Dr Adele Commins

Research & Interests

Research Interests

A member of the Creative Arts Research Centre at Dundalk, as a musicologist her main research interests lie in nineteenth and twentieth century English and Irish music. She has presented her research at national and international conferences in Ireland, England, America, Norway, Croatia, France and Australia.
  Her doctoral work examined the reception history of Charles Villiers Stanford and included a detailed analysis of his forty-eight Preludes for solo piano. She penned the article on Stanford in The Companion to Irish Music and has published articles on Stanford’s archival resources in Ireland (Brio, 2024), his Four Irish Dances (Musicology Australia, 2023), the pipes in his comic opera Shamus O’Brien (An Píobaire, 2022), his involvement with the Feis Ceoil (Eire, 2019), reception of his music in America (How Popular Culture Travels, 2019) and Stanford's Manuscript Collection (Brio, 2012).  Recent conference presentations include papers which examined different aspects of Stanford's repertoire including his relationship with Percy Grainger and Joseph Joachim and the reception of Stanford’s Shamus O’Brien in America and Ireland. She has also contributed articles on music in Ireland in the nineteenth century to the Encyclopedia of Music in Ireland in addition to working as an assistant style editor for this publication.​In addition to her work on Stanford, she has developed research examining Irish traditional music. Her work focuses on the music of the Oriel region and she has presented widely on musicians associated with the area including Rory Kennedy and the Siamsa Céilí Band and the Gardiner family. Recent publications contextualise and recognise the importance of Louth musicians within the broader activities and developments in Irish traditional music (Ethnomusicology Forum, 2023).​Other research interests include the scholarship of teaching and learning, music education, instrumental pedagogy, performance practice and music editing. Recent outputs include critical reflections on the impact of COVID-19 on musiking in community contexts.  Further publications on the scholarship of learning and teaching include contributions to Journal of Music, Health and Wellbeing (2021), All-Ireland Journal of Higher Education (2021) and Journal of Music, Technology and Education (2019). She was convenor of the Stanford and Music in Ireland Symposium held as part of the International Stanford Festival in Dublin (2024) and Artistic Director for the International Stanford Festival in Dublin (2024). She was previously chair of the 7th Annual Conference of the Society for Music Education in Ireland Conference held at DkIT (2017) and chair of the conference committee of the 10th Annual Conference of the Society for Musicology in Ireland held at DkIT (2012). 
She has been involved in a number of exciting Erasmus Strategic Partnership with partner institutions and industry partners from Norway, Belgium, Greece, Portugal and the Netherlands in the areas of Arts and Mindfulness in Education (AMiE) and STEAM education. 
 Research Areas: ·       The British Musical Renaissance
·       Piano music of nineteenth and twentieth centuries
·       Reception history of Charles Villiers Stanford
·       Solo piano repertoire of Charles Villiers Stanford
·       Music in Ireland in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries
·       Music pedagogy
·       Music Editing
·       Music and musicians of the Oriel region
·       Scholarship of Teaching and Learning
 
Postgraduate Research Supervision

I have supervised MA projects in the area of musicology, ethnomusicology and music education. 

Current postgraduate supervision is in the area of STEAM education. 

Recent Research Dissemination

Book Chapters
·    Commins, A. (2024) “‘A Large True Heart”: The Sounding of Joseph Joachim’s Friendship with Charles Villiers Stanford’, Joseph Joachims Identitäten. Eds. Katharina Uhde and Michael Uhde. Hildeshein: Olms.
·     Kearney, D. & Commins, A. (2024) Let’s put up a stage: Experiencing Speyfest, a Celtic Music Festival in Scotland. In: A. Jepson, R. Stadler & T. Walters, Reimagining community festivals and events: Critical and interdisciplinary perspectives. Routledge, Advances in Event Research Series. Abingdon, Oxford, Routledge. ·     Commins, A. (2019) '|Watchmen on the Walls of Music Across the Atlantic: Reception of Charles Villiers Stanford and his Music in the American Press', How Popular Culture Travels: Cultural Exchanges between Ireland and the United States. Eds. Sylvie Mikowski and Yann Philippe. Reims: Editions et Presses Universitaires de Reims, pp.39–81. 
 Sleeve Notes
·     Commins, A. (2024) 'Give the Piper Hearty Cheer', Shamus O'Brien, Retrospect Opera. 
 
Programme Notes
·     Commins, A. (2024) 'Stanford's Five Caprices', New Ross Piano Festival.
 
