DER WESTALLGÄUER: Hold Your Breath review

"Members of the Vorarlberg Symphony Orchestra play the chamber music composition by Éna Brennan, interwoven with electronic sounds, on four movable platforms, while eight dancing and singing artists express with moving urgency their grief at the destruction of living spaces and all beings, as well as warnings about human ignorance. The visitors to the performance themselves become part of the gripping and oppressive events.”

KRONEN ZEITUNG: Hold Your Breath review

"This was innovative musical theatre, as far removed as possible from any kind of genius or star cult, but at the same time relaxed, authentic and completely convincing.” - ANNA MIKA

K.AT: Hold Your Breath review

“At the enthusiastically applauded premiere of the “Opera in promenade” on Thursday, one could get up close and personal with the performers. “Hold Your Breath” can be described as a collage or, better, as a walk-in installation, whose musical, textual and visual elements appear to be of equal importance ... the work targets the will to perceive, which was obviously activated in the audience, and evades classification as part of the new musical theatre.”

NEUE VORARLBERGER: Hold Your Breath review

"The interaction of live music - eight musicians from the Vorarlberg Symphony Orchestra on moving podiums and five voices under the overall direction of the Irish conductor Karen Ni Bhroin - and electronic music creates a suggestive suction effect. Stylistically, Brennan’s music is located between medieval drone sounds, subtle vocal music, baroque fanfares, strong outbursts and a dark background noise. The eagerly awaited result of the opera studio is moving, ambiguous, enigmatic and was enthusiastically received by the audience." - KATHARINA VON GLASENAPP

ORF: Hold Your Breath

David Pountney recites an excerpt of Hold Your Breath, broadcast on austrian TV channel ORF as part of the 2024 Bregenzerfestspiele Press Conference. Watch segment

The Lyric Feature: We Only Want The Earth

We Only Want The Earth is a new two-part documentary for the Lyric Feature on RTÉ lyric fm, exploring how Irish composers are responding to the climate challenge through their work. Featuring conversations and music from composers Sebastian Adams, Natalia Beylis, Éna Brennan, Robert Coleman, Gráinne Mulvey, Karen Power, Judith Ring, Nick Roth, Jennifer Walshe and Ian Wilson. Read full article

amplify #94 - Culture Night at CMC, Timescapes soundwalk at IMMA, and INO's Breathwork

CMC’s podcast returns for its fifth season with features on CMC’s Culture Night event, curated by CMC Emerging Composer, Paul Scully, composer Robert Coleman’s Timescapes soundwalk as part of IMMA’s Earth Rising Festival, and Éna Brennan’s new opera Breathwork for Irish National Opera. Presented by Jonathan Grimes and Evonne Ferguson, the episode includes contributions from composers Paul Scully, Robert Coleman and Éna Brennan, ornithologist Seán Ronayne, musician Seán Mac Erlaine, director John McIlduff, and soprano Michelle O’Rourke. More info

The Journal of Music: Breathwork review

"Breathwork is a work of indictment and culpability and warning. Its message is not new. It’s not hopeless, but it grapples with the urgency and seriousness of the moment. At the end, the audience in the dark faces each other alone. We did this. It’s not enough for that to be known and understood. It has to be felt." Read full article

GoldenPlec: Breathwork review

★★★½ – "serene and beautiful... a delicate vision" Read full article

The Arts Review: Breathwork review

★★★★ – "...excellent design, superlative voices and superb music..." Read full article

Irish Times: Breathwork review

★★★ – Breathwork, Éna Brennan’s new work for Irish National Opera, presents a spectacular contrast between extreme intimacy of performance and the vast, global scale of its primary theme, environmental destruction. Read full article

THOROUGHLY GOOD CLASSICAL MUSIC: Breathwork

In the beautifully concise Breathwork, the audience is pushed well beyond their comfort zone, sitting on the edge of proceedings to confront a deeply uncomfortable reality. As the voices falter ... one potent question remains. Will you stand aside or stand up? Read full article

ABL Aviation Opera Studio 2021/22

Six new artists have joined ABL Aviation Opera Studio 2021-22, Irish National Opera’s studio mentoring programme. Read full article.

Women in Opera

Irish National Opera spoke to three of the women behind 20 Shots to get some insight into their experiences working in opera. Read full article

Classical Notes: Female composers reap the rewards for original music

The NCH’s Female Commissioning Scheme offers established and emerging female and female-identifying composers from all musical idioms a platform to create work. Read full article

Éna Brennan awarded 2021 Established Commission Award by Sounding The Feminists / NCH

The National Concert Hall and Sounding the Feminists (STF) are delighted to announce the winners of its Female Commissioning Scheme; namely Éna Brennan (Established Composer), Amelia Clarkson (Emerging Composer), Finola Merivale (Music Recording Award) and Wyvern Lingo (Music Project Award). The scheme offers established and emerging female and female-identifying musicians and composers from all musical idioms a new platform to create work. Read full press release.

