Julie Feeney

Julie Feeney is an Irish composer, singer, producer, musician, songwriter, theatre artist and educator. She composes both instrumental and electronic music, and composes her songs with full orchestrations. Her self-produced debut album, 13 songs, won her the Choice Music Prize in 2006 and she subsequently signed with major label, Sony BMG (U.K). She comes from Galway and her own record label is called 'mittens' after her mother's favourite cat. She has just completed her second self-produced album which will be released in late Spring 2009.

Composition and Performance

Her instrumental compositions have been performed by Crash Ensemble and Icebreaker (band), and she composed an orchestral song cycle version of her first album for a solo performance with the Ulster Orchestra at the Waterfront Hall in Belfast before 2,000 people. She has composed electronic scores for Corp Feasa Contemporary Dance Company, Loose Canon Theatre Company and for her own one-woman shows where she incorporates live singing. She composed an electronic score for Match which was one of the short contemporary dance films for RTÉ television as part of the Dance on the Box initiative between RTÉ and the Arts Council of Ireland in 2006.

As a professional choral singer she has performed and recorded worldwide with Anúna, the National Chamber Choir of Ireland (specialising in contemporary and Early music), and has performed with the BBC singers, Riverdance, and Lord of the Dance (musical) (as lead soloist).

As a theatre artist she has performed in her own one-woman shows with her own electronic scores; with Loose Canon Theatre Company as a movement actor, and with Featherhead productions "Slat" at Galway Arts Festival . She also performed in "Slat" as part of La Saison Culturelle Européenne in Paris in November 2008.. In much of her theatre work she incorporates extended vocal technique.

She is the featured composer in the documentary Splanc! – Cosán Dearg aired on TG4 in 2008. The subject matter is Cosan Dearg a contemporary dance piece resulting from the collaboration between Feeney, choreographer Fearghus O Conchuir and theatre director Jason Byrne. She contributed her own piano arrangements of songs to the television documentary 'And The Red Poppies Dance' commissioned by RTE broadcast on it's commemorative season '1918:Ireland And The Great War'in November 2008. She conducted the strings of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra in a Moya Brennan concert at the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Hall where Julie had orchestrated the scores. A recording of the concert was released in October 2008, entitled Heart Strings.

She has performed her own music and as been interviewed extensively on RTE radio and television, TV3, TG4, Newstalk, and BBC Northern Ireland as well as BBC Radio 4 Woman's Hour. She performed a solo voice and piano interpretation of the Irish lullaby Seoithin Seo on a special Christmas Day broadcast show JK Ensemble on Lyric FM hosted by the broadcaster John Kelly in 2006. This performance was included on the charity album Tuesday's Child in 2007. One of her performances in London in 2007 received a five star Evening Standard Review and stated that she "...captivated the crowd from the moment she stepped on stage..."

As an educator Feeney has worked at primary, secondary, university and professional development level in music education. A qualified primary teacher she has designed and facilitated workshops all over Ireland, in the U.S. and in Brazil and has published 3 music education CD roms. She lectured in music education at university level for three years.

13 songs

The self-produced debut album won the Choice Music Prize for Irish Album of the Year in 2006 and garnered glowing 4 and five stars in all major U.K. and Irish press. A multi-instrumentalist, Feeney plays eleven instruments on 13 songs, including keyboards, alto recorder, treble recorder, harmonium, accordion, violin, harmonica, melodica, xylophone and a clock. However, according to The Irish Times of 16th September 2005, "the most impressive sound is Julie's sustained vocal note on Aching, which clocks in at a lung-bursting 28 seconds..." and also declared, "...Julie Feeney represents a new eclecticism...Lyrically sage, musically taut, 13 songs is a wonderful, wistful collection....The Irish Independent called it "...a rare gem...her excellent debut album...".

The New York Times called it "a charming, urbane and dreamy record while The Observer said "this album marks the blossoming of a major talent". The Evening Standard said it was "2007's first delight...a beguiling mix of the baroque...and the hypnotic avant-garde..." and The Guardian said "...the world will listen...".

The RTE Guide stated that '13 songs' is "...surely one of the greatest debut records ever made in this country...sophisticated stuff" and The Tuam Herald described it as "... adult contemporary ... highly sophisticated, European music ... Julie's clear, high vocals paint abstract pictures of love, life and friendship from a twenty-something perspective..." Dubliner Magazine said "...this album is startling...a fascinating record", and Q Magazine said "...she certainly won't be confused for anyone else..."

Hot Press stated, "...With this debut album Julie Feeney announces herself as the most intriguing female voice...to come out of Ireland since Sinead O'Connor...for sheer originality, courage and raw talent, Feeney deserves to soar above and beyond even the merely excellent". The Sligo Weekender said, "...the most impressive aspect of Feeney's musical spectrum is her voice. With little rivalry for purity, it ranges from infant-like wonder ("Judas") to quite sexy and sultry (Under My Skin)... Julie sings "I'm aching for you", just three times on the single, but each one weighs in at 20 to 28 seconds long, a phenomenal achievement for any voice...". The Sunday Times called '13 songs' "...a refreshingly original distillation..."

'13 songs' was self-funded through a series of bank loans and was self-released. She also funded and produced her first music video before being signed to Sony BMG (U.K) for the song 'Fictitious Richard' from ‘13 songs’ and it was directed by young Irish director Vittoria Colonna. It featured Feeney's favourite car, the Volkswagen Beetle. Her second music video was made after she was signed and was directed by Maria Mozchnacz for the song ‘Aching’.

The artwork for '13 songs' was all done by Feeney and characterised by her own distinctive hand-writing and hand-drawn patterns. The same artwork is used on her official website. The self-styled album-cover photo was taken by Eoin Wright. They did 5 shoots before Feeney settled the right photo.

Second Album (title yet to be announced)

Feeney's second self-produced album has just been completed. She first composed the songs and all of the orchestral parts, and then she conducted the orchestra in the recording. The orchestra which included woodwinds, brass, strings, vibraphone and glockenspiel (among others) was recorded over 2 sessions in one day at the Irish Chamber Orchestra Studio in Limerick. Unusual about this album is that all of the instrumental music is played by the orchestra with no additional instruments or midi instruments. She later recorded all of the singing athome in her own studio where she produced and mixed the album. It will be released in late Spring 2009.

Awards

Winner of the Choice Music Prize Irish Album of the Year in 2006 for her debut '13 songs'.

Awarded TOYP, 'The Outstanding Young Person Award for Cultural Achievement' by Junior Chamber International in 2008.

Awarded 'Irish Tatler Woman of the Year for Music and Entertainment' in 2006.

Use of songs on TV shows

'You Bring Me Down' from '13 songs' featured on 'Match of the Day' on BBC 2 in May 2006.

'You Broke The Magic' from '13 songs' featured on RTE TV drama 'Little White Lie' in 2008.

External links

• Official Website
• A very interesting insight
• RTE radio 1 podcast
• Ulster Orchestra performance
• Myspace page