Jennifer Walshe was born in Dublin. She studied composition with John Maxwell Geddes at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, and Kevin Volans in Dublin. She graduated from Northwestern University, Chicago, with a doctoral degree in composition in 2002. From 2003-04, she was composer-in-residence at the National Sculpture Factory, Cork, and she was a fellow of the Akademie Schloss Solitude, Stuttgart.
From 2004-05 she lived in Berlin as a guest of the DAAD Berliner Künstlerprogramm. From 2006 to 2008 she is the composer-in-residence for the In Context 3 project in South Dublin. Her works have been performed throughout Europe, the US, and Canada by groups such as Alter Ego, Ensemble Récherche, Ensemble Resonanz, Apartment House, and Q-02 among others. She has received numerous commissions, including those from RTÉ, Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR), Sudwest Rundfunk (SWR), the Irish Chamber Orchestra, Crash Ensemble, the Project Arts Centre and the National Concert Hall, Ireland, as well as commission awards from the New Music Scheme of the Arts Council of Ireland and the Scottish Arts Council. In addition to her activities as a composer, Jennifer Walshe frequently performs as a vocalist, specializing in extended techniques.
Many of her recent compositions were commissioned for her voice in conjunction with other instruments. She is also active as an improviser, performing regularly with musicians in Chicago and Europe. Forthcoming projects include a portrait concert in Parma, Italy, with Alter Ego, solo performances in Chicago, Belgium and Belgrade, and commissions for the 2006 ISCM World New Music Days and 2007 Maerzmusik festivals.
