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Dr. Evangelia Rigaki

Assistant Professor (Music)
HOUSE 5, COLLEGE

 rigakie@tcd.ie

 3531896 4270


Biography

Dr. Evangelia Rigaki is a composer and has written a diverse compositional portfolio ranging from instrumental works to experimental music theatre, choir, dance, performance art, installation and opera. She is collaborating closely with leading singers, musicians, directors and writers/ poets, including poet W. N. Herbert and playwright Marina Carr with whom she enjoys an on-going collaboration since 2020 (The Gift/2020, Old Ghosts/2022, Farewell To The Gods/ 2023,Green/ 2024). Evangelia joined Trinity in September 2010 and since has taught a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate courses. She was the founding Director of the 'MPhil in Composition'(2012-2020). She curates the 'Music Composition Centre's public lectures and Masterclasses (2012-). She was the Head of the Music Department (2020-2023), Acting Director of Teaching and Learning (Undergraduate) for the Hilary Term in 2024, and since June 2024 she is the Director of Teaching and Learning (Postgraduate) for the School of Creative Arts. Selected research projects include: the opera 'Old Ghosts', libretto by Marina Carr for the Ulysses 2.2 tribute across Ireland to mark a century of James Joyce's Ulysses, commissioned by the Irish National Opera, ANU Productions, Landmark Productions (2023), the short opera `The Gift, libretto by Marina Carr, as part of Irish National Opera's online project, `20 Shots of Opera' (2020), the installation opera 'This Hostel Life' after the same titled book by Melatu Uche Okorie, Irish National Opera (2019), 'While The World Misbehaves, the Baby Must Hide in the Beehive',libretto by W.N. Herbert, for 6 Dancing Percussionists, written for Richard O Donnell for the 20th Anniversary of RIAM's 'Percussion Ensemble' premiered in New York University (2018), the object music theatre piece 'Monsieur Jean & Monsieur Jean', premiered by Ensemble Lucilin in Luxembourg (2015), the opera-installation 'The Pregnant Box' (2014), libretto by W.N. Herbert & Catherine Conlon, written for one audience member at a time in a specially constructed confession box and a wandering choir, the Arts Council funded opera 'AntiMidas, or, Bankers in Hades', libretto by W.N. Herbert (2013),'Lullabaloo', libretto by W.N.Herbert, Tête à Tête Opera Festival, London, (2010), 'Gesprekken Van De Ziel', libretto & director, Sjaron Minailo, Operadagen Rotterdam Festival(2009). Evangelia Rigaki's current PhD Students at Trinity are researching: - Promoting Community Engagement in Contemporary Music Through Street Art, Emmelle Wadding - Cross-fertilising Irish and European Styles of Compositional Construction: a new direction of music composition, Daniel Vives Lynch - Five Operatic Adaptations of Euripide's Alcestis, Anastasia Motiti - Melodic Interplay in Contemporary Composition, Boris Golovin Completed PhD in Composition Portfolios supervised by Evangelia Rigaki include the following: - Theatrical Elements and Musical Dramaturgy in Contemporary Music', PhD in Composition, Manos Markantonis, 2023 -`On the Move: Investigating processes of composition using visual/dramatic/physical elements and extended techniques with a focus on solos, mixed ensembles, and the marching arts', Lindsey Vincent,2021 -'Composing the Uncertainty - Exploring different possibilities of indeterminacy in composition and developing notations to encourage improvisation',Kai Chung Fung,2021 - `Melting the Boundaries : Integrating Ethnic Instruments into Western Art Music,Meg Stoops,2021 - 'Evolving Sounds - PhD Portfolio of Compositions',Brian Keegan, 2018 - PhD Portfolio of Compositions, Elis Czerniak, 2018 - 'Sublime Dissonance - PhD Portfolio of Compositions', Cobi Van Tonder,2017 - 'Big Scary Numbers - PhD Portfolio of Compositions',Jenn Kirby,2015 - 'The Use of Gesture and Found Information in the Generation of Musical Material - PhD Portfolio of Compositions ,Hugh O'Neill,2015