Refereed Journal Articles
·        Commins, A. (2024), Charles Villiers Stanford (1852-1924): Archival Material in Ireland. Brio, 61/1, pp.36-61 .
·        Commins, A. (2023), ‘Take Her Out and Air Her’: Irish Dances as Arranged by Stanford and Grainger. Musicology Australia,  45/1, pp.22-52 .
·        Kearney D. and Commins, A. (2023), ‘Much More than “Danny Boy”: Bringing Irish Traditional Music to the USA. Ethnomusicology Forum, 32/2, pp.251-67.
·        Commins, A. (2022), ‘The Irish Pipes in Charles Villiers Stanford’s Comic Opera Shamus O’Brien’, (1895), An Píobaire, Vol.18 no.2, pp.37–45.
·        Kearney, D., Commins, A. and McGuinness P. (2021), ‘Virtual Musicking during COVID-19: Maintaining a Music Community’, Journal of Music, Health and Wellbeing, 11, pp.1–20.
·        Kearney D. and Commins, A. (2021), ‘The World is our Oyster: The Benefits of International Experiences in Higher Education’, All-Ireland Journal of Higher Education, Vol.13 no.1, The Impact of COVID-19 on Irish Higher Education: Special Issue Part 2, pp.1–18.
·        Commins, A. (2019) ‘Challenging History’s Memory: C.V. Stanford and the Feis Ceoil’, Éire-Ireland: A Journal of the Irish American Cultural Institutes, Eds. Verena Commins and Méabh Ní Fhuartháin, Vol. LIV 1–2, Spring/Summer 2019, pp.137–159.
·        Commins, A. and Kearney, D. (2019) ‘Studio Trad: Facilitating traditional music experiences for Music Production Students’, Journal of Music, Technology and Education, 11(3), pp.301–318.

Encyclopedia Entries
·        Commins, A. (2024), Charles Villiers Stanford. Companion to Irish Music.
·        Commins, A. (2024), Rory Kennedy. Companion to Irish Music.
·        Commins, A. (2024), Siamsa Céilí Band. Companion to Irish Music.
·        Commins, A. and Kearney, D. (2024), Brendan Gaughran. Companion to Irish Music.

Creative Outputs
 ·        Commins, A. & Kearney, D. (2024), ‘Brigid: Lady of Light', Composition for Staged Production in An Táin Arts Centre to celebrate the 1500th anniversary for St Brigid. 
·        Commins, A. (2023), ‘A View from the Dam’ and ‘Far Away Rebel’, in Folk Tunes from the Women, ed. Kathryn Tickell, Faber Music.
·        Commins, A. & Kearney, D. (2017), A Louth Lilt, CD and Book and original compositions.

Other Publications
·     Commins, A. (2024) ‘Charles Villiers Stanford’ – Guest editor of Special Feature on Contemporary Music Centre’s Through the Digital Door Series.
·     Commins, A. (2024) ‘Charles Villiers Stanford and Irish Traditional Music’, Treoir, Iml 57, Uimhir 2, pp. 43–44.

 
Conference Presentations 

I have presented papers at a significant number of international and national conferences in the areas of musicology, ethnomusicology and music education. Recent conference presentations include:

