Adjudicators
Kevin O'Carroll
Choral
Kevin O’Carroll is Waterford based freelance musician. He began his musical life as a freelance French Horn player and in the 1980’s was a regular deputy with both the RTE Symphony Orchestra (now the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland) and the RTE Concert Orchestra.
Though he worked in a financial institution until 2010, he combined this with a busy musical life, working with choirs and musical societies in addition to continuing to work as a freelance French Horn player. To devote time to other pursuits, Kevin is slowly winding down his regular choral commitments and in 2025 he will retire from a regular, permanent position as choral director of choirs. He does, however, hope to keep his hand in with occasional conducting projects, workshops and adjudications.
Kevin studied conducting with the internationally renowned pedagogue and clinician, Dr. John Dickson at Texas Tech University, USA. These studies also facilitated some time working and performing with much loved choral composer, Eric Whitacre
Recognised as a choral specialist, Kevin is in demand as a teacher and choral consultant for workshops and guest lectures in Ireland and further afield. He has been adjudicator for most of the choral festivals in Ireland, including Irish Choir of the Year, Cork Choral Festival and Feis Ceoil, Dublin. He has provided lectures at several universities in Ireland. He has been Guest Director and Tutor for the Irish Church Music Association Summer School. Kevin has also lectured at the Association of Irish Choirs Conducting Summer School. Over the years, Kevin has worked with groups from many countries including Sweden, Denmark, Estonia, Australia, Taiwan and the USA.
In 2012 Kevin’s book Choral Conducting – A handbook for Irish Choir Trainers and Conductors was published; the first Irish book on choral conducting. The book has sold as far away as Australia and the United States. It has been used as a textbook in several third-level institutions, including The Royal Academy of Music in London.
Like everyone else operating in the performing arts, during COVID performances for Kevin were almost non-existent. He was particularly sad to see some special engagements cancelled. These included providing workshops for the Association of British Choral Directors and for the BBC Symphony Chorus. As a personal lockdown project, Kevin began creating conductor’s scores for many of the Gilbert and Sullivan Savoy Operas, something that brought him back to his musical theatre roots.
Kevin holds a PhD Arts Practice from the University of Limerick for his research on the impact of modern music notation on the performance practice of Renaissance polyphony. As part of this research, he transcribed the last complete surviving copy of a 1625 publication of masses by Ludovico Grossi da Viadana.
Kevin also holds a Master of Music (Choral Conducting Performance), a BA (Hons) and Dip ABRSM in choral conducting.
Orla Flanagan
Choral
Orla Flanagan is a Dublin-based choral conductor and music educator. She studied conducting with Prof. Péter Erdei at the Kodály Institute in Hungary and holds a doctorate in performance from the Royal Irish Academy of Music. She is an Assistant Professor of Music at Trinity College Dublin, where she teaches modules in choral conducting, aural training and performance, and supervises doctoral research.
Orla conducts the mixed-voice choir Mornington Singers, an award-winning ensemble which has appeared at international festivals in Ireland, Italy, Canada, France, Latvia and Slovenia. The choir was awarded the Grand Prix at the 2019 International Baltic Sea Choir Competition in Jūrmala, Latvia. As a conductor, Orla has also gained numerous awards at international competitions, including the MacCurtain & McSwiney Award for programming at Cork International Choral Festival on three occasions, and a special prize for interpretation at the 10th International Choral Competition, Maribor, Slovenia. Orla and the choir are committed to the creation and promotion of contemporary music and have recently released two CD recordings of contemporary Irish choral works: Under-Song (2017) and To the Northeast: The Choral Music of John Buckley (2019).
Orla’s work with professional choral ensembles includes Milltown Chamber Choir, EnsemBéal, Resurgam, and Chamber Choir Ireland, with whom she performed at the White House for President Barack Obama. She enjoys giving choral workshops and adjudicating at festivals nationally and internationally. Orla is Artistic Director of the Sing Ireland International Choral Conducting Summer School.
