Ina Boyle Society Newsletter.
Don't miss the next edition of the Ina Boyle Society Newsletter, out in May!
Stay updated with the latest news & insights on our remarkable Irish composer and so much more!
Ina Boyle & Elizabeth Maconchy: a timeless friendship
When discovering more about the life of one of Ireland’s most prolific female composers, Ina Boyle (1889-1967), it's only right to also pay tribute to another incredible female composer whose steadfast friendship and loyalty have been crucial in preventing Boyle's works from remaining hidden. This piece pays tribute to the timeless friendship of Ina Boyle and the remarkable composer, Dame Elizabeth Maconchy (1907-1994).
Elizabeth Maconchy and Ina Boyle, 1955.
IBSL would like to thank and acknowledge Nicola LeFanu for providing the photograph.
As a woman navigating the major historical, social, and political shifts of 20th-century Ireland, Ina Boyle persevered despite personal family commitments that kept her mainly residing in rural Ireland and making few musical contacts. She left a significant body of work, including chamber, vocal, orchestral, and choral works, as well as opera and ballet.
Thankfully, Ina’s mentor, the great Ralph Vaughan Williams' prophecy – ‘I think it is most courageous of you to go on with so little recognition. The only thing to say is that it sometimes does come finally’ – is now coming to fruition. However, without the crucial support of Maconchy, Boyle’s works may have remained unheard.
Born to Irish parents in Hertfordshire, England, Elizabeth Maconchy spent a significant period of her childhood in Ireland. Maconchy ‘was composing for the piano from the age of six and received lessons in piano and music theory in Dublin’ (Source: Dictionary of Irish Biography). Sadly, in 1922, her father, Gerald, passed away. Following this sad time and supported by her mother, who recognised her enormous musical talent, Maconchy ventured to London, where she studied at the Royal College of Music under another champion of Ina Boyle, Ralph Vaughan Williams.
Maconchy most certainly experienced the challenges faced by women in the 20th century who sought to compose. Writing in the ‘Composer’ journal in 1971, under the article titled ‘A Composer Speaks’ (Composer, 1971), she recalled, “So coming to London as a music student was a first plunge into life, and once I had found my feet I enjoyed my time at the R.C.M. immensely. I was lucky enough to win prizes and scholarships and even had a work played by the college orchestra, which was a rare event in those days. But what did one do next, particularly if one were a girl? Sir Hugh Allen said, "If we give you the Mendelssohn Scholarship, you will only get married and never write another note." (Reference: Maconchy, Elizabeth. (Winter 1971-72). A Composer Speaks. Composer, 42, 25-29)
“But what did one do next, particularly if one were a girl?
Sir Hugh Allen said, “If we give you the Mendelssohn Scholarship you will only get married and never write another note.” ”
Dame Elizabeth Maconchy.
IBSL would like to thank and acknowledge Nicola LeFanu for providing the photograph.
As with Boyle, Vaughan Williams was also a great supporter of his pupil, Maconchy, of whom she commented, regarding studying with RVW, ‘it was like turning on a light’. This special bond can be seen in their many correspondences. Signing a number of his letters to her as ‘Uncle Ralph’, the Vaughan Williams Foundation is a treasure trove of those letters and shines an invaluable light on both their professional and personal relationship with a sense of realism and support. One such letter to Maconchy in 1944 illustrates that sense of realism and just how difficult it was to work as a composer.
“But, dearest Betty, you know how impossible it is to judge of a brand new work absolutely on first hearing.
So we want to hear it several times
All my love
Uncle Ralph ”
Our dear friend, the late Dr. Ita Beausang, wrote about this difficulty for composers, particularly women, citing the support Ina had from Elizabeth: ‘After Vaughan Williams’s death, Boyle continued to compose, although women composers faced many challenges from concert promoters and publishers. Her friend Elizabeth Maconchy provided safekeeping at Downton Castle for some of Boyle’s scores which could not be posted to Ireland during the war and acted as an intermediary between her and publishers and other agencies. In August 1967, Maconchy listed Boyle’s music in a small green notebook under four categories: ORCHESTRAL, CHORAL, CHAMBER MUSIC, OPERA.’
“Boyle left instructions in her will for her trustee to consult Elizabeth Maconchy ‘as to all matters relating to her music as she is the only person who is intimately acquainted with it and my wishes about it.”
Her personal tribute, Ina Boyle: An Appreciation, with a Select List of her Music, was published for Trinity College by the Dolmen Press in 1974. Boyle left instructions in her will for her trustee to consult Elizabeth Maconchy ‘as to all matters relating to her music as she is the only person who is intimately acquainted with it and my wishes about it.’