| *      | 2025 | ‘‘Creating Common Ground for Community Integration: Exploring Traditional Material for Contemporary Expression’, 11th Annual Conference of the School of Performing Arts, University of Malta.
| *      | 2024 | ‘Enhancing Accessibility of Information to Support the Student Experience’, Navigating Transformation in Higher Education Conference, ATU, Galway. 
| *      | 2024 | ‘Undoing “Manipulation by an Ignorant Hand”’: Charles Villiers Stanford’s Edition of the Petrie Collection, Eleventh Biennial Conference of the North American British Music Studies Association, Oberlin College and Conservatory, Ohio.
*      | 2024 | ‘Dedicated to the Memory of...: Selecting and Remembering During Stanford's Centenary’, 22nd Annual Society for Musicology in Ireland Conference, University of Galway.
 *      | 2024 | ‘We call him an English musician because he lives in England and makes exclusive use of the English language’: Considering Charles Villiers Stanford’s Identity as a MusicianIntercultural Conversations, Humanities Symposium, Dundalk Institute of Technology. 
| *      | 2024 | ‘Too English to be Irish: Reevaluating Charles Villiers Stanford’s Contribution to Irish Traditional Music’, ICTMD, BFE Joint Annual Conference, University College, Cork.
  | *       | 2024 | 'Charles Villiers Stanford and the Spirit of Adventure Abroad' Irish People in Great Britain (1689-Present): An Interdisciplinary Symposium, Mary Immaculate College, Limerick. 
| *       | 2023 | Opera in Ireland Beyond the Pale: Finding and Examining Evidence of Performances of Stanford’s Shamus O’Brien’, Music for Stage and Screen: Celebrating SMI at 20, Jerome Hynes Theatre, National Opera House, Wexford.
|  *         | 2022 | “‘A Charming Picture of Irish Life”: The Transatlantic Reception of Shamus O'Brien’, Tenth Biennial Conference of the North American British Music Studies Association, Illinois State University.
|  *        | 2022 | ‘A Story of Ireland 100 Years Ago: Representations of Shamus O’Brien in the Press’, 20th Annual Society for Musicology in Ireland Conference, University College Cork.
|  *         | 2022 | ‘An Irish Opera on an English Stage: Performances of Stanford’s Shamus O’Brien at the Opera Comique’, The London Stage and the Nineteenth-Century World IV Conference, Oxford University.
|  *         | 2022 | ‘The Piper and Fr O’Flynn: Traditional Music in Stanford’s Comic Opera Shamus O’Brien’, International Council for Traditional Music Ireland Annual Conference, Dundalk Institute of Technology.
|  *         | 2021 | ‘How well did we Survive?: Reflections of a Community Orchestra Emerging from COVID-19 Related Restrictions’, 10th Annual Society for Music Education in Ireland Conference, Virtual Conference hosted by Dublin City University.
 |  *        | 2021 | ‘The Boss’s Daughters: Women of the Gardiner Fiddle Tradition’, North Atlantic Fiddle Convention, University of Limerick.
 |  *        | 2021 | with Kearney, D., ‘Transatlantic Trad: Performing Ireland in 1970s America’, American Conference for Irish Studies, Ulster University.
|   *        | 2021 | ‘Understanding the Reception of Stanford’s Shamus O’Brien in Ireland, Creative Arts Research Centre Colloquium, Dundalk Institute of Technology.
|   *     | 2021 | with Kearney, D. and McGuinness, P., ‘Virtual Musicking during COVID-19: Maintaining a Music Community’ Society and the Arts in the Pandemic, Department of Humanities, Dundalk Institute of Technology.
|   *     | 2020 | ‘A Critical Friend: Finding Meaning in Charles Villiers Stanford’s Memoriam to Joseph Joachim’, 18th Annual Conference of the Society for Musicology in Ireland, University College Dublin.
|   *     | 2020 | “‘Take Her Out and Air Her’: Stanford and Grainger’s Treatment of Source Material for Four Irish Dances,” Traditional Tunes and Popular Airs: Exploring Musical Resemblance Conference, London.
 |   *     | 2020 | with Kearney, D., ‘Gone in Jig Time: A Critical Study of the DkIT Traditional Music Ensemble, 9th Annual Society for Music Education in Ireland Conference, Dublin City University.
 |   *     | 2020 | with Kearney, D., ‘New Notes: Sharing Research and Practice with the Oriel Traditional Orchestra and Ceolta Sí’, 9th Annual Society for Music Education in Ireland Conference, Dublin City University.
 |   *     | 2019 | ‘Voluntary Arts in Louth’, Culture and Community Symposium at Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann, Drogheda, Co. Louth.
 |   *     | 2019 | ‘We are the Champions’: Celebrating the All-Ireland Winning Siamsa Céilí Band, Seachtain na hÉigse, Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann, Drogheda, Co. Louth.
 |   *     | 2019 | with Kearney, D. ‘Life Beyond the Library: Sharing Research with the Oriel Traditional Orchestra and Ceolta Sí’, 17th Annual Conference of the Society for Musicology in Ireland, Maynooth University, Maynooth.
 |   *    | 2019 | with Lynch, R., Kearney, D. and Walsh, C., ‘Sharing STEAM Through TEL’, EdTech Conference, Dundalk Institute of Technology.
 |   *    | 2019 | with Kearney D. ‘Researching and Performing the Oriel Region’, International Council for Traditional Music Ireland Annual Conference, University College, Dublin.
 |   *     | 2018 | ‘The Musical Legacy of Rory Kennedy in Co. Louth’, Ó Ghlúin go Glúin Symposium, Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann, Drogheda, Co. Louth.
 |   *     | 2018 | ‘Leaping Leprechauns and a Rollicking Reel: Stanford’s Four Irish Dances’, 16th Annual Conference of the Society for Musicology in Ireland, Cork School of Music, Cork Institute of Technology.
 |   *     | 2018 | ‘Public Resignation but a True Supporter: Stanford’s Relationship with the Dublin Feis Ceoil’, Éistigí Conference, Dundalk Institute of Technology.
|   *    | 2018 | ‘Challenging history’s memory: re-examining CV Stanford and the Feis Ceoil’, Nótaí/Notes and Music and Ireland Symposium, University of Galway.
|   *     | 2018 | ‘Traditional Music at Dundalk Institute of Technology: Where Creative Arts and Technology Meet’, Pedagogies, Practices and the Future of Folk Music Conference, Royal Conservatoire Scotland.
