Michael Holohan

Michael Holohan (born 27 March 1956) is an Irish composer. ^{[1] [2]}

Biography

Michael Holohan was born in Drumcondra, Dublin. ^[1] He was educated at O'Connell School, University College Dublin (BA, 1978) and Queen's University in Belfast. ^{[1] [2]} He studied composition with Jane O'Leary, Eric Sweeney and Seóirse Bodley. ^{[1] [2]} He also attended masterclasses by Olivier Messiaen, Iannis Xenakis, Pierre Boulez, Luciano Berio, and Helmut Lachenmann in France. ^{[1] [2]}

Holohan was chairman of the Association of Irish Composers from 1987 to 1989 and was later appointed chairman of the Droichead Arts Centre in Drogheda, where he has lived since 1983. ^{[1] [2]}

Holohan was elected to Aosdána in 1999 and later served as a member and chair of its Toscaireacht. ^{[1] [3]}

Music

Holohan has composed for solo instrument, ensemble, orchestra, stage, choir and voice, and has collaborated with poets including Seamus Heaney, Tomas Tranströmer, Ivan Lalic and Paul Durcan. ^{[1] [2]}

His music has been performed and broadcast in Ireland and internationally. Career highlights in Drogheda have included performances of Cromwell (1994), The Mass of Fire (1995) and No Sanctuary (1997). ^{[4] [5]}

Critical reception and recognition

Holohan’s work has been reviewed in Irish music journalism. Writing in The Journal of Music following a National Concert Hall composers’ showcase, Benedict Schlepper-Connolly described The Dream of Aengus as demonstrating Holohan’s “orchestrational control”, and characterised Portrait of the Artist as “captivating”, while noting the influence of traditional Irish music within his choral writing. ^[6]

Regional press coverage has also documented performances and recordings of his work, including reports on the release of the piano album Fields of Blue and White and concerts of his music in Drogheda. ^[7]

Selected works

Orchestral

• Cromwell (1994)
• Leaves of Glass (1995)
• Building Bridges (1995)

Ensemble

• Triangulum (1977)
• Macehead (1992)
• A Snail in my Prime (2000) – with text by Paul Durcan

Choir

• An Stoirm, Bagairt na Marbh and Sos (1981–84) – with texts by Seán Ó Riordáin
• Anahorish and Oracle (1988) – with texts by Seamus Heaney
• Mass of Fire (1995)
• Quis est Deus? (2001)
• In the Empty Hills (2009) – with text by Wang Wei

Voice

• Kubla Khan (1974)
• Thomas McDonagh (1987) – with text by Francis Ledwidge
• The Given Note (1989) – with text by Seamus Heaney
• The Potter's Field (1990) – with text by Ivan Lalic

Solo

• By a River (1985), for piano
• Aoise (1988), for piano
• The Road to Lough Swilly (2001), for uilleann pipes
• Monaincha (2002), for piano

Stage

• Running Beast (2007) – with text by Donal O'Kelly
• Where a Single Footprint Lasts a Thousand Years (2009) – with text by Ernest Shackleton and Bill Manhire

Electro-acoustic

• The Source (1990)
• July 23rd Dawn (1990)

Select discography

• A River of Memories (1999)
• Fields of Blue and White (2010)
• The Road to Lough Swilly (2019)

References

1. Smith, Adrian (2013). "Holohan, Michael". In White, Harry; Boydell, Barra (eds.). The Encyclopaedia of Music in Ireland. Dublin: UCD Press. pp. 495–496. ISBN   978-1-906359-78-2.
2. "Michael Holohan". Contemporary Music Centre, Ireland. Retrieved 7 January 2026.
3. "Michael Holohan". Aosdána. Retrieved 7 January 2026.
4. "Love of the Boyneside is key to Michael's success". Irish Independent. 9 December 2009. Retrieved 7 January 2026.
5. "Celebrating the Music of Michael Holohan". Creative Ireland. Retrieved 7 January 2026.
6. Schlepper-Connolly, Benedict (1 January 2007). "Live Reviews: Composers' Choice – Michael Holohan". The Journal of Music. Retrieved 7 January 2026.
7. "Audience treated to best of local composer". Irish Independent. 23 June 2010. Retrieved 7 January 2026.

External links

https://www.cmc.ie/composer/michael-holohan

https://aosdana.artscouncil.ie/members/holohan/