“Cellist Louise McMonagle’s playing was especially vivid, with its powerful combination of precision and intensity.” Jonathan Russell – Bachtrack

Scottish cellist Louise McMonagle is a versatile performer who enjoys making music in

many environments. She thrives on playing repertoire that goes beyond the mainstream,

and creating exciting programmes including many commissions and premieres. Recent

solo & chamber music performances include Wigmore Hall (London), Wien Modern (Austria),

Dark Music Days (Iceland), Nordic Music Days (Sweden), and Darmstadt Festival of New

Music (Germany).

Louise loves playing music by living composers, and has found a musical home in the

Riot Ensemble where she works as performer, curator, commissioner and collaborator;

creating and producing a diverse array of projects around Europe. Described as “volcanically

creative” by Alex Ross (The New Yorker), Riot Ensemble have given around 250 World and

UK Premieres by composers from more than 30 countries.Their discography includes releases

on HCR/NMC Recordings and Coviello Classics. Their recent album “Speak Be Silent” was

selected as one of The New Yorker’s “Best Recordings of 2019” and in 2020 they were awarded

the Siemens Ensemble Prize.

In 2022 Louise will premiere Laura Bowler’s new chamber opera The Blue Woman scored for

four singers, cello quartet and percussion at the Royal Opera House and Snape Maltings. She

will collaborate with experimental mezzo soprano Rosie Middleton in a specially curated selection

of music for voice and cello, including a world premiere of Philip Cashian’s new work Madrigali

written specially for the pair, and she will release new material created together with jazz

saxophonist and composer Trish Clowes.

Louise has enjoyed working as principal cello with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Opera North,

Ulster Orchestra, Royal Northern Sinfonia, and freelances regularly with the Royal Opera House,

Philharmonia Orchestra, English National Opera, BBC Symphony Orchestra, London Symphony

Orchestra, Aurora Orchestra, many other groups, and records regularly for film and TV.

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