IBSL thanks David Byers for kindly supplying the image.
For further information, please visit ByersMusic.com
Maconchy wrote of Boyle, “Ina’s inspiration almost always came from poetry: even her purely instrumental works were usually headed by a quotation, a few lines, perhaps, which had set off a train of thought and fired her musical imagination.
Her choice of words reflected her wide reading, from translations of early Gaelic poems or medieval Latin lyrics through the poetry of John Donne to that of Edith Sitwell, for which she had a particular affinity. She was always faithful to the mood and meaning underlying the words and to their shape and rhythm, never distorting them for musical effect, but allowing them to speak more fully through her music.”
For further information, please visit ByersMusic.com
Professor Nicola LeFanu
In 1997, Maconchy’s daughter, IBSL Patron, composer, teacher, director, Professor Nicola LeFanu, presented a collection of Boyle’s manuscripts, sketches, and printed music dating from 1922 to 1966 to the Library of Trinity College Dublin. The Boyle archive, which can be accessed online on TCD Digital Collections, has proved invaluable for researchers and performers of her music.
IBSL is hugely grateful to Professor Nicola LeFanu, who wrote, “My mother held Ina’s music in high regard and often tried to get more attention paid to it. After Ina’s death, my mother arranged for the manuscripts to go to the library at TCD, and she also published a short memoir of Ina, since at that date people knew all too little about Ina and her music.”
Writing in 2007 for the Journal of the British Music Society, Professor LeFanu gave a remarkable insight into the life of her mother, a fascinating source for readers, researchers, and musicians alike. Professor LeFanu too shines a further light on the friendship between Ina and Elizabeth, writing that when the latter’s "ballet ‘Puck Fair’ (1939/40) was performed in Ireland, of which Elizabeth was absent, it was Ina who orchestrated the piece for her."
To read more by Professor Nicola LeFanu, please visit here.
“My mother held Ina’s music in high regard and often tried to get more attention paid to it. ”
Affectionately known as ‘Betty’, Maconchy’s musical legacy includes a significant contribution to string music, notably her thirteen string quartets composed throughout her career, a lasting legacy of her chamber music work. She also penned a substantial output of choral and vocal music and three one-act operas. Notable works include, but are by no means exhaustive, String Quartet No. 5, The Land (1929), Proud Thames (1953), Héloïse and Abelard (1978), and the aforementioned one-act operas: The Sofa, The Departure, and The Three Strangers.
Writing for the British Music Collection, Martin Anderson celebrates the life of Maconchy, whose “accomplishments are to be marvelled; she chaired the Composers’ Guild of Great Britain, was President of the Society for the Promotion of New Music, and in 1987 was appointed Dame of the British Empire.”
Please see this link to read more, and Maconchy’s music records are listed here also on the British Music Collection website.
The timeless friendship of ‘Ina and Betty’ is not only heartening, as they so clearly meant so much to one another on a personal and professional sphere, but they also demonstrate how each championed women in music in a period of history that, regardless of their efforts to succeed, placed so many obstacles in their way. To look back on both legacies of Boyle and Maconchy is to acknowledge and celebrate two remarkable women who pursued their passions for music, gifting future generations with timeless pieces that will live on.
Boyle and Maconchy’s composer contemporaries include greats such as Joan Trimble and Rhoda Coghill, and at IBSL our mission is to champion female composers, past, present, and future. We have so much more to learn from Boyle, Maconchy and all of these remarkable women, and hope you will join us at IBSL as we continue to champion their work.
This is just the beginning!
IBSL would like to pay particular thanks to Professor Nicola LeFanu.
Ina Boyle: Now streaming on Apple Music
'Ina Boyle: Now streaming on Apple Music'
Dive into the world of this remarkable 20th-century Irish composer. Celebrate Ina Boyle's life and legacy, experiencing her beautiful compositions brought to life by exceptional artists, ensuring her music resonates for generations to come.
Follow this link to listen to Ina on Apple Music today!
Esther Abrami's 'Women' set for release feature Ina Boyle!
IBSL is so excited to share that the incredible, award-winning concert violinist Esther Abrami will release her new album 'Women' in April!
'At its heart is the world-premiere recording of Ina Boyle's Violin Concerto'. (Sony Music)
Esther Abrami
‘Women’
Image from Sony Music
““For as long as I can remember, classical music composers were men.
It took stepping out of my formal education, to question this reality. ‘Did any women ever compose classical music?’ Turns out they did!” ”
‘Women’ will release on 25th April 2025 through Sony Music.
