Department of Music Sample biographies, instrumental/vocal instructors

Sébastien Petiet, Violin Sébastien Petiet was born in France but grew up in West Kerry, where he learned traditional Irish music from local musicians. He studied violin in Cork School of Music with Cornelia Zanidache, and at the Conservatoire of Lyon with Moses Sequerra, graduating in 1986. Sébastien has toured extensively with a number of ensembles, in styles ranging from classical to bluegrass, rock and jazz. He has been based in since 1993 and is currently a violinist with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra and director of the Chamber Orchestra at NUI Maynooth.

Raymond O'Donnell, Organ/piano Raymond O'Donnell studied organ under Gerard Gillen at Dublin's Pro-Cathedral where he was organ scholar for three years. While an undergraduate he spent a year on scholarship to University of Louisville, Kentucky, for advanced organ studies under Melvin Dickenson. Raymond was director of sacred music at Clongowes Wood College in Co Kildare, where he set up a system of student cantors and organists that is still in operation. From there he moved to Cathedral, where his duties include playing the organ, directing the Cathedral Choir, organising major events and administering all music in the Cathedral. He founded Galway Cathedral Recitals in January 1994, and has been its director of music since. He performs regularly as both soloist and accompanist in Ireland and abroad.

1 Alan Grundy, Guitar Alan Grundy is one of Ireland’s most renowned guitar teachers and he has now been teaching guitar professionally for over 30 years. He has given many recitals throughout Ireland – most notably Ireland’s Tribute to Segovia – a concert held at the Hugh Lane Gallery to mark the centenary of the maestro’s birth. At this concert Alan performed the world premiere of ‘Homage to Segovia’, a sonata written by Donal Hurley and dedicated to Alan.

Alan also performed the twentieth-century premiere of several nineteenth-century works he found in the archives of the Royal Irish Academy of Music. These compositions (by Eulenstein, Hortesky, Nuske, Pratten and Hudelston) had been lost to the guitar repertoire for over 120 years. Representing Ireland at the Budapest Spring Festival and A Sense of Ireland Festival in Istanbul, Alan performed these works together with his own compositions The Old Guitarist and The Millennium Mirror. He has broadcast on RTÉ radio and television and hosted two programmes on the life of Segovia for lyric FM.

Damien Kelly, Guitar Dublin based guitarist Damien Kelly has been playing classical guitar since he was eleven and has recently completed a masters in performance at DIT Conservatory of Music under the tutelage of John Feeley. He has also spent 12 years studying with Marion Hyland at the Royal Irish Academy of Music. He completed his degree in DKIT in 2009. He has won numerous awards at festivals including the under fifteen, eighteen and Senior Guitar competition the Siemens Nixdorf Feis Ceoil. Two years ago he won the CMC cup in the Feis Ceoil. He has also won numerous awards and scholarships from the Royal Irish Academy of Music in both guitar and piano.

Damien has given solo recitals around the country and has also performed regularly as a chamber musician. In 2005 he played in Emmanuel College, Cambridge. He has also performed at master classes given by Fabio Zanon, Manuel Barruecco, David Russell, Berta Rojas and the LA Guitar Quartet. In 2008 he played support to James Galway in the National Concert Hall as part of the RIAM's platform series.

Niamh Murray, Voice Niamh Murray studied at the Royal Irish Academy of Music and with Dr. Veronica Dunne before winning a scholarship to study at the Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester. Further international studies were facilitated by the Italian Government, allowing Niamh to study with tenor Carlo Bergonzi.

A graduate of Carysfort College with a Bachelor of Education degree, Niamh has a Licentiate in Speech and Drama and is an Associate of the London College of Music. She has appeared with every major musical and choral society in Ireland, along with appearances with the RTÉ Concert and Symphony Orchestras and Opera Ireland and Wexford Festival of Opera.

