news — aran o'grady

“ O'Grady has a talent both for writing tunes and for re-creating the shape of 1930s dance numbers, but he also was able to take this sound world and create something edgier and more disturbing so that the opera felt all of a piece, the dance numbers did not stand out, yet the whole was never pastiche.” Robert Hugill planethugill.com

“O’Grady’s expressive and flexible score - hints again of Stravinsky and Weill, but genuinely original - captured the paradoxical optimism and melancholy of jazz.” Claire Seymour Opera Magazine

“Although entertaining in its nature by requiring Adams to play both the piano and harpsichord at once, the piece in itself is entrancing. Modal melodies overlap, creating some very interesting harmonies. The piece is tastefully portrayed by Adams, who allows the compositional style to speak for itself.”
Alice Goodwin GoldenPlec

“I’d to congratulate Aran O’ Grady on the wonderful job of arranging the songs performed” - Glasshouse - Sufjan Stevens 2018 Robyn Kilroy Tn2 Magazine

“Harmonically and texturally this was a fascinating piece. The music was preoccupied with regular rhythms which gave it a propulsive and somewhat hypnotic effect. Harmonically, it was reminiscent of the non-functional triadic sonorities of Gyorgy Ligeti’s Horn Trio. The combined effect of harmony and rhythm was at once attractive and unsettling- in this regard the composer’s engagement and evocation of the programme was very successful. The coda was a striking passage which made brilliant use of the deep rumbly timbre that five brass instruments in unison can offer."“ - Brass Quintet Concert - 2017 Luke Smyth Tn2 Magazine

“TCD Orchestra’s performance was so artfully arranged and beautifully executed that songs such as Dance Yrself Clean, North American Scum and All My Friends sounded completely natural being performed on violins and cellos” - LCD Soundsystem Arrangements 2015 - Goldenplec.com