IBSL wishes Esther huge success and looks forward to the album!
Learn more about Esther here and follow her on Instagram here.
Follow this link to pre-order ‘Women’.
Ina Boyle Newsletter February 2025!
Exciting news! The Ina Boyle Society has released its February 2025 Newsletter, packed with fascinating updates and insights. Click here to read!
Dive into a world of Ina Boyle rediscovery, with an edition full of the latest developments from IBSL, including details on upcoming performances of Ina Boyle’s works, news of exciting emerging musical talent, and opportunities to contribute to the growing legacy of Ina Boyle and other neglected female composers.
Check it out now, and don’t forget to encourage your friends to subscribe!
Irish Heritage Bursary Winners
Huge congratulations to the winners of the Irish Heritage Bursary Auditions! These talented musicians impressed at the auditions held at Wigmore Hall earlier this month.
Among them was Dublin-violinist, Eve Quigley who kindly shared her thoughts with IBSL on including Ina Boyle’s Phantasy in her programme.
‘My name is Eve Quigley, and I am a violist from Dublin in my fourth year at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Last week, I was honoured to receive the Irish Heritage Homan Potterton Bursary for Strings, following an early morning performance at Wigmore Hall in London.
A highlight of my programme was Ina Boyle’s Phantasy for viola and piano—a remarkable work that I had the privilege of exploring with the brilliant pianist Craig White. It was a joy to delve into Boyle’s evocative sound world, from the grandeur of sweeping chords to spirited marches, culminating in a deeply expressive, soulful melody. It was such a pleasure to explore this beautiful piece, and I am excited to continue discovering more of Ina Boyle’s music in the future!
In the coming months, I will be performing at St James’s Piccadilly on 30th April at 1 pm, and at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama on June 10th at 6pm.’
Eve Quigley & Craig White.
Image from Eve Quigley.
See the full list of recipients below, and join IBSL in wishing them glittering futures.
Irish Heritage Bursary for Performance: Dida Condria (piano)
Homan Potterton Bursary for String Instruments: Eve Quigley (viola)
The Brackaville Bursary for Vocal Studies: Emily Hogarty (mezzo-soprano)
BVOF Special Award: Thomas Kelly (percussion)
Eve Quigley & Craig White.
Image from Eve Quigley.
Ina Boyle and International Women's Day 2025
IBSL is excited to share that our good friend and Artistic Advisory Committee member, Dr Emma O’Keeffe, will be celebrating both Ina Boyle's birthday and International Women's Day on Saturday, 8th March, with a presentation on Ina Boyle's life and works at this year's Finding a Voice Festival in Clonmel, Co. Tipperary.
Poster from Finding a Voice
“Founded in 2017 by sisters Róisín and Clíona Maher, over the past eight years the festival has featured music by hundreds of women composers, from the twelfth-century nun Hildegard of Bingen to newly commissioned works by Irish composers.”
This year’s Finding a Voice festival will feature performances from leading Irish and international musicians of music from across eras and genres.
Dr O’Keeffe will feature on Saturday, 8th March (Ina Boyle’s birthday) at 10:30am in Clonmel Library, Co. Tipperary.
Women in Music
Date: Saturday 8th March 2025
Time: 10:30am
Location: Clonmel Library, Co. Tipperary
Poster from Finding a Voice
Learn more about the Finding a Voice festival and how to attend this year's events by following this link here.
IBSL sends best wishes for a successful Finding a Voice festival.
Ina Boyle at the West Wicklow Chamber Music Festival
Ruth Gibson & Fiachra Garvey
Image from the West Wicklow Chamber Music Festival
Wicklow's own Ina Boyle will be among the celebrated composers featured at this year’s West Wicklow Chamber Music Festival!
Ruth Gibson (viola) and Fiachra Garvey (piano), who have collaborated for over 20 years, will perform Boyle's "Phantasy" on 8th May 2025, the opening night of the festival.
Image from the West Wicklow Chamber Music Festival
“A spellbinding opening on Thursday 8th May featuring one of Ireland’s foremost violists, Ruth Gibson, and the festival’s Founder and Artistic Director, Fiachra Garvey.
This extraordinary duo will present an inspired programme of both iconic and rarely performed works for viola and piano.”
Tickets for this year’s festival are available to purchase from the WWF website via the link below:
Date & Time: Thursday 8th May 2025, 8pm
Venue: Russborough House, County Wicklow
Ticket Info: Tickets €42 / €21 student concession (+ booking fee)
Image from the West Wicklow Chamber Music Festival
Thank You, Angela Brady, for Your Invaluable Contributions to IBSL
Angela Brady OBE
IBSL would like to thank Angela Brady OBE for playing such an integral role in the society for a number of years.
