Description
Louise is a classically trained professional soprano currently based in Belfast. She performs across a spectrum of operatic arias, popular songs, musical theatre and hymns.
Born in Enniskillen, Louise has performed as a soloist throughout Europe and North America and has been broadcast as a soloist for BBC TV and Radio on numerous occasions.
These have included performing as a soloist on BBC Proms in the Park in 2017 on ‘Sounds Classical’, recitals in Castlecoole Estate as part of a BBC Sounds Classical invitation concert and an evening of Song for Fermanagh Live. She has also performed as a soloist on the BBC Songs of Praise and has performed with Musicians from the Ulster Orchestra on a number of occasions.
She obtained her BMus and Master’s degree in Music from Queen’s University Belfast (QUB) and won the ‘May Turtle’ scholarship as a result of obtaining a First in the final recital of her BMus. She studied singing with Dr Veronica Dunne for 6 years at the Leinster School of Music, Dublin and achieved all Ireland National Festival success with the Overall Soprano Soloist Prize at Dublin Feis Ceoil (“Music Lovers Cup”).
She was awarded a Northern Ireland Arts Council bursary to study at Oxenfoord International Summer School, St Andrews (where she studied with internationally renowned musicians Laura Sarti, Paul Hamburger and Malcolm Martineau). Having completed her studies at QUB, Louise then left for the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London (GSMD) where she studied voice with Laura Sarti for 2 years with the aid of a Countess of Westminster Scholarship. At Guildhall, she was awarded a Diploma of Licentiateship in singing Performance. Other awards she obtained whilst at Guildhall include the ‘Ian Gow Award’ and the ‘William Cox Memorial Fund Scholarship’; a ‘Britten Pears Bursary’ to study on the Oratorio Course at the Britten Pears School with international tenor Kurt Equiluz; ‘Kathleen and Margery Elliott Scholarship’ to study on the Northern Ireland Opera summer school, Belfast with the International mezzo-soprano Sarah Walker.
Louise’s numerous operatic performances have included the Anna Livia International Opera Festival in the Gaiety Theatre, Dublin with Dr Bernadette Greevy. These performances included “Martha” by Von Flotow, “Herodiade” by Massenet and “La Rondine” by Puccini; She has performed in concerts in Brussels, Italy and Germany and as a soprano soloist in Tippett’s “Negro Spirituals”, Mozart’s “Requiem”, Vaughan William’s “Serenade to Music”, Handel’s “Israel in Egypt”, and Mahler’s “2nd Symphony”. She has also performed as guest soprano soloist with many choirs including the Italian Institute choir, the Fermanagh Choral Society and the Abbey Singers.
Louise has also given Solo recitals in the National Concert Hall Dublin, the Harty room (QUB) and Lecture room (GSMD). Louise has collaborated with Prominent artists such as Liam Lawton and Dana and has toured with them performing in concerts throughout Ireland, U.K and North America. Louise performs frequently in concert, including concerts with Dominic McGorian of the “Three Tenors Ireland” who sings the duet ‘The Prayer’ with her, a song on her second album; International Tenor John Mc Nally in The Royal Theatre, Castlebar; and Baritone David Robertson as part of the Fermanagh Live Festival (“The Best in the West”) to great acclaim. She has also sung in support of many charities including concerts in Bosnia and Ireland for the “The Arthur McCloskey Foundation”.
The debut album, “Voice of an Angel”, was hugely successful, with almost no marketing. The music on Louise’s debut album, released in Ireland during the March of 2008, was collaboration between producer and arranger Mark Cahill.
This album includes songs such as Time to say Goodbye, Ave Maria, Voice of an Angel and Panis Angelicus which are aired frequently on radio. She received a ‘Franciscan Jubilee’ Award for the CD recording.
Based on this album Louise was invited to perform with Dana on American TV.
In October 2018, Louise released her 2nd Album titled “The Prayer”, featuring well known favourites such as Nella Fantasia, Somewhere from Westside Story and The Prayer by David Foster.
Louise has received critical acclaim for this album and it has already featured on BBC Radio Ulster.
