UCD School of Music
Scoil an Cheoil UCD
Desmond Earley
Desmond Earley is an honours graduate in Music and Politics of University College Dublin, where he took the BA and B.Mus respectively. An award-recipient from U.C.D and the College of Music, Dublin, he has studied organ and piano with Peter Sweeney, Charles Pearson and Eoin Garrett. Desmond is currently taking the D.Mus in historical performance on the harpsichord at the Royal Irish Academy of Music/Dublin City university under Dr. David Adams.
He recently completed a period of study at the University for Music and the Performing Arts, Vienna with Prof. Gordon Murray.
Desmond has played harpsichord with ensembles such as the RTÉ Concert Orchestra, Ensemble eX, The Earley Musik Ensemble and is currently the harpsichordist of the European Union Chamber Orchestra, touring all EU countries regularly with this orchestra, including two recent tours to Italy and Turkey.
As a conductor and répétiteur Desmond has worked with a number of choirs in Dublin, and was harpsichord répétiteur for a production of Handel’s opera Alcina in the University for Music and the Performing Arts, Vienna (Spring 2008). He has worked with musicians such as Konrad Junghaenel, Christopher Hogwood, Sir James Galway and with the late Dr. Bernadette Greevy as Chorus-Master of the Anna Livia International Opera Festival (2008). In 2009 Desmond conducted the RTE Concert Orchestra in a Lyric FM Lunchtime Choice concert at the National Concert Hall, and in conjunction with UCD Choral Scholars at St.Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin, as part of the Choral Scholars’ 10th Anniversary celebrations.
“...responding well to Earley’s historically aware ideas was the RTÉ Concert Orchestra who, despite playing modern instruments, played with the spirit and energy associated with authentic baroque performance.”
The Irish Times, March 30th 2009
A Lecturer in Performance at UCD School of Music, Desmond has been Artistic Director of UCD Choral Scholars since its foundation in 1998. UCD Choral Scholars is University College Dublin’s award-winning vocal ensemble with a repertoire ranging from contemporary to the medieval. Founded in 1998, they have become cultural ambassadors for UCD, achieving significant recognition on campus and in the wider music-community for their standard of performance and versatility.
As an arranger Desmond has worked on projects for The Gate Theatre, on orchestral arrangements for the RTÉ Concert Orchestra, on choral arrangements of popular songs for UCD Choral Scholars, and on arrangements for popular artists including Jack L., Carly Sings and Jerry Fish.
Desmond’s research interests include the French unmeasured prelude, harpsichord and organ continuo performance-practice, and the harpsichord works of Le Roux and Froberger.