At the end of 2024, Angela stepped down as Trustee and Director of IBSL. We are enormously grateful to her for her commitment and wise counsel during what has been a pivotal time of change and development for the Ina Boyle Society.
“We are enormously grateful to her for her commitment and wise council. ”
A big thank you, Angela! We are pleased that despite all your commitments you will continue to support us as an important friend.
IBSL Chair & Musician Emma Coulthard to Perform in 'SacrumProfanum'
The closing of St Brigid’s Week 2025 at the Irish Cultural Centre in London will feature the incredible musical experience, SacrumProfanum.
SacrumProfanum by Benjamin Dwyer featuring musician Emma Coulthard.
The Irish Cultural Centre, Saturday 8th February, 7:30pm.
Poster image from the Irish Cultural Centre Hammersmith
According to the ICC, SacrumProfanum “created by renowned Irish composer Benjamin Dwyer, delves into the powerful symbolism of Ireland’s enigmatic Sheela-na-gigs – ancient stone carvings that embody themes of femininity, identity, and resilience.”
“SacrumProfanum blends contemporary classical music with traditional Irish forms, featuring 11 original compositions brought to life by an ensemble of world-class musicians.”
ICC writes, “SacrumProfanum blends contemporary classical music with traditional Irish forms, featuring 11 original compositions brought to life by an ensemble of world-class musicians. Through live performances, recorded music, and spoken word, this evocative work explores Ireland’s history and its treatment of women through the watchful gaze of the Sheela. From haunting melodies to visceral rhythms, the concert captures the raw power and poignancy of these mysterious figures.”
The performance features IBSL Chair and musician, Emma Coulthard on flutes.
Following the performance, there will be a Q&A when Irish Feminist, Author and Activist, Jeanne Rathbone will interview SacrumProfanum’s composer, Benjamin Dwyer.
Ticket information can be found here and doors open from 7.30pm.
Please note this performance includes adult content.
Dr Emma O'Keeffe Awarded PhD
Dr Emma O'Keeffe.
The Ina Boyle Society is delighted to share the news that our great friend and Artistic Advisory Committee member, Emma O’Keeffe, has been awarded her PhD.
Emma has been a key contributor to the Ina Boyle revival over the last 9 years, and her PhD is a major piece of work, and one that focuses exclusively on the orchestral music of Ina.
The following are extracts taken from Dr O’Keeffe’s thesis.
The title of this thesis is drawn from one of Boyle’s vocal works, No Coward Soul is Mine (1953), for contralto solo and string orchestra, based on a poem of the same name by Emily Brontë (1818–1848). The choice of title is a reflection of Boyle’s perseverance, determination and valiant commitment to her compositions. She must certainly be considered a heroine of twentieth-century Irish art music, and her once forgotten contribution is now being deservedly recognised. In a letter to Boyle, written in May 1937, Vaughan Williams acknowledged her tenacity and offered words of reassurance: ‘I think it is most courageous of you to go on with so little recognition. The only thing to say is that it sometimes does come finally’.
‘No Coward Soul is Mine’: A Critical Edition of Select Works by Ina Boyle (1889-1967).
Dr Emma O'Keeffe.
Through the creation of modern typeset scores, this project aims to improve the visibility of Irish women composers. More often than not, visibility comes through performance; therefore, creating digitally typeset scores is an important contribution to musicological scholarship in Ireland. Using essays, editorial policy statements and explanatory notes, the ultimate objective of this project is to produce a critical, typeset edition containing a scholarly curated text of the select works. It also aims to stimulate an interest in other scholars to discover Boyle’s music and to create future typeset editions from her large collection of neglected compositions.
“This project is the broadest Editing project of Ina Boyle’s compositions to date, exploring the different genres that she composed for, and by journeying through a selection of major compositions from different stages in Boyle’s life.”
‘No Coward Soul is Mine’: A Critical Edition of Select Works by Ina Boyle (1889-1967).
Dr Emma O'Keeffe.
The editions produced as part of this project will give conductors, musicians, performers, scholars, and audiences greater insight into the original material and, in many cases, offer the first performance materials to accurately reflect the composer’s vision. In the case of Ina Boyle, who often composed quickly and created versions for a variety of ensembles and contexts, original manuscript sources contain numerous errors and inconsistencies.
The primary focus of the IBSL is to ensure that all of Boyle’s manuscripts are typeset and edited so that her music is readily available for performances. This project, therefore, aims to contribute to the current research on Boyle’s music. However, this recovered history of women in Irish art music, goes far beyond Ina Boyle in our understanding of Irish musical culture.
