Michael Holohan facts for kids

Michael Holohan is a talented Irish composer born on March 27, 1956. He creates many different kinds of music, from pieces for a single instrument to large orchestras and choirs.

About Michael Holohan

Michael Holohan was born in Drumcondra, a part of Dublin, Ireland. He went to school at O'Connell School. Later, he studied at University College Dublin and Queen's University in Belfast. He learned how to compose music from teachers like Jane O'Leary, Eric Sweeney, and Seóirse Bodley. He also attended special classes in France with very famous composers such as Messiaen and Pierre Boulez.

Michael Holohan has been a leader in the arts community. He was the chairman of the Association of Irish Composers (AIC) from 1987 to 1989. This group helps support composers in Ireland. He also became the chairman of the Droichead Arts Centre in Drogheda, where he has lived since the mid-1980s.

In 1999, Michael Holohan was chosen to be part of Aosdána. This is a special Irish group that honors artists who have made important contributions to the arts in Ireland. He has also served as a leader within Aosdána.

Michael Holohan's Music

Michael Holohan writes music for many different things. He composes for:

• Single instruments, like a piano.
• Small groups of musicians, called ensembles.
• Large orchestras.
• Choirs and singers.
• Stage performances, like plays.

He has also worked with famous poets, including Nobel Prize winners Seamus Heaney and Tomas Tranströmer. He has created music to go along with their poems.

Since 1983, Michael Holohan has lived in Drogheda. His music has been performed and broadcast on radio and TV both in Ireland and around the world. Some special performances in Drogheda include:

• Cromwell: Performed in 1994 for the "Drogheda 800" celebrations.
• The Mass of Fire: Broadcast live on RTÉ TV in 1995.
• No Sanctuary: Performed in 1997 with the famous poet Seamus Heaney.
• Remembrance Sunday Service: Broadcast live on RTÉ TV for the Drogheda Unification 600 event.
• Two big concerts with The Boyne Valley Chamber Orchestra at Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann in 2018 and 2019.

Selected Musical Works

Michael Holohan has composed many pieces of music. Here are a few examples from different categories:

Orchestral Music

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

Ensemble Music

• Triangulum (1977)
• A Snail in my Prime (2000) - This piece includes words by the poet Paul Durcan.

Choir Music

• Anahorish & Oracle (1988) - These pieces use words by Seamus Heaney.
• Mass of Fire (1995)
• In the Empty Hills (2009) - This piece uses words by the ancient Chinese poet Wang Wei.

Music for Voice

• Kubla Khan (1974) - This piece won the RTÉ Young Composer of the Year award in 1974.
• The Given Note (1989) - This piece uses words by Seamus Heaney.

Solo Music

• By a River (1985), for piano.
• The Road to Lough Swilly (2001), for uilleann pipes (a type of Irish bagpipes).

Stage Music

• Running Beast (2007) - This piece was created with a text by Donal O'Kelly.
• Where a Single Footprint Lasts a Thousand Years (2009) - This piece uses texts by Ernest Shackleton and Bill Manhire.

Electro-Acoustic Music

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

Recordings of His Music

You can find Michael Holohan's music on these recordings:

• A River of Memories (1999)
• Fields of Blue and White (2010) - featuring pianist Thérèse Fahy.
• The Road to Lough Swilly (2019) - featuring Mick O' Brien on uilleann pipes and The Boyne Valley Chamber Orchestra.