Lynda Lee
Vocal
During her vocal studies with Dr. Veronica Dunne, soprano Lynda Lee was the recipient of many awards and bursaries including from Opera Theatre Company and Ireland’s Friends of the Vocal Arts. She also represented Northern Ireland at The Cardiff Singer of the World Competition. Having made her professional debut in the Opera Theatre Company production of Tamerlano, she had a long association with Handel’s operas and made acclaimed appearances in this repertoire at many international festivals including Halle and Karlsruhe. She was nominated twice in Operwelt, firstly as best newcomer for the title role in Agrippina and as performer of the year for her portrayal of Xerxes.
On the concert platform, Lynda performed in many prestigious venues throughout Europe including the Philharmonie, Berlin, and the Royal Festival Hall, London and, was on contract at the Leipzig Opernhaus where her roles including Donna Anna (Don Giovanni) and Elisabeth (Tannhauser). Lynda joined the vocal faculty at Dublin’s Royal Irish Academy of Music in 2008 and holds a Masters’ Degree in Music from NUI Cork. She has adjudicated at music festivals throughout Ireland and regularly delivers vocal workshops to choral groups and ensembles
Dr. Imelda Drumm
Vocal
Dr Imelda Drumm is a Lecturer in voice and vocal pedagogy in the RIAM. Regularly a (Principal Soloist) With Irish National Opera, she teaches classical vocal technique to singers of all ages and abilities, male and female. Imelda has trained singers learning as children, those both in part-time and in full-time study to doctorate level, including students who are post-graduate young professionals.
Imelda studied classical singing with the late Dr Veronica Dunne. She is a graduate of the National Opera Studio, London, having received sponsorship from Glyndebourne Opera who awarded her both the ESSO Touring Opera and Richard Lewis/Jean Shanks Festival Awards.
Although a specialist in opera, Imelda has collaborated with leading Irish composers including John Buckley and Seoirse Bodley. Future performance plans with Irish National Opera include the upcoming season 2025.
Imelda’s doctoral research focuses on hormonal vocal influence and she is a trained mentor working with SingersResound UK, a charatible organisation which assists singers who are experiencing age related or other vocal or career concerns. Imelda enjoys travelling and giving lectures on her research topic; The influence of personal hormones on the elite voice. She also enjoys adjudicating and is looking forward to hearing fabulously young talented singers, at the Interschools Music Festival in 2025.
Dr Imelda Drumm BBS DMusPerf RIAM
Alison Browner
Vocal
Alison Browner was born at Dublin and studied at Trinity College, Dublin and the Hochschule, Hamburg, completing her studies with Hans Hotter. After two years at the Bayerische Staatsoper in Munich, she became a member of the Darmstadt Opera, where her roles included the title role La Cenerentola, Dorabella, Orfeo and Charlotte Werther and she then joined the Mannheim Opera adding the Composer Ariadne auf Naxos, Octavian der Rosenkavalier, Cherubino Le Nozze di Figaro and Rosina ll Barbiere di Siviglia.
Alison Browner’s opera engagements include La Cenerentola in Zürich, Antwerp, Gent, Royal Opera Covent Garden and Dublin, La Clemenza di Tito at Ludwigsburg Festival and for RadioFrance, Cosi Fan Tutte at the Wiesbaden Festival, Idamante Idomeneo conducted by John Eliot Gardiner, Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo in Barcelona and at the Salzburg Festival, Rosina
Il Barbiere di Siviglia in Brussels, Suttgart and Santiago, Cherubino Le Nozze di Figaro in Antwerp and Ghent, Dido and Aeneas in Berlin, Hänsel und Gretel in Santiago and Mannheim and the title role Tamerlano at the Royal Opera Covent Garden. She appears frequently on the concert platform,with, among others, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra under Philippe Herreweghe and John Eliot Gardiner, English Chamber Orchestra, Rundfunk Orchester Munich with Leopold Hager, Ulster Orchestra, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, The Sixteen and RTE Concert Orchestra. Her more recent concert appearances have been with Kent Nagano in Munich and Roderich Kreile in Dresden, and she appeared in Mendelssohn`s Elijah in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.
Together with her accompanists Andreas Frese, Irwin Gage and Breda Zakotnik, she has performed a wide variety of recital programmes ranging from Franz Schubert through to Francis Poulenc. She is increasingly in demand for masterclasses and chamber music courses in Germany, as well as a vocal coach for a number of professional opera singers. She has also adjudicated several vocal competitions in both Germany and Ireland, including Dublin`s Feis Ceoil and has been an external examiner for both DIT and the Royal Irish Academy of music.