Boyle composed steadily throughout her life and her oeuvre covers a wide range of genres including, a substantial amount of choral, vocal and orchestral works, solo songs, chamber music, and various stage works including, three ballets and a single opera. The selection of works edited as part of this project explored one work from each decade of Boyle’s career in order to illustrate the breath of her compositional life. Beginning with her first completed orchestral work as a young composer, Elegy in 1913, to another first for the composer, a ballet, the Virgilian Suite, composed during one of her most creative periods, and finally, one of her last completed vocal works, Three Ancient Irish Poems in 1958. Although Boyle had a distinct preference for string writing, in particular the cello, this selection also demonstrates the broad range of ambitious ensembles with which she engaged.
‘No Coward Soul is Mine’: A Critical Edition of Select Works by Ina Boyle (1889-1967).
Dr Emma O'Keeffe.
The Ina Boyle Society extends its warmest congratulations to Dr Emma O'Keeffe on this wonderful achievement and looks forward to our future collaborations.
In memory of Dr Ita Beausang (1936-2024)
Image © Library of Trinity College Dublin.
Ita Beausang
The Ina Boyle Society is deeply saddened and moved by the passing of our dearest friend and Patron, Dr Ita Beausang.
It is no understatement to say that without Ita’s dedication and exploration of Ina Boyle's life and legacy, the movement to reignite this great Irish composer would simply not be. Ita was a remarkable force for Irish music and academia, leaving a legacy of her own that will be treasured by those who knew and loved her and in the future generations to come.
““Without the dedication and ongoing support of Ita Beausang, especially in the early days, the renaissance of Ina could never have happened and is her legacy.
Knowing and working with her over the years has been a privilege and a joy.
Her wise and loving counsel will be sorely missed.” ”
““I will remember Ita’s warmth and generosity, her spirit and enthusiasm shone through, and will remain with us all.” ”
A unique luminary of the music world and champion of Irish women in the arts, Ita will be profoundly missed by us all. As we mourn the loss of this remarkable woman, we are committed to honouring her memory by continuing to promote Ina Boyle’s music, strengthened by the passion and vigour of Ita’s tireless work. We will be forever grateful to have known Ita and to have had the great joy of working alongside her.
We send our heartfelt thoughts and prayers to Ita’s family at this time.
Codladh sámh, Ita.
Ina Boyle performance in Canada
The Ina Boyle Society is always delighted to hear of Ina's music being heard across the globe. We were particularly thrilled about a performance earlier this month in Canada by Musicologist and Performer Dr. Orla Shannon.
Dr. Shannon, a guest speaker at a colloquium talk at the School of Music, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, performed Ina's songs, introducing them to new audiences.
Dr. Orla Shannon & Fergus Kwan: ‘Ina Boyle (1889–1967): A Journey of (Re)Discovery through Art Song’, School of Music, University of British Columbia, Vancouver.
Invited by Dr. Laurel Parsons, a pioneer in publishing analysis of music by women composers, Orla's talk, 'Ina Boyle (1889–1967): A Journey of (Re)Discovery through Art Song,' also included a performance of Ina's Three Medieval Latin Lyrics with a fantastic pianist, Fergus Kwan.
Dr. Orla Shannon & Fergus Kwan: ‘Ina Boyle (1889–1967): A Journey of (Re)Discovery through Art Song’, School of Music, University of British Columbia, Vancouver.
As Ina's compositions continue to be performed worldwide, the Ina Boyle Society remains committed to sharing her legacy with future generations and thanks Dr. Orla Shannon for her continued support of Ina and her work, and for showcasing Ina’s music across the world in Canada.
Dr. Orla Shannon & Fergus Kwan: ‘Ina Boyle (1889–1967): A Journey of (Re)Discovery through Art Song’, School of Music, University of British Columbia, Vancouver.
Paula Murrihy & Dearbhla Collins at the National Concert Hall, Dublin
Acclaimed Irish mezzo-soprano Paula Murrihy and prize-winning Irish pianist Dearbhla Collins presented a recital at the Kevin Barry Recital Room, National Concert Hall, Dublin, on Sunday, 1st December 2024, at 3pm.
The program included songs by Ina Boyle, German pianist and composer Clara Schumann, and the song cycle, Les Nuits d'été by French composer Hector Berlioz.
Rediscovered Ina Boyle Sketchbooks
A truly wonderful occasion at Trinity College Dublin this month, when composer Mary Kelly donated two rediscovered treasures from Ina Boyle to The Library of Trinity College Dublin. These were two of Ina’s drawing sketchbooks that Mary’s father had saved during a public auction at Ina’s former home, Bushey Park.