Dowry - In É featured in 2021 St Brigid's Day short film series

To celebrate St. Brigid's Day 2021, the Department of Foreign Affairs and MoLI - Museum of Literature Ireland, have collaborated on ‘Three Poems for Brigid’, a series of three short online films. Each film showcases a poet, a spoken word performer and a musician and is based around one of the three aspects of Brigid as the triple goddess of Poetry, Healing, and Craftwork. Watch films

Wall Street Journal: Satisfying, Bite-Sized Operas

“20 Shots of Opera”, available free, is an exhilarating jaunt through up-to-the-minute lyric creativity. Unlike the experience of losing yourself in the lengthy grandeur of more traditional operas, you absorb these intimate quick takes like jolts of recognition." Read full article

Irish Times: Get a musical fix with 20 Shots of Opera

"Irish National Opera commissioned 20 short operas that were composed and quickly produced for video." Read full article

CMC: amplify #31 - Irish National Opera's 20 Shots of Opera

"This week’s podcast features four of the composers whose works will be presented as part of Irish National Opera’s 20 Shots of Opera online event. Éna Brennan, Michael Gallen, Emma O’Halloran and Evangelia Rigaki talk about their pieces alongside contributions from INO Artistic Director Fergus Sheil and soprano Orla Boylan." Read full article.

Recipients of Recording Stimulus Grant announced

Éna Brennan (Dowry) listed as one of 184 successful applicants awarded funding supported by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sports and Media as administered via the Music Industry Stimulus Package 2020. Read full article

Broadwayworld: Works 20 SHOTS OF OPERA

"The list of 20 Shots composers reads like a Who's Who of Ireland's contemporary classical music scene. Billed as one of the biggest single-event commissioning projects in the history of Irish classical music." Read full article

IMRO: Courage Series Two Concludes With Bell X1 Joined By Dowry Strings

"‘Courage’ series two has garnered a fantastic global response since it began on the 23rd of June, with concerts from James Vincent McMorrow, Maija Sofia, Lankum, The Murder Capital, Kodaline, Neil Hannon, Cathy Davey, Eve Belle, Saint Sister, Fontaines D.C., Cormac Begley, Stephanie Keane, Laoise Kelly, Anna Mieke, Mick Flanery & SON (Susan O’Neill). Series two will conclude with performances from Bell X1 and Dowry Strings." Read full article

RTÉ Tune Of The Week: Storybook Moon by Sive (feat. Dowry)

"Our latest Tune Of The Week comes from folk artist Sive (AKA Sadhbh O'Sullivan) with renowned string musician Éna Brennan (who performs as Dowry." Read full article

Storybook Moon Review: Nialler9

"Kildare singer-songwriter Sive is joined by Éna Brennan (Dowry) for a quietly moving acoustic song that sounds like it was conceived in the magic hour of the night." Read full article

Storybook Moon Review: TLMT

"Sive and Dowry collaborate on the simply beautiful ‘Storybook Moon’. With its handcrafted sound, deftly woven strings, and captivating vocal, Sive’s latest offering is a long-lasting one." Read full article

Numb Review: Overblown

"The song is a mournful and beautiful one that combines gentle acoustic, strings, piano, and the exploratory vocals of Dowry herself. It is immediately arresting through its strong sense of melody melded with its strong sense of experimentation." Read full article

Irish Times: Gigs of the week

"The performance will have a scheduled 15-minute interval, presumably for the audience to discreetly brush down the hair standing on the back of their necks." - Lousie Bruton Read full article

Numb Review: TLMT

"Set to a stark indie-folk sound, the ominous swaying sound of ‘Numb’ finds Dowry creating a world of tense strings, reverberant vocals and heavy piano chords that entangle themselves around her enigmatic lyrics." Read full article

Numb Premiere: Nialler9

"Moving towards a more grandiose orchestral approach, ‘Numb’ develops smoothly lending a swelling gravity and urgency to the new addition of Brennan’s vocals. It’s a tender song that alternates between the cinematic and the intimate." Read full article

Review: Another Love Story 2019

"It’s her third time playing ALS and all in different rooms, the violinist growing as the festival itself grows. She was the highlight of the weekend for me ... Dowry is a special talent and this was a very special gig. ALS talking about a golden era of Irish music – Dowry is one of the shining stars." – Eoghan O'Sullivan, The Point Of Everything Read full article