2 Regina Nathan, Voice Regina Nathan’s career in opera, concert and recital has taken her from her native Ireland across Europe, and as far as Kuala Lumpur and New York’s Carnegie Hall. She has appeared in opera at Madrid’s Teatro Réal, Brussels’ La Monnaie, the Hamburg Staatsoper, Opéra de Genève, Luzern Stadttheater, Israeli Opera, Scottish Opera, Opera de Nice, Opéra de Nantes, Glyndebourne Touring Opera, Opera Zuid, Stadttheater Giessen, as well as Opera Ireland. She has sung major lyric soprano roles throughout her career. Her repertoire ranges from the title role in Cavalli’s La Calisto to the world-premiere of Mark Anthony Turnage’s The Country of the Blind for the Aldeburgh Festival/English National Opera. Regina has appeared as Carlisle Floyd’s Susannah, Moore’s Baby Doe, Gluck’s Euridice, Verdi’s Violetta, Bizet’s Léïla, Offenbach’s Antonia and Amelia in Verdi’s Un Ballo in Maschera. Her portrayal of the role of Puccini’s Cio Cio San in Madama Butterfly for Opera Ireland and at the Stadttheater Giessen was hailed with critical acclaim as was her role of Cleopatra in Handel’s Julius Caesar and Norma in Bellin’s Norma. Regina has worked with conductors such as Antonio Pappano, Edo De Waart, Kent Nagano, and Frans Bruggen.

Barbara Murray, Piano Barbara Murray holds a Masters of Music in Performance and Related Studies from the University of London. She has studied with Irish pianists Florence Ryan and Philip Martin and with Israeli pianist David Dolan at the Guildhall School of Music in London. As a student she was the recipient of various prizes and bursary awards. To date Barbara has had a very versatile music career. She has performed as a soloist and as a member of a chamber group in many leading venues both here in Ireland, in Europe and the U.S. In addition, she has lectured on music history, analysis and theoretical subjects at a number of third level institutions and universities. She has also worked in the area of examining, has given masterclasses and been an official accompanist at competitions, festivals and auditions, including Dublin Feis Ceoil.

Virginia Kerr, Voice Virginia Kerr is one of the most distinguished Irish sopranos of her generation, equally well- known on the operatic stage, concert and oratorio platform and as a recitalist. She has sung with many of the worlds leading orchestras including the London Philharmonic, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Leipzig Gewandhaus, Hallé and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Her operatic and concert performances have taken her as far afield as the Far East, Russia and North and South America. Nearer home she has sung with the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, Scottish Opera, Opera North, Opera Ireland, Opera Theatre Company, Leipzig Opera, Opéra de Nantes and Glyndebourne Festival Opera.

Virginia appears regularly on the concert platform as featured soloist with both the RTÉ National Symphony and RTÉ Concert Orchestras and has been a guest presenter for RTÉ lyric fm. She is a trustee of Christchurch Cathedral Choir and was appointed chairperson of the Board of Opera Theatre Company in 2004.

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Leonora Carney, Piano Born in Dublin, Leonora Carney began her career as a concert pianist at the tender age of 10 with television appearances and numerous broadcasts on national radio. She graduated from. Following a much-acclaimed recital in Wigmore Hall, London, she has pursued an extensive career as a concert pianist, giving recitals throughout Ireland, Great Britain, continental Europe and the USA. Her schedule includes concerts with the National Symphony Orchestra and broadcasts on both RTE and BBC Radio 3.

Fionnuala Moynihan, Piano Dr. Fionnuala Moynihan completed her doctorate in Music Performance at the Royal Irish Academy of Music where she studied with Dr. John O’Conor and Professor Reamonn Keary. Fionnuala is widely acknowledged as one of Ireland’s leading pianists. Fionnuala performed the Complete Piano Sonatas of Mozart in the Hugh Lane Gallery, Dublin, in a series of five recitals which ran from February to June 2010. She is the only pianist to have undertaken the formidable challenge of performing this cycle in its entirety in Ireland. Fionnuala has been awarded many prizes both at home and abroad including a Bank of Ireland Millennium Scholarship, the prestigious Maura Teissier Bursary and the Rena Menasche Award from the Tel-Hai Piano Masterclass series held in Israel. She was awarded the John Field Prize at the 2009 AXA Dublin International Piano Competition. Fionnuala has given solo recitals and concerto performances throughout England, France, Holland, Italy, Israel, U.S.A, Slovenia, Serbia, Russia, Poland and Hungary.