|   *    | 2017 | with Kearney D. ‘From Music to the Moon: Locating Music Education in an International Interdisciplinary Context (Poster Presentation), QQI/HEA Joint Conference on Internationalisation: A Driver of Quality in Irish Higher Education, Dublin.
|   *     | 2017 | with Kearney D. ‘Performing on an International Stage: Sharing, Learning and Disseminating Practice Through Music Performances’ (Poster Presentation), QQI/HEA Joint Conference on Internationalisation: A Driver of Quality in Irish Higher Education, Dublin.
|   *     | 2017 | ‘Gathering STEAM: A DkIT Perspective’, 7th Annual Society for Music Education in Ireland Conference, Dundalk Institute of Technology.
 |   *     | 2017 | “‘Double D[amn] those Huns’: The Impact of War on Charles Villiers Stanford and his Music’, 13th International Musicological Conference: The Great War 1914– 1918 and Music, Zagreb, Croatia.
|   *     | 2017 | ‘The Musical Legacy of Rory Kennedy’, 44th International Council for Traditional Music Conference, University of Limerick.
 |   *     | 2017 | with Kearney, D., ‘Encountering Speyfest, 44th International Council for Traditional Music Conference, University of Limerick.
 |   *    | 2017 | ‘Linking with Academic Institutions’, Abair Trad Creative Ireland Symposium, Youghal, Cork.
 |   *     | 2017 | ‘Studio Trad: Facilitating Traditional Music Experiences for Music Production Students’, Music Production Education Conference, York St. John University.
 |   *     | 2017 | ‘Stanford and the Dublin Feis Ceoil: Seeking the Full Story’, Music in Nineteenth Century Britain Conference, University of Birmingham.
 |   *     | 2017 | ‘Stanford and the Dublin Feis Ceoil: A Tumultuous Relationship’, 15th Annual Conference of the Society for Musicology in Ireland, Queen’s University Belfast.
|   *     | 2017 | with Kearney D., ‘Let’s Put up a Stage: Experiencing Speyfest and a Scottish Music Community’, International Council for Traditional Music Ireland Annual Conference, NUI Maynooth.
 |   *     | 2016 | ‘Revisiting the potential for Stanford’s piano music for piano teachers today’, 23rd Music Research Colloquium, Dundalk Institute of Technology.
 |   *     | 2016 | ‘Golliwogs and Postmen: An Examination of Stanford’s Piano Music for Young Pianists’, 6th Annual Society for Music Education in Ireland Conference, University of Limerick.
 |   *    | 2016 | ‘An Embodiment of Historicist Modernism?’: Stanford’s Contribution to the Prelude Tradition’, Seventh Biennial Conference of the North American British Music Studies Association, Syracuse University, New York.
 |   *     | 2016 | ‘An Irish Opera on an American Stage’: Charles Villiers Stanford and his Music in America’, The Circulation of Popular Culture between Ireland and the USA, Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne, France.
 |   *     | 2016 | ‘The Reception of Charles Villiers Stanford and his Music in America’, 14th Annual Conference of the Society for Musicology in Ireland, St Patrick’s College Drumcondra.
|  *      | 2016 | 'Transatlantic Stanford: Sending Shamus to the States', 22nd Music Research Colloquium, Dundalk Institute of Technology.
 |  *      | 2015 | with Kearney, D. ‘Mixing Oriel Sounds: A Model for Collaborative Applied Research in Music Education’, 21st Music Research Colloquium, Dundalk Institute of Technology.
 |  *     | 2015 | ‘Mixing Oriel Sounds: A Model for Collaborative Applied Research in Music Education’, 5th Annual Society for Music Education in Ireland Conference, DIT, Dublin.
 |  *    | 2015 | ‘Too Much the Gentleman to Compose Anything but Drawing-room or Classroom Music’: Stanford’s Contribution to Salon Music in England’, The European Salon: Nineteenth-Century Salonmusik', Maynooth University.
 |  *      | 2015 | ‘Dry Irish Dances? An Examination of the Stanford and Grainger Four Irish Dances, 10th Biennial International Conference on Music in 19th Century Britain, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Glasgow.
 |  *     | 2015 | with Kearney, D., ‘A Transatlantic Stage: International Performing Opportunities for Irish Music Students in Higher Education’ (Poster Presentation), Inaugural European Conference on the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, University College Cork, Cork.
|   *      | 2015 | with Kearney, D., ‘From Fjords to Fermata: Locating Music Education in an International Interdisciplinary Context’ (Poster Presentation), Inaugural European Conference on the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, University College Cork, Cork.
|   *      | 2015 | ‘Stanford’s Four Irish Dances: Grainger’s Sparkling Interpretation?’ 20th Music Research Colloquium, Dundalk Institute of Technology.
 |   *     | 2015 | Four Irish Dances: The Tracks of Two Composers, Annual International Council for Traditional Music Ireland Conference, DkIT, Dundalk.
|   *      | 2014 | ‘Developing Creative Aesthetic Learning in Music Education at DkIT’, 19th Music Research Colloquium, Dundalk Institute of Technology.
 |   *     | 2014 | with Kearney, D., 'Crossing Fjords and Mountains: Music Education in an International Interdisciplinary Context', 4th Annual Society for Music Education in Ireland Conference, CIT Cork School of Music, Cork.
 |   *      | 2014 | with Kearney, D., 'Trasna na dTonnta: International Opportunities for Irish Music Students in Higher Education', 4th Annual Society for Music Education in Ireland Conference, CIT Cork School of Music, Cork.
 |   *      | 2014 | with Kearney, D., 'Ag Baint Amach ar an Domhan: International Opportunities for Irish Music Students in Higher Education' (Poster Presentation), 4th Annual Society for Music Education in Ireland Conference, CIT Cork School of Music, Cork.
 |   *     | 2014 | “’Per astra ad aspera”: Stanford and the First World War’, The Music of War: 1914-1918, British Library, London.
 |   *      | 2014 | ‘Watchmen on the Walls of Music across the Atlantic: Reception of Charles Villiers Stanford and his Music in the American Press ‘, Sixth Biennial Conference of the North American British Music Studies Association,University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
|   *      | 2014 | ‘”Double D[amn] Those Huns”: The Imprint of the First World War on Stanford’s Music’, 12th Annual Conference of the Society for Musicology in Ireland, UCD. 

