrument'". Boston Globe. 8 September 2005. p. C1-C4.
- ^ "2018 Tutors". Spanish Peaks Harp Retreat. 2018.
- ^ "This is Irish harpist's season of gratitude". Boston Globe. 1995.
- ^ "ÁINE MINOGUE: The Mysts of Time". Billboard. Vol. 109, no. 27. 5 July 1997. p. 97.
- ^ "With Harp and Song, a Breath of Celtic Solstice". The Boston Globe (archived by HighBeam). 21 December 1999.[dead link]
- ^ "Áine Minogue". Boston Irish Reporter. May 1998.
- ^ "ÁINE MINOGUE: Circle of the Sun". Billboard. Vol. 110, no. 6. 7 February 1998. p. 75.
- ^ "Scott Alarik: Top CDs of 2005". The Boston Globe. 2005.
- ^ "2005 NAR LifeStyle Music Award Winners". Zone Music Reporter. 2005.
- ^ "A Winter's Journey". CatholicTV. 11 December 2015.