Vourneen Ryan, flute Vourneen began her studies with Doris Keogh at the Royal Irish Academy of Music. In 1995 Vourneen was awarded a scholarship to the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, where she studied under Edward Beckett, Philippa Davies, Sarah Newbold and Paul Edmund-Davies. Vourneen held the position of sub-principal flute with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra from 2004-2007 and now freelances regularly with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, BBC Philharmonic, RTE Concert Orchestra, RTE Symphony Orchestra, Northern Sinfonia, Opera Theatre Company and the Scottish Ballet. Vourneen has given many recitals at home and abroad including chamber music recitals with Merchant Winds Quintet, Fusion Wind Quintet, Gael Winds and the Oriel Trio.

Ruby Ashley, oboe (Royal Irish Academy of Music) Ruby studied at the Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester and the Nordwestdeutsche Musik-Akademie. In 1981 Ruby was awarded a Rotary Club Scholarship to study with Ray Still in Chicago, USA. In 1982 Ruby attended Goldsmiths College, London University to undertake orchestral studies at the National Centre for Orchestral Studies, gaining the Diploma in Orchestral Studies in 1983. Her first appointment was as Principal Oboe with the Deutsche Bachsoloisten Orchester. Ruby came to Ireland in 1983. She worked as Principal Cor Anglais with the R.T.E. National Symphony Orchestra and Principal oboe with the Irish Chamber Orchestra. Now recognized as the foremost teacher of oboe in Ireland, Ruby’s pupils

4 excel in national competitions. Many past pupils are now working as professional players. Ruby also enjoys a solo career which has seen broadcasts and performances of concertos by Richard Strauss, Donizetti (cor anglais), J.S. Bach (oboe and oboe d’amore concertos), Hummel and Goossens.

As a founder member of the Degani Ensemble, Ruby has recorded and performed most of the major chamber music repertoire for oboe and strings. In the mid eighties the Degani Ensemble undertook a recording project for R.T.E. recording oboe quartets. Ruby plays oboe/cor anglais with the Wexford Festival Opera Orchestra and the Irish Film Orchestra’. Ruby is a lecturer in oboe and member of the wind faculty of the Royal Irish Academy of Music.

Fintan Sutton, clarinet and saxophone (Royal Irish Academy of Music) Fintan studied at the Royal Academy of Music London before returning to Ireland to take up the position of clarinet/bass clarinet with the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra in 1987. Fintan is also a regular player with the Orchestra of St Cecilia and works with the Irish Film Orchestra. In addition to numerous performances throughout Ireland, he has appeared as soloist with the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland and the Dublin Baroque Players. He began teaching at the Royal Irish Academy of Music in 1997. His students have won numerous national awards and prizes. Fintan has a very keen interest in contemporary music and works extensively with the final year composition students at Maynooth University.

John Hearne, bassoon (DIT Conservatory of Music and Drama), John completed his studies at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London, and at the Scuola Musicale di Milano. Since returning to Dublin in 2001, John has worked with the RTE National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland, the RTE Concert Orchestra, the Irish Chamber Orchestra, the Orchestra of St. Cecilia, Opera Theatre Company, the Castleward Opera orchestra and various other ensembles. He has performed and recorded with a number of artists including singer/ , featuring on her album Pages. A keen chamber musician, John also teaches the bassoon at the DIT Conservatory of Music and Drama.

