CMC Composers Donnacha Dennehy and Emma O'Halloran Nominated for 2026 Grammy Awards
Via THE JOURNAL OF MUSIC, published: 13 November 2025. See original article here.
Dennehy’s chamber work 'Land of Winter' and O’Halloran’s double opera 'Trade'/'Mary Motorhead' both nominated; mastering engineer Ruairí O’Flaherty receives four nominations; mezzo-soprano Naomi Louisa O’Connell nominated for performances in two operas.
Photo: Donnacha Dennehy (Credit: Hugh O'Conor) and Emma O'Halloran.
Irish composers Donnacha Dennehy and Emma O’Halloran have been nominated for the 2026 Grammy Awards. Dennehy’s chamber work Land of Winter is shortlisted in the Best Contemporary Classical Composition and Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance categories, while O’Halloran’s double opera Trade/Mary Motorhead is nominated for Best Opera Recording. Mastering engineer Ruairí O’Flaherty has also been nominated for his work on Sabrina Carpenter’s Man’s Best Friend and Kendrick Lamar’s GNX, while Naomi Louisa O’Connell is nominated for both Trade/Mary Motorhead and Mary Kouyoumdjian’s opera Adoration.
Dennehy’s work, which was released on Nonesuch Records last autumn, is performed by Alarm Will Sound and conducted by Alan Pierson. A 12-movement chamber piece exploring Ireland’s seasons, it is Dennehy’s largest non-operatic work. The Journal of Music wrote about the album:
Dennehy’s ear for scintillating, physically affecting harmony is arresting. In all this, 'Land of Winter' reveals Dennehy as a master of his craft.
The Irish National Opera recording of Emma O’Halloran’s double opera Trade/Mary Motorhead, with a libretto by Mark O’Halloran, was released on Signum Records in August of this year. It features singers Naomi Louisa O’Connell, John Molloy and Oisín Ó Dálaigh with the Irish National Opera Orchestra conducted by Elaine Kelly.
Commenting on the nomination, O’Halloran said:
I am shocked and delighted by the nomination. I feel so lucky to have been able to collaborate with an incredible team of artists and it means the world to me that our work is being recognised internationally at such a prestigious event.
Irish National Opera Artistic Director Fergus Sheil added:
It’s a really outstanding achievement for a recording of two operas by Emma O’Halloran to have attracted so much international attention. We are honoured to have presented the operas to audiences around Ireland, and to have made this world premiere recording. This achievement is a testament to the outstanding talent of all of the creative team, cast and orchestra of Irish National Opera. It’s a great example of Irish opera having an outsized international impact. Everybody at INO is thrilled for this recognition.
The operas, which explore the complex modern lives of three characters, are based on original plays by Mark O’Halloran and were performed at the 2024 Kilkenny Arts Festival. The Journal of Music wrote:
The performances by the three leads, singing operatically in Irish accents, were powerful, with O’Connell legitimately in tears at the end.
As well as Trade/Mary Motorhead, O’Connell is also nominated in the Best Opera Recording for her performance in Armenian-American composer Mary Kouyoumdjian’s opera Adoration, which is also conducted by Alan Pierson.
Commenting on her nominations, O’Connell said:
I’m honoured to be nominated for two opera performances this year, and am grateful to the teachers, coaches, and collaborators who have helped me along the way. Trade/Mary Motorhead is my favourite kind of work: it dives deep, it’s honest, and is exhilarating to perform – which happens to be true of all Emma’s work. How great to see five extraordinary contemporary composers nominated for Best Opera Recording this year – opera is alive and thriving! I dedicate this to my singing teacher Mary Brennan, who would have been the first to book a flight to LA to celebrate this milestone moment for opera in Ireland.
Mastering engineer Ruairí O’Flaherty, originally from Killarney and now based in Los Angeles, received four nominations, including for Album of the Year for Sabrina Carpenter’s Man’s Best Friend and Kendrick Lamar’s GNX. He was previously nominated for his work on Lana Del Rey’s Did You Know That There’s A Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd and last year for Carpenter’s Short n’ Sweet and St Vincent’s All Born Screaming. He has also worked with Taylor Swift, Finneas, Dom Fike, Billie Eilish, Bleachers, Lil Nas X and Doja Cat.
The 2026 Grammy Awards will take place on 1 February at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. For details on all nominations, visit www.grammy.com.
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