Invited Lectures
Recent invited lectures include:               

 |   *        | 2024 | ‘Impatient and Critical’: Stanford’s Collaboration with Alfred Perceval Graves. Stanford Festival, International Stanford Society Annual Event, St Ann’s Church, Dawson Street, Dublin.
|   *        | 2024 |  ‘An Irish Opera with a Genuine Irish Spirit’: Reception of Stanford’s Shamus O’Brien in Ireland, Christ Church Cathedral Lunchtime Lecture Series. |   *        | 2024 | ‘Songs of Old Ireland’: Charles Villiers Stanford’s Songs, Lecture at the Daniel Corkery Summer School.
 |   *        | 2024 | ‘Shaping and Controlling Tradition: Charles Villiers Stanford’s Contributions to the Preservation and Reworking of Folk Melodies', Lecture to English Folk Dance and Song Society.
  |   *        | 2023 | ‘A Town Steeped in Music: An Examination of Dundalk’s Rich Musical History’, Dundalk: Louth County Museum.
 |   *         | 2022 | ‘Empathy in the Bellows: Rory Kennedy's Contribution to Irish Music and Dance’, An Coimisiún Le Rincí GaelachaWorld Dancing Championships, Oireachtas Rince na Cruinne, Belfast.
 |  *         | 2021 | ‘A Charming Picture of Irish Life: Shining a Light on Performances of Shamus O’Brien’, Guest lecture of Stanford Society.
 |   *         | 2021 | ‘Musical Borrowing as a Musical Offering in the Music of Charles Villiers Stanford, Guest Lecture to Northampton Bach Choir, Royal Leamington Spa Bach Choir and Huntingdonshire Philharmonic.
 |  *         | 2017 | ‘Charles Villiers Stanford and the First World War’, Stanford Festival, International Stanford Society Annual Event, Canterbury, England.
|  *         | 2016 | ‘Harmony in Dissonance’: Stanford and the Feis Ceoil, Stanford Festival, International Stanford Society Annual Event, St Stephen’s Church, Peppercanister, Dublin.
|  *         | 2014 | 'A Victorian Musician on an Historical Mission: Imprints of the Past in Stanford's Piano Music', Department of Music Faculty Lecture Series, Baker University, Kansas.
|  *         | 2014 | 'Lecture Recital', Madison Theatre, Molloy College, Long Island.