Review: It Takes A Village 2019

"Violin confidently balanced on one shoulder, bow in hand, synth board under another, and feet on pedals, it’s easy to see why Dowry is one of the most talked about acts on the live scene in Ireland." – GoldenPlec Read full article

Plec Picks 2019

“Éna Brennan is a creative powerhouse. Multi-instrumentalist, composer, arranger, songwriter, vocalist, radio presenter, and designer, Éna has established herself as a fixture on the Irish music scene since relocating from Brussels a decade ago.” – Aoife Burke Read full article

TLMT’s 10 Emerging Artists 2019

‘In É’ debuted Dowry as a musician with a firm grasp on creating mood, atmosphere and depth in her music. Delivering music as cinematic and emotive as this, what Dowry does in 2019 will be very interesting indeed. Read full article

Hot For 2019 Irish Acts: Dowry

“Éna Brennan created one of the most arresting songs of 2018 in ‘In É’. And she’s only getting started.” – Edwin McFee Read full article

TLMT’s Top 50 Songs of 2018

"A beautifully layered soundscape of lush strings, ‘In É’ makes for an instantly enchanting listen due to the evocative musical world created by Dowry." Read full article

Nialler9's 50 best new Irish acts of 2018

"The multi-instrumentalist has become known for her stunning live shows accompanied only by a violin and a looper pedal". – Nialler9 Read full article

The Irish Times: This Album Changed My Life

Éna Brennan aka Dowry on a reworking of Sufjan Stevens’s 2001 album ‘Enjoy Your Rabbit’ Read full article

Review: Other Voices Dingle

"like nothing you’ve never heard before, art created out of tradition that is simultaneously offbeat and breathtaking." – Tony Clayton-Lea Read full article

District Magaine: The changing face of radio

A conversation with Red Light Radio & ddr.

"A classical violinist by trade, Éna’s show, All Things String, does exactly what it says on the tin, playing only music which features string instruments. Some pieces are, as you might expect, more classical, or traditional-Irish in genre, but others are more contemporary." Read full article

Totally Dublin Feature

"One of the most talked about acts in the Irish live scene, Éna Brennan's Dowry has been slowly percolating and garnering devotees for a few years now. With the aid of her trusted fiddle, Brennan has been routinely fleshing out the sounds of some of the country's most engaging emerging acts." – Danny Wilson Read full article

Review: Quiet Lights Festival

"Her set sees Dowry prove herself as adept a singer of atmospheric acoustic guitar-led ballads as she is a composer of minimalist pieces." – Don O'Mahony Read full article

Imagining Ireland ★★★★

Project role: Arranger & Performer

"A versatile house band, the Crash Ensemble String Quartet, provided consistently unexpected counterpoints along the way." The Guardian, Colin Irwin Read full article

Overblown’s Favourite Female Irish Musicians

"Dowry, aka Éna Brennan, is a fundamental experimentalist. A master of the violin, arrangement, composition and songwriting, her music swims and swirls like a whirlpool. Drenched in ideas, her music is challenging but, ultimately, inviting. This is 4 am music. It is close your eyes and contemplate all the failures and successes of your life music. It is vital. It is essential." – Jamie Coughlan Read full article

Explorations in É

"In É unfolds with measured purpose, the instrumental track building gently in tension as it moves from a drone base through subtle orchestral counterpoints towards its dramatic, understated conclusion." – Justin McDaid Read full article

In É Premiere: Nialler9

“Dowry releases stirring debut single In É” Read full article

State Magazine's Faces of 2018

Read full interview

The Thin Air's 18 for '18

"The music is born from improvisation, drawing inspiration from thoughts or observations when they occur and realised with violin, guitars, voice and loop pedal. It’s a wholly personal, yet immersive combination. You can feel it within the droning depths and folds of Dowry’s current string-heavy improv demos, as the strands of Brennan’s compositions gradually coalesce." – Justin McDaid Read full article

Piano and coffee co. Recommendations

“In É is an absolutely glorious track – a long, downward hill, picking up pace in what seems like an infinity, building into a whirlwind of sound and intrigue.“ – Amanda Nordqvist Read full article

Review: Trinity Arts Festival

“The final act consisted of the exquisite Éna Brennan, also known as Dowry. The multi-talented one-woman band combined guitar, violin and voice. She wound the night down with her haunting layering of vocals over strings.” – Ciara Haley Read full article

Review: Quater Block Party

“Éna's opening improv on the violin was calculated to make pianists jealous, all dynamic curves and notes bending into other notes.” – Dylan Coburn Gray Read full article