The sketchbooks included portrait drawings by Ina Boyle of Clyde Twelvetrees, Charles Wood, C.H. Kitson, and Ina’s mentor and teacher, Ralph Vaughan Williams. Thanks to Mary’s wish to safeguard them, they will now be housed with Ina’s other artefacts in The Library of Trinity College Dublin.
“The legacy of Ina continues to grow, and we hope to attract more interest in her life and work, given the important place she holds within Irish Musical history.”
Attendees at the TCD presentation included composer Mary Kelly, Roy Stanley, and Jane Maxwell from The Library of Trinity College Dublin; Emma Coulthard, Chair of the Ina Boyle Society; Dr. Ita Beausang, biographer of Ina Boyle; IBSL Artistic Advisory Committee members David Byers, Ian Fox, and Dr. Kerry Houston; Diane Davison, former owner of Ina Boyle's home, Bushey Park; and David and Isobel Beausang.
L-R: Diane Davison, Dr. Kerry Houston, Mary Kelly, Ian Fox, Dr. Ita Beausang, Roy Stanley, Emma Coulthard, David Beausang, David Byers, Isobel Beausang and Jane Maxwell.
Image credit © Library of Trinity College Dublin.
Mary Kelly shares how she came to have the sketchbooks in her story, ‘Miss Boyle’s Sketchbook’.
““I grew up near Enniskerry village where Miss Boyle (children in those days always referred to adults by their titles so she will forever be Miss Boyle to me) was a familiar sight driving up and down to the village in her bottle green Morris Minor. My father and my aunts (who lived closer to Bushey Park than we did) used to tell me what a talented composer Miss Boyle was and that she was frequently performed by the BBC but was not appreciated in her own country.
As a young child, I had been to Bushey Park a few times. On one of these occasions, my friend and I were asked to deliver a message. Miss Boyle’s housekeeper brought us into the kitchen and offered us some orange squash. Children in those days were expected to politely accept hospitality. The problem was, Miss Boyle had a reputation for feeding the rats in her house, treating them as pets. We were concerned that perhaps a rat had been in the squash jug but good manners required that we drink it!
Though not known as the talented composer that she was and despite a reputation for being a little eccentric, Ms. Boyle was considered in the neighbourhood to be kind, modest and devout. After she died, my father brought me to the auction at Bushey Park. In the hall, there was a heap of rubbish in the corner clearly on its way to a dump. My father, an amateur artist who had an eye for such things, spotted a drawing book among the rubbish. He told me to pick it up thinking that there could be a few blank pages in it for me to draw on.
When we got home, we discovered her drawings. How glad I am that I did not draw on the backs of any of those pages! I kept the drawing book all these years hoping that one day, it would find a proper home. When I graduated with a B. Mus. in 1978, my aunts urged me to do a Masters on Miss Boyle. Life got in the way and I regret not having taken their advice but am so glad that she is finally getting the recognition that my father and my aunts knew she deserved.
I am delighted that the sketchbook will finally be where it belongs.”
”
L-R Mary Kelly, Dr. Ita Beausang, and Emma Coulthard.
Image credit © Library of Trinity College Dublin.
Emma Coulthard, IBSL Chair on the donation by Mary Kelly: ''On behalf of the Ina Boyle Society, I am really pleased that the sketchbooks, which give us an intimate portrait of Ina, are going to be part of the collection at TCD. The legacy of Ina continues to grow, and we hope to attract more interest in her life and work, given the important place she holds within Irish Musical history. We would like Ina's contribution to be celebrated more widely and her work to be an inspiration to all who create or perform them.”
Upon presenting the sketchbooks to Trinity College Dublin, Mary Kelly said, “I am so happy that the sketchbooks are now where they will be well looked after,” and Roy Stanley from The Library of Trinity College Dublin wrote, “Thanks to this generous donation by Mary Kelly, future scholars will now have a more complete picture of the range of Ina Boyle’s talents.”
Ina Boyle biographer, Dr. Ita Beausang on the rediscovery wrote,: “The Sketchbooks are timely assets for future study of Ina Boyle's life. Mary Kelly's generous donation has kept them safe and Trinity College Library is the ideal place for Ina Boyle's archive.”
L-R: Diane Davison, Dr. Kerry Houston, Mary Kelly, Ian Fox, Dr. Ita Beausang, Roy Stanley, Emma Coulthard, David Beausang, David Byers and Isobel Beausang.
