ABOUT DAMSELFLY
Image by Maurice Gunning, 2018
There is no ensemble quite like Damselfly Trio.
Their fearless commitment to exploring the boundaries of contemporary and experimental music for their unique instrumentation is unmatched, and they relish every opportunity to support and promote new and innovative repertoire involving concert harp, flutes, and treble voice.
Damselfly is committed to commissioning, performing, and promoting contemporary chamber music for their unique instrumentation. To this aim, they have worked with a number of composers and poets from both sides of the Atlantic. Founded in 2017, Damselfly Trio is based in the US and Switzerland, conducting concert and educational activities throughout the US and Europe.
In recent seasons, Damselfly Trio has performed throughout Switzerland, Ireland, the UK and the US. Their concert appearances have taken them to a wide range of venues, including: Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center, the Hugh Lane Gallery in Dublin, Queen’s University Belfast, Irish World Academy, Wild Atlantic Words Festival, Rehmann Museum, the Bank of the Arts in New Bern, NC, and digitally at the University of Liverpool. They have also been heard over the air on BBC Northern Ireland.
Damselfly was coined during a 2018 performance residency at Avaloch Farm Music Institute in New Hampshire, USA (where they were inspired by local insect life to name their trio). Damselfly has given masterclasses and workshops at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, East Carolina University, Maynooth University, Queen’s University Belfast, and Ulster University, as well as appearing virtually at the University of North Texas. Since 2018, Damselfly has given outreach concerts in public schools in eastern North Carolina under the auspices of the Carolina Chamber Music Festival.
Damselfly has enjoyed a long working relationship with Pulitzer Prize nominee Ricardo Zohn-Muldoon, who has created new settings from his cantata Comala for the trio, as well as a new piece inspired by Juan Rulfo's epic text. Their recording of Songs from Comala is forthcoming. They have also recorded works by composers Tania León, Alfred Zimmerlin, Marti Epstein, and Kaija Saariaho.
Upcoming commissions include new works by Brittany J. Green (USA), Pierce Gradone (USA), and Ingrid Stölzel (DE/USA). Damselfly also welcomes inquiries and scores for existing works for this unique ensemble (or works that would be suitable for arrangement - please reach out if you have a work you think might suit this ensemble).
Damselfly’s largest project to-date is Buaine na Gaoithe, a 30 minute song cycle created by the Irish team of composer Ryan Molloy and poet Martin Dyar. After tours in the US, Ireland, Northern Ireland, and Switzerland, Damselfly Trio’s recording of Buaine na Gaoithe was released in July 2021 by the National University of Ireland.
Damselfly Trio has received support from an international roster of organizations including:
Aargauer Kuratorium
Arts Council Ireland
Consulate General of Switzerland
Dwight and Ursula Mamlok Stiftung
George Walker Center at Eastman School of Music
Goethe Institut Chicago
City of Luzern
Migros Kulturprozent
National University of Ireland
Stiftung Pro Fricktal
Swiss Cultural Fund UK
Swiss Interpreter’s Society
Their fearless commitment to exploring the boundaries of contemporary and experimental music for their unique instrumentation is unmatched, and they relish every opportunity to support and promote new and innovative repertoire involving concert harp, flutes, and treble voice.
Damselfly is committed to commissioning, performing, and promoting contemporary chamber music for their unique instrumentation. To this aim, they have worked with a number of composers and poets from both sides of the Atlantic. Founded in 2017, Damselfly Trio is based in the US and Switzerland, conducting concert and educational activities throughout the US and Europe.
In recent seasons, Damselfly Trio has performed throughout Switzerland, Ireland, the UK and the US. Their concert appearances have taken them to a wide range of venues, including: Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center, the Hugh Lane Gallery in Dublin, Queen’s University Belfast, Irish World Academy, Wild Atlantic Words Festival, Rehmann Museum, the Bank of the Arts in New Bern, NC, and digitally at the University of Liverpool. They have also been heard over the air on BBC Northern Ireland.
Damselfly was coined during a 2018 performance residency at Avaloch Farm Music Institute in New Hampshire, USA (where they were inspired by local insect life to name their trio). Damselfly has given masterclasses and workshops at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, East Carolina University, Maynooth University, Queen’s University Belfast, and Ulster University, as well as appearing virtually at the University of North Texas. Since 2018, Damselfly has given outreach concerts in public schools in eastern North Carolina under the auspices of the Carolina Chamber Music Festival.
Damselfly has enjoyed a long working relationship with Pulitzer Prize nominee Ricardo Zohn-Muldoon, who has created new settings from his cantata Comala for the trio, as well as a new piece inspired by Juan Rulfo's epic text. Their recording of Songs from Comala is forthcoming. They have also recorded works by composers Tania León, Alfred Zimmerlin, Marti Epstein, and Kaija Saariaho.
Upcoming commissions include new works by Brittany J. Green (USA), Pierce Gradone (USA), and Ingrid Stölzel (DE/USA). Damselfly also welcomes inquiries and scores for existing works for this unique ensemble (or works that would be suitable for arrangement - please reach out if you have a work you think might suit this ensemble).
Damselfly’s largest project to-date is Buaine na Gaoithe, a 30 minute song cycle created by the Irish team of composer Ryan Molloy and poet Martin Dyar. After tours in the US, Ireland, Northern Ireland, and Switzerland, Damselfly Trio’s recording of Buaine na Gaoithe was released in July 2021 by the National University of Ireland.
Damselfly Trio has received support from an international roster of organizations including:
Aargauer Kuratorium
Arts Council Ireland
Consulate General of Switzerland
Dwight and Ursula Mamlok Stiftung
George Walker Center at Eastman School of Music
Goethe Institut Chicago
City of Luzern
Migros Kulturprozent
National University of Ireland
Stiftung Pro Fricktal
Swiss Cultural Fund UK
Swiss Interpreter’s Society