James Cavanagh, trumpet (Royal Irish Academy of Music) James was born in Dublin and began his career as a trumpet player. He was a member of the No.1 Army band before becoming a trumpet player with the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland. He was Head of Wind Brass and Percussion at the Royal Academy of Music for nine years, where he is also Professor of Trumpet, lectures in conducting and conducts the RIAM Symphony and Intermediate Orchestras. James has regularly worked and conducted on RTE Radio, Lyric FM and Television and has acted as Musical Director for many radio shows and musical productions. He was Musical Director of the Irish Youth Wind Ensemble, which he founded, from 1985 to 2007.

Francis Magee, tuba (Royal Irish Academy of Music) A graduate of Glasgow University, Francis studied tuba at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama where he won the Governors’ Recital Prize for Brass. For 10 years Francis was one of the busiest freelance tuba players in Britain.

5 Working mostly with Scottish Opera and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra he also played with many of Britain’s symphony orchestras, most notably the Royal Philharmonic and BBC Symphony in London, the BBC Philharmonic in Manchester, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, the BBC Scottish and Royal Scottish National Orchestras. He was appointed Principal Tuba of the RTE National Symphony Orchestra in 1997 and occasionally records with the Irish Film Orchestra. An enthusiast of brass chamber music, Francis was a member of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra Brass Quintet giving regular recitals throughout Scotland, presenting numerous educational workshops, and recording for CD and radio. Francis has been musical director of Drogheda Brass Band and previously held teaching positions at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama and the CIT Cork School of Music.

Stephen Mathieson, trombone (Royal Irish Academy of Music), Born in Fife, Scotland, Stephen started playing the trombone at the age of 13. At 18 he went to study at the Royal College of Music in London before embarking on a freelance career, working with many UK Orchestras such as the London Philharmonic and The Philharmonia. In 2000 Stephen became the Principal trombone of the RTE Concert Orchestra, with whom he has played as a soloist on several occasions. Stephen continues to work as a guest performer with various Orchestras in the UK, has given several recitals and masterclasses for the British Trombone Society and also teaches trombone at the Royal Irish Academy of Music.

Lorcan Daly, French horn Lorcan studied the French Horn with Victor Malerish in the Royal Irish Academy of Music. He was principal horn player in the National Youth Orchestra of Ireland and won many several prizes including gold medal in the Feis Ceol, and the John O’Connor Chamber Music Cup. He is Principal Horn of the Army No.1 Band and has served as musical director of a number of ensembles, including the Lucan Concert Band and the Drogheda Brass Band.

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Alison Hood, Cello Alison Hood is a cellist and pianist engaged in both classical and popular performing and recording. As a cellist, Alison has performed with many well- known recording artists in solo and group studio recordings, and in television and concert hall appearances. She is a founder member of the Elgin String Quartet and has an active interest in chamber music. Alison is the director of the John Field Institute, which she founded in 2006. In 2007 she was awarded ‘Female Musician of the Year’ from Liveireland.com and ‘Female Musician of the Year’ from Top TIR Awards (Chicago Irish American News). She graduated from Trinity with a PhD entitled ‘Chopin's Strategic Integration of Rhythm and Pitch: a Schenkerian Perspective’.

Fiona Palmer, Double Bass Fiona was very lucky to be trained via the Northamptonshire Music Service from a young age and participated in multiple ensembles, recitals, international tours and residential courses. As a first-class graduate of the Birmingham Conservatoire with double bass as her first study, she freelanced with many ensembles, especially the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (1989-1997). During these years the CBSO enjoyed the stewardship of Sir Simon Rattle and Fiona was involved with recordings under the direction of such maestri as Walter Weller and Paarvo Jaervi; she also spent some time as a member of New Zealand’s Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra. Fiona is currently writing a contracted monograph on orchestral conductors in Britain (c. 1870-1914) in which the emergence of the role and of institutional opportunities in the late Victorian age are contextualized and reconsidered.

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