Image credit © Library of Trinity College Dublin.
IBSL would like to thank Mary Kelly for her generous donation, our attendees at the presentation, Jane Maxwell and Roy Stanley of Trinity College Dublin and Aileen Cahill from The Contemporary Music Centre Ireland for introducing us to Mary Kelly, enabling the presentation to TCD where the sketchbooks will be housed with Ina Boyle’s other manuscripts.
Ina Boyle on the BBC
Ina Boyle on the BBC
Image (c) BBC Friday Night is Music Night.
This Friday, November 8th, the iconic BBC Concert Orchestra takes the stage at the legendary Hippodrome in Great Yarmouth for "Friday Night is Music Night." The program will feature a performance of Ina Boyle's "Wild Geese."
Tickets can be purchased here https://www.bbc.co.uk/events/ebwp8g and the concert will be broadcast on BBC Radio 3 on Friday 22 November 2024.
IBSL Treasurer Position
Treasurer Needed: Promote the Legacy of Ina Boyle
Do you have the financial expertise to support a small but rapidly growing charity?
The Ina Boyle Society Ltd., committed to promoting Irish composers past and present, especially Irish women composers, seeks a dedicated Treasurer to join our team.
If you're passionate about music and making a difference, we encourage you to apply!
Full job description and application details below:
______________________________________________________________________
Ina Boyle Society
Registered Charity No. 1198331
Role Description
Treasurer
(Voluntary; Unremunerated)
The Ina Boyle Society Ltd. was founded by Katie Rowan in 2020 to champion the music of Ina Boyle and of other neglected Irish composers, particularly women, whose music deserves to be heard more widely. The IBSL obtained charitable status in the UK in 2022.
We are seeking a to recruit a Treasurer who will assist the Board of the IBSL in responding to the growing interest in Ina Boyle's life and music, as reflected in the increasing number of performances, broadcasts and premiere recordings of her orchestral, vocal and chamber works, both in the UK and internationally.
The Treasurer will monitor the financial administration of the charity, reporting to the Chair and Board at regular intervals on the IBSL’s financial health, with a particular focus on budgeting and strategic financial planning, risk assessment and risk management.
The role is a voluntary position and is particularly suitable for someone with appropriate financial qualifications and experience of, or interest in, the classical music world.
For further information about Ina Boyle and the work and governance of the Society, visit the IBSL website at www.inaboyle.org
Role of the Treasurer
The role of a Treasurer is to maintain an overview of the organisation’s affairs, ensure its financial viability and ensure that proper financial records and procedures are maintained, in line with best practice and in compliance with the governing document and legal requirements.
Key Responsibilities
Overseeing, approving and presenting budgets, accounts and financial statements.
Being assured that the financial resources of the organisation meet its needs.
Preparing and presenting financial reports to the Board.
Ensuring that appropriate accounting procedures and controls are in place and that all financial policies and procedures, including the appointment of external financial advisors, are reviewed regularly.
Advising on the financial implications of the organisation’s strategic plans.
Ensuring that the accounts are prepared and disclosed in the form required by funders and relevant statutory bodies.
Ensuring that the accounts are scrutinised externally, as required, and that any recommendations are implemented.
Keeping the board informed about its financial duties and responsibilities.
Contributing to the fundraising strategy of the organisation.
Making a formal presentation of the accounts at the annual general meeting.
General responsibilities of a Trustee
In addition to the responsibilities outlined above, the Treasurer as a Trustee has the following general responsibilities:
Contribute actively to the Board’s role in giving strategic direction to the charity.
Ensure the financial stability of the organisation.
Ensure the Charity applies its resources exclusively in pursuing its objectives.
Ensure the effective and efficient administration of the Charity.
Be collectively responsible for the actions of the Charity and other Trustees.
Participate in other tasks as arise from time to time, including recruitment and fundraising.
Attend meetings and subcommittee meetings as appropriate and read papers in preparation for the meeting.
Keep informed about the activities of the charity and wider issues which affect its work.
In addition to the above, Trustees should use their specific skills, knowledge or experience to help the Board reach sound decisions. This will involve scrutinising Board papers, leading discussions, focusing on key issues, and providing advice and guidance requested by the Board on new initiatives or other issues.
Person specification
The Treasurer should have the following skills, experience and knowledge:
Fully qualified chartered accountant.
Some experience and/or understanding of charity finance and fundraising.
The skills to analyse proposals and examine their financial consequences.
A willingness to be available to staff for advice and enquiries on an ad hoc basis.
Demonstrable interest in advancing the mission and activities of the IBS.
