Áine Minogue

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 (1977-05-27) 27 May 1977
Borrisokane, County Tipperary, Ireland
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Musician
  • singer-songwriter
  • composer
  • arranger
InstrumentsHarp, vocals
Years active1994-present
LabelsRCA Victor, BMG, Sounds True
Associated actsSeán Ó Sé, Johnny Cunningham, Séamus Connolly, Séamus Egan[1]
Websitewww.aineminogue.com

Early life

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

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

Solo albums
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)
  • Vow: an Irish Wedding Celebration (1999)
  • The Spirit of Christmas

Collaborations and compilations
  • (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
  • 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
  1. "Áine Minogue: Biography". AllMusic.
  2. "Aine Minogue at Club Passim". Boston Globe. April 1999.
  3. "Áine Minogue: Discography". AllMusic.
  4. "Winter solace". Mercury. 14 December 2005. p. 20.
  5. "Minogue masters 'ultimate instrument'". Boston Globe. 8 September 2005. p. C1-C4.
  6. "2018 Tutors". Spanish Peaks Harp Retreat. 2018.
  7. "This is Irish harpist's season of gratitude". Boston Globe. 1995.
  8. "ÁINE MINOGUE: The Mysts of Time". Billboard. Vol. 109 no. 27. 5 July 1997. p. 97.
  9. "With Harp and Song, a Breath of Celtic Solstice". The Boston Globe (archived by HighBeam). 21 December 1999.
  10. "Áine Minogue". Boston Irish Reporter. May 1998.
  11. "ÁINE MINOGUE: Circle of the Sun". Billboard. Vol. 110 no. 6. 7 February 1998. p. 75.
  12. "Scott Alarik: Top CDs of 2005". The Boston Globe. 2005.
  13. "2005 NAR LifeStyle Music Award Winners". Zone Music Reporter. 2005.
  14. "A Winter's Journey". CatholicTV. 11 December 2015.
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