She has made many recordings including Oberto (Lamberto Gardelli ), Judas Maccabeus (Wolfgang Gönnenwein), Volpino in Haydn’s Der Apotheker and Bach’s Christmas Oratorio and St Matthew Passion.
Mairéad Buicke
Vocal
Mairéad Buicke was born in Limerick and graduated with first class honours BA Performance Degree from the Royal Irish Academy of Music where she studied with Dr. Veronica Dunne, then subsequently at the National Opera Studio in London, where her roles included Fiordiligi Cosi fan tutte, Antonia Les Contes d’Hoffmann, Violetta La Traviata and Mimi La Boheme. Mairéad was a semi finalist and special prize winner of the Belvedere International Singing Competition in Vienna in 2004.
Mairéad sang as a young associate artist with Opera Theatre Company in 2004 and also joined the young artist programme at the Aix en Provence Festival in 2005. Operatic engagements have included Maøenka The Bartered Bride for Mid Wales Opera and concert performances as Mimi in La Bohème and Gretel in Hansel & Gretel with the RTE National Symphony Orchestra, the title role in Wallace’sMaritana with the RTE Concert Orchestra. Mairéad was a young singer on the young artists programme at English National Opera from 2007/2010 seasons, and roles there included Pamina and 1st Lady Die Zauberflöte, Sylvianne The Merry Widow, Paquette Candide, Karolka Jenufa 2nd Niece Peter Grimes and in the autumn 2010 she made her first guest debut as Musetta in La Boheme at ENO under the direction of the renowned Opera director Jonathon Miller. In July 2011 Mairead made her debut in the title role Tosca for Grange Park Festival Opera at Nevill Holt, The Grange and Cadogan Hall London. Concert engagements have included Mahler Symphony No. 8 and Symphony No. 4 with the RTE National Symphony Orchestra, Ravel Shéhérazade with the RTE Concert Orchestra, Barber’s Knoxville Summer of 1915 for the RTE National Symphony Orchestra. Verdi Requiem (National Concert Hall, Dublin) and Messiah with the Orchestra of St Cecilia, Beethoven 9th Symphony with the London Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at the Barbican Hall, London and her debut in a series of Viennese Concerts for English Northern Philharmonia. Mairéad is also a keen recitalist and as such has appeared at the Wexford Festival, Music for Galway Festival, the Boyle Arts Festival, Bantry Chamber Music Festival and at the National Concert Hall in Dublin. She has also appeared in recital with the Aix en Provence Academy Festival, The Metropolitan Club, New York, the House of Lords, London and at Leighton House London. In 2013/2014 engagements included Mahler Symphony No 2 at the NCH Dublin with the RIAM Symphony Orchestra, Concerts with the RTE Concert Orchestra, Recitals in Malaga, Spain, Fiordiligi in Cosi Fan Tutte and Micaela in Carmen for Opera Theatre Company. She also toured Ireland playing the role of Maria Callas in the popular show Casta Diva. In April Mairead sang popular operatic arias on O’Connell Street, Dublin as part of ‘The Road to the Rising’ celebrations.
Future engagements include Soprano Role in a new show ‘The Puccini Scandal’ with performances at the NCH , Dublin , The Pavilion Theatre, Dun Laoghaire. Soloist for the Annual Gala Concert of The Irish Defence Force Band at the the NCH, Dublin. Mimi in La Boheme for Opera in the Open at Castletown House. A lunchtime concert with the RTE National Symphony Orchestra, July at the NCH Dublin.“Northern Lights” Recitals in Belfast and abroad 2018. A european concert tour beginning in Vienna with internationally renowned American pianist Deirdre Brenner with a premier of Irish songs written by the highly acclaimed composer Ailbhe McDonagh. Mairèad will also be giving an evening recital at the Rye Festival in the UK this summer . In the Autumn 2019 , Mairèad will make her Wexford Festival Opera debut , singing the role of Fatima in CV Stanford’s opera The Veiled