IBSL
October 2024
To apply, please contact: inaboylecomposer@gmail.com
Ina Boyle performed at The Two Moors Festival
The Ina Boyle Society was thrilled Roderick Williams OBE and Christopher Glynn performed 'Songs of Travel' at The Two Moors Festival, including two Ina Boyle works, 'A Song of Enchantment' and 'The Joy of Earth'.
The recital also included music from Ralph Vaughan Williams, Joan Trimble, Rebecca Clarke, Freya Waley-Cohen, and many more!
Those in attendance included Adrian Boyle and Diana Thompson.
A full program list can be found here.
IBSL thanks Roderick Williams and Christopher Glynn for their wonderful performance and support of Ina Boyle and her works.
(From l-r), Diana Thompson, Roderick Williams OBE and Adrian Boyle at The Two Moors Festival, October 2024.
Image courtesy of Adrian Boyle.
Songs from the North of Ireland
IBSL is thrilled to share the upcoming global release of ‘Songs from the North of Ireland’, Carolyn Dobbin and IBSL Patron Iain Burnside’s programme of songs from two of Ulster’s 20th-century female composers, Dorothy Parke (1904-1990) and Joan Trimble (1915-2000).
Songs from the North of Ireland: Dorothy Parke | Joan Trimble.
Delphian.
““Dorothy Parke is well known for her songs for children but is revealed here as a much more wide-ranging composer, steeped in the folk melody and poetry of Ireland.””
As champions of composers, especially Irish women whose music deserves wider recognition, we at the Ina Boyle Society are very much looking forward to this new release.
“Joan Trimble, an accomplished concert pianist, left behind only a handful of published songs but a small trove of manuscripts, including her opera Blind Raftery, written for BBC Television in 1957, two arias from which complete this journey of discovery.””
The global release date for ‘Songs from the North of Ireland’ is 18th October 2024.
Please click here to read more.
Ina Boyle features on French album, Un Lieu À Soi
A recent review by Sophie Bourdais from Télérama, the weekly French cultural and leisure magazine about the classical album, Un Lieu À Soi (A Place of One's Own) celebrating female contemporaries of Virginia Woolf, including female composers such as Ireland’s Ina Boyle. This prestigious French recording covers 400 years of music and includes Ina Boyle’s Three Ancient Irish Poems with Maïlys de Villoutreys, Hélène Desaint, and Clara Izambert-Jarry.
Review from Télérama, words by Sophie Bourdais.
“In 1929, (Virginia) Woolf denounced the constraints that blocked women’s access to literary creation. These constraints also applied to female composers, and this double album gives them centre stage, calling upon contemporaries of the suffragettes (and Woolf) such as Ethel Smyth (1853-1944), Rebecca Clarke (1886-1979), and Ina Boyle (1889-1967)...”
English translation below:
ACTESIX - UN LIEU À SOI
Classical Music
Various Artists, Directed by Samuel Hengebaert
What do these two black and white squares hide, one fitting inside the other, accompanied by a booklet with a carefully designed graphic? A captivating anthology of four centuries of English music, concocted and curated by violist Samuel Hengebaert under the patronage of Virginia Woolf and her essay "A Room of One's Own." In 1929, Woolf denounced the constraints that blocked women's access to literary creation. These constraints also applied to female composers, and this double album gives them centre stage, calling upon contemporaries of the suffragettes (and Woolf) such as Ethel Smyth (1853-1944), Rebecca Clarke (1886-1979), and Ina Boyle (1889-1967), as well as their ancestor Lady Mary Dering (1629-1704) and their distant heirs. A lively dialogue is established between them and their male counterparts, who were more favourably treated by posterity: John Blow, Henry Purcell, Frank Bridge, and Benjamin Britten.
Structured around the three complementary voices of Mailys de Villoutreys, Anaïs Bertrand, and Lucile Richardot, whose a cappella trios punctuate the journey, the program mixes genres, moods, and eras, and gives pride of place to the great British song.
Violist Hélene Desaint, pianists Alexis Gournel and Adam Laloum, gambists Julie Dessaint and Etienne Floutier, harpist Clara Izambert-Jarry, and harpsichordist Ronan Khalil (founder, with Samuel Hengebaert, of the ActeSix collective and the Oktav Records label) accompany the singers but also indulge in instrumental solos, such as the spectacular sonata for viola and piano by Rebecca Clarke, with its fusion of lyricism and turbulence. In the chamber music bubble of this "place of one's own," where everything is linked with poetry, the imagination and emotions of the performers unfold freely and touch the listener all the more deeply.
Sophie Bourdais
2 CD Oktav Records