Biography

Photo by Kevin Leighton

Cellist Louise McMonagle thrives on playing repertoire that goes beyond the mainstream, playing music by living composers, and creating programs including many commissions and premieres. Solo performances include Wigmore Hall, Schlewswig Holstein Music Festival (DE), Open Music Graz (AT), KM28 Berlin, as well as numerous broadcasts on BBC radio.

"...perfectly controlled by charismatic cellist Louise McMonagle"

-Tempo Magazine

"...plays with a clarity and precision that only emphasises the sheer mind-bending weirdness of the piece"

-The Wire

In April 2025 Louise will release her first solo album Ancient Modernity with Delphian Records. The album features music by living composers who reinvent ancient material, including folk tunes, baroque basslines, Arabic oud techniques, and ancient Gaelic psalms.

In 2024 Louise was invited to play a solo show in Scotland Unwrapped, a concert series celebrating Scottish musicians at Kings Place London. Also in 2024, Louise commissioned and premiered two new works for cello and electronics in 360, by Aaron Holloway Nahum and Tonia Ko. Further world premieres include Ailie Robertson's Skydance commissioned for Louise by Riot Ensemble, which won the Dorico award for Solo Work at the 2021 Scottish Awards for New Music. Louise's video premiere was featured in The Strad magazine. Hannah Kendall's piece Tuxedo: Hot Summer No Water (also commissioned for Louise by Riot Ensemble) led to numerous performances across Europe, including HCMF in the UK, and Louise's premiere recording will be released on NMC Recordings in 2025. Round By The Ness written for Louse by jazz saxophonist/composer Trish Clowes was featured at the London Jazz Festival 2022.

Recording Liza Lim with Delphian Records - photo by Foxbrush Films

Louise is a member of UK contemporary music group Riot Ensemble who perform regularly around Europe, including Wien Modern (Austria), Arctic Arts (Norway), Time of Music (Finland), Wigmore Hall (London), and Dark Music Days (Iceland). Described as “volcanically creative” (The New Yorker), “the supergroup of top soloists playing new music” (The Guardian), and “Always impeccable; Entrancing and highly seductive” (The Times), Riot Ensemble have given around 250 World and UK Premieres by composers from more than 30 countries. Their discography includes releases on HCR/NMC Recordings and Coviello Classics. In 2020 they were awarded the Ernst von Siemens Ensemble Prize, and in 2024 they were shortlisted for the RPS "Best Ensemble" Award.

Louise has also enjoyed playing as a guest in chamber groups such as Mivos Quartet, Anzu Quartet, Ragazze Quartet, London Symphony Orchestra Discovery, London Sinfonietta, and United Strings of Europe.

Louise was recently invited to give a lecture recital at the Royal Academy of Music (London), where she showcased forty excerpts from innovative contemporary cello repertoire and many extended techniques. Louise has also delivered workshops at Trinity Laban, Royal Northern College of Music, Berklee College of Music, Boston University, University of Southampton, Royal Holloway University, Crossroads Festival at the Mozarteum (AT), Austrian Cultural Forum and the Zagreb Biennale.