Music in West Kilbride presents Clyde Duo
Formed in 2010, the Clyde Duo consists of Irish Flautist, Aisling Agnew and Welsh Harpist, Sharron Griffiths. Aisling and Sharron met whilst working together at St Andrews University where they both have been active teachers and performers. They discovered they share a compelling interest in the flute and harp repertoire and are passionate about exposing lesser known composers and their works. Since then, the duo has performed extensively together across the UK and internationally.
Aisling Agnew is a flautist from Belfast. She performs internationally and has toured across many continents, performing at prominent festivals such as the National Flute Association’s 40th Convention at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas, Jeonju International Sori Festival in Korea, Sarajevo Winter Festival and also closer to home at New Music Dublin, the British Flute Convention in Manchester, Celtic Connections in Glasgow, and the Belfast International Festival as both a soloist and chamber musician. Aisling is host of the successful podcast The Flute NI and has interviewed many performers, teachers and makers about their experiences. Aisling has made many successful recordings featuring CDs, radio broadcasts and live performances online 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. 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.
Aisling is flautist with Hard Rain Soloist Ensemble in Belfast, specialising in contemporary music and helping promote composers from Northern Ireland. They regularly work with young musicians from Queens University and the Ulster Youth Orchestra. She also performs with the Irish Memory Orchestra, collaborating with Irish traditional musicians. Aisling regularly freelances with various orchestras in the UK and Ireland such as Ulster Orchestra and she performs in several chamber groups. 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 including for BBC Ten Pieces NI and Classic Children’s Concerts in Scotland. Aisling has worked with Drake Music, collaborating with musicians with additional needs and she has also conducted various ensembles including Flute Phonics and St Andrews Flute Ensemble.
Sharron Griffiths started playing the harp at the age of ten in her native Wales. She has pursued a diverse and varied career as a soloist, chamber and orchestral musician in recitals both on the concert platform, recording and radio broadcast. Sharron works regularly with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Scottish Opera, Trondheim Symphony Orchestra, Scottish Chamber Orchestra and the Royal Northern Sinfonia.
Sharron is a keen soloist and chamber musician, having recently appeared as concerto soloist with the Royal Northern Sinfonia, she is a member of the Clyde Duo with Flautist Aisling Agnew, Flute, Viola, Harp Trio with flautist Ruth Morley and Violist Scott Dickinson and the innovative Bardic Trio with Tenor with Jamie MacDougall and Guitarist, Matthew McAllister in performances across the U.K including at the St Magnus Festival, Edinburgh International Festival, Lammermuir Festival, Sound festival and Celtic Connections. Sharron is a Lecturer of Pedal Harp at the Junior Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, harp teacher at St Andrews University, Douglas Academy and a regular harp tutor for the National Youth Orchestras of Scotland.
Clyde Duo’s concert programme can be downloaded here:
Music in West Kilbride 