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It was noticeable right from the start in Stravinsky's Dumbarton Oaks Concerto which was played with such outstanding clarity and individual nuance and color in the winds that it sounded fresh and bright .... with a wicked sense of humor – and the musicians responded with glee to the music's circus atmosphere.

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Laurence Wittes, Bachtrack (Review of  Ulster Orchestra online concert, 2021)

SINEAD HAYES

Britten Pears Young Artist 23/24
Principal Conductor: Hard Rain SoloistEnsemble
Principal Guest Conductor: The Luminosa String Orchestra
Conductor: Royal Irish Academy of Music Symphony Orchestra

Irish orchestral conductor Sinead Hayes is emerging as one of Ireland's leading interpreters of contemporary music and opera, with a particular interest in the work of emerging and established Irish composers. She is a Britten Pears Young Artist 23/24, participating in The Conductor as Dramaturg course run by the Royal Opera House and Britten Pears Arts, with conductors Sian Edwards & Kanako Abe.


The 2022/23 season was her ninth as conductor of the Hard Rain SoloistEnsemble (HRSE) in Belfast, and her second season as conductor of the Royal Irish Academy of Music Symphony Orchestra. In February 2022 she was appointed principal guest conductor of Galway's professional orchestra The Luminosa String Orchestra.

She has worked with all the major professional orchestras in Ireland including the Ulster Orchestra, RTE Concert Orchestra, Irish Chamber Orchestra & National Symphony Orchestra. In opera she has conducted productions for Northern Ireland Opera, Irish National Opera and Opera Collective Ireland.

She completed her MMus in conducting at the Royal Northern College of Music and her BMus in violin and composition at City University, London. Sinead also participated in masterclasses with Johannes Schlaefli, Sylvain Cambreling & Sir Roger Norrington among others. In 2014 she was one of three finalists in the Interaktion Conducting Workshop, chosen by the players of the Critical Orchestra Berlin (leader: Lothar Strauss), whose players are drawn from the Berlin Staatskapelle and Berlin Philharmonic Orchestras. She has worked as assistant conductor to James Lowe (Halle Harmony Orchestra), Alex Ingram (British Youth Opera), André de Ridder (Irish National Opera) and others.

Alongside her work as an active conductor, she collaborates frequently with music schools and other organisations to devise and deliver innovative education projects. Her award winning education work has been funded by the Irish Arts Council (Agility Award & Artist Bursary) and the Galway County Arts Office. 

Sinead divides her time between Galway, Belfast and London, and is also active as a violinist, performing with various chamber ensembles.

To read Sinead's full biography and discover her forthcoming projects, visit the links below.

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2022/23 CONDUCTING PERFORMANCES

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KEY INTERESTS AS A CONDUCTOR

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EXPLORING IMPROVISATION AND CREATIVE MUSIC WITH ORCHESTRAS AND ENSEMBLES

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... ALONGSIDE CONDUCTING

As well as conducting, Sinead maintains her interest in many aspects of music and musical life. Here is a selection of Sinead's recent writings and projects around music.

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WRITING: NSO & CMC COMPOSER LAB 2023

Composing for full symphony orchestra must surely be at the top of any budding composer’s wish list.....Read Sinead's musings on the 2023 Composer Lab Workshop

WRITING & AUDIO: ANTHONY BRAXTON AT DARMSTADT

At the age of 78, Anthony Braxton was invited to Darmstadt for the first time. Sinead spent three days watching him work with the very first Darmstadt Creative Orchestra...

EXPERIMENT:
TANGLETRAD - MESSING WITH THE TRADITION

Inspired by the creativity and irreverence of Darmstadt 2023, Sinead developed a toolkit for breaking beyond the boundaries and exploring new sonic possibilities in Irish Traditional Music...

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EDUCATION WORK

Intrinsic to her work as a conductor is Sinead's work as a teacher, workshop leader and mentor... She has developed a holistic approach to this work, drawing on her experience as a high level violinist, conductor and engineer.

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When schedule allows, Sinead works with professional musicians, composers and talented music students who want to develop their conducting and performance skills with a creative approach to sound, structure and drama.

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COMPOSERS: LEARN TO THINK LIKE A CONDUCTOR (ONLINE)

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CREATIVE MUSICIANSHIP COACHING FOR INTERMEDIATE TO ADVANCED PIANISTS, VIOLINISTS & SINGERS 
(ONLINE /IN PERSON)

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CONDUCTING - FOR INSTRUMENTALISTS, MUSIC TEACHERS AND SINGERS (ONLINE)

As a composer...

It can be difficult to separate yourself from your work, to take a step back and think about it objectively. 
In this 2 session series (90 mins per session) we look at preparing a piece by Schoenberg and Stravinsky as a conductor (Session 1). You then take these skills, apply them to your own work, and we discuss possible changes as a result - musical, gestural, notational etc. (Session 2)

As a singer or instrumentalist....

It is easy to get lost in the technical issues of just getting the notes right! Your regular teacher is probably doing an excellent job with this aspect, but sometimes there isn't time to take a step back and think about the music you are performing from multiple angles! This is where I can help!! Together we will explore possibilities of phrasing, line, dramatic arc, rhythmic vitality to give you new perspectives on your performance.

Anyone can learn...

The basics of conducting! It is a skill like any other, which can be acquired and developed through study and practice. Whether you are a music teacher suddenly asked to conduct a local ensemble, or a professional musician who thinks "I can definitely do that better than him", I can help you get started. For music students looking to understand the music they are studying, conducting is the best way to get inside the music.

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JOIN SINEAD'S MAILING LIST

To hear about Sinead's concerts, projects and ideas to change the world, sign up for our seasonal newsletter!!

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VIDEOS

Some Conducting, Project & Interview Videos

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Conductor Sinead Hayes | Green Room
Elizabeth Maconchy – Nocturne for Orchestra | Conducted by Sinead Hayes
REVOLVER (2020) - Ed Bennett
Lutoslawski - Chain 1 Conductor: Sinead Hayes
Raymond Deane - Seachanges (with Danse Macabre)
Raymond Deane:  Vagabones - Act III, scene 2
Carolan's Rambles - a Creative Journey
NI Opera At Home: Learn to Conduct with Sinead Hayes
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Photo Credit (Top):  Neil Harrison

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