2024 marks the centenary of Stanford’s death and Commins has been to the fore in international celebrations of his music. She is a member of the Stanford society and has delivered a number of public talks and lecture presentations on various aspects of Stanford’s life and work this year. She is director of the Stanford festival, which will be held in Dublin later this year.

The citation praising Commins’ article by The Musicological Society of Australia states:

“This article provides a critical appraisal of the contexts in which Charles Villiers Stanford and Percy Grainger engaged with folk songs and incorporated them into their compositional activities. The neglect of Stanford’s piano music is investigated, and the article sets the record straight on the complex genesis of the Irish Dances, op. 89 in Stanford’s output and their later arrangements by both Stanford and Grainger. The article also addresses the complexities of the relationship between Stanford and Grainger as expressed through their mutual interest in folk music and in their changing professional views of each other. The author combines outstanding command of source materials and situates the arguments and findings in ways that are suitable for generalist readers”.

Dr Commins is Head of Department of Creative Arts, Media and Music and a member of the Creative Arts Research Centre at DkIT.