Louise McMonagle
Cello

Louise McMonagle is a versatile performer who enjoys making music in many environments. Highlights include performing Boulez’s Messagesquisse at the VIVA Cello Festival (Switzerland), collaborating with Finnish circus performer and choreographer Ilona Jantti on performances in London, Norway, and Finland, recording Berio’s Sequenza XIV, and playing with eminent jazz musicians such as Trish Clowes (BBC NGA), Kit Downes (Mercury prize nominee) and Evan Parker. Louise has hugely enjoyed working with composers on a number of solo cello works written for her.

Louise loves playing music by living composers, and has found a musical home in The Riot Ensemble as cellist and Artistic Board Member. In this role she works as performer, curator, commissioner and collaborator, bringing to life sounds and ideas she never could have imagined. Her motto is: stay curious!

Louise has performed at festivals such as London Jazz Festival, Cheltenham International Music Festival, Dark Music Days (Iceland), Tampere Biennale (Finland), Nordic Music Days (Sweden), SOUND, Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival, and Santander Music Festival (Spain), November Music (Holland), Spitalfields Music Festival, and Wien Modern (Austria).

Also busy in the orchestral world, Louise has enjoyed working as principal cello with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Opera North, Ulster Orchestra, Royal Northern Sinfonia, and freelances regularly with the Royal Opera House, Philharmonia Orchestra, English National Opera, BBC Symphony Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra, Aurora Orchestra, and many other groups, and records regularly for film and TV.