Memberships

Membership of Professional Institutions, Associations, Societies

Details Date From Date To
Advance HE 2023 today
Contemporary Music Centre (CMC), Ireland January 2013 today
CHMHE (The Council of Heads of Music in Higher Education) 2020 2023
Shortlisted Composer for Society for Promotion of New Music, UK (former named SPNM) 2006 2009
SMI Society for Musicology in Ireland September 2012 today
Evangelia Rigaki (music), Marina Carr (words), 'Old Ghosts, Opera', Ulysses 2.2, Irish National Opera, LandMark Productions, ANU, MoLI (Museum of Literature Ireland), 2023, -, Notes: [Written as part of the Ulysses 2.2 tribute across Ireland to mark a century of James Joyce's Ulysses, commissioned by the Irish National Opera, ANU Productions, Landmark Productions (2023)], Musical Score, PUBLISHED
Evangelia Rigaki (music), Marina Carr (words), 'The Gift', 20 Shots of Opera, Irish National Opera, youtube, operavision, online, 2020, -, Musical Score, PUBLISHED
Evangelia Rigaki, Melatu Uche Okorie, 'This Hostel Life, Opera-Installation', Irish National Opera, 2019, -, Musical Score, PUBLISHED
Evangelia Rigaki, W.N.Herbert, 'AntiMidas, or, Bankers in Hades, Opera', Beckett Theatre, Dublin, Arts Council, 2013, -, Notes: [Topical yet timeless, experimental and entertaining - Antimidas, or, Bankers in Hades rolls up all the contradictions and hurls them in the face of austerity. Fierce and funny, cloacal and iconoclastic - AntiMidas offers us a new antihero for our financial times.], Musical Score, PUBLISHED
Evangelia Rigaki Composer, Agnes Limbos Director, 'Monsieur Jean & Monsieur Jean, object music-theatre', Rottundes, Luxembourg, 2015, -, Musical Score, PUBLISHED
Evangelia Rigaki Music, W.N. Herbert, Words, 'While the World Misbehaves, The Baby Must Hide in the Beehive', Composition for 6 Percussionists, New York University, Lehman College New York, CMC, 2018, -, Notes: [This composition was commissioned in celebration of the 20th year anniversary of the 'Percussion Ensemble' in RIAM. ], Musical Score, PUBLISHED
Evangelia Rigaki, 'OTMEN [Breath] for pianist & optional audience participation', Cathy Krier, Festival Debussy, CAPe Ettelbrück (Luxembourg)12th july 2019,Rosazzo Vigne Museum (Italy) - 28th September 2020,Frauenkirche Dresden, Germany, 2018, -, Musical Score, PUBLISHED
Lubna Gem Arielle Words, Evangelia Rigaki Music, Aljosa Smolic, 'Bridging the Blue', V-Sense, Trinity College Dublin, 2018, -, Musical Score, PUBLISHED
Evangelia Rigaki Music & W.N. Herbert Words, 'Lost Ships List, for Ria Georgiadis & Sven Birch', Alte Schmiede Wien, 19 June, 2018, Contemporary Music Centre, CMC, 2018, -, Notes: [Written for Ria Georgiadis (flute) & Sven Birch (piano) 1) 19-06-2018, Alte Schmiede Wien 2) 27-02-2019, TCD Boydell Room 3) 01-02-2020, NYT ! NYT, Ny Musik Festival i Rudersdal, Denmark 4) 02-02-2020, Moderne Mandag, Metronomen, Copenhagen], Musical Score, PUBLISHED
Evangelia Rigaki Music & W.N. Herbert Words, 'In the Oubliette', V-Sense, Trinity College Dublin , V-Sense, Contemporary Music Centre, 2018, -, Musical Score, PUBLISHED
  

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Awards and Honours

Award Date
Irish National Opera Studio, Inaugural Studio Composer for 2018 - 19 2018 -19
Arts Council UK, Composition Commision, for Keening,Inventions: the Harpsichord across time and Borders Research Project 2024
Arts Council IE, Composition commission for CrushBar, Video Installation, Louise Manifold, Elizabeth Hilliard 2022
Composition Commission by Cultural Ministry of Luxembourg for 'OTMEN' piano for Cathy Krier 2018
Opera Project Award (Presentation), Arts Council IE 2012
Opera Project Award (Development), Arts Council IE 2012
Royal Opera House, Composition Residency (VOX 2) 2010
ENMR (European Network for Musicological Research) Fellowship for post-doctoral research at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin 2008
Die Neuköllner Oper, Composition Residency (Open Forum Stipendiat) 2010
Arts Council UK and SPNM Composition Residency for Researching Notation for Tabla (alongside other composers and percussionists) 2009
Britten-Pears Young Artist Composition Residency (New Music-New Media), Aldeburgh 2008
Jerwood Opera Writing Programme, Composition Residency, Aldeburgh 2007
Opera Writing Composition Residency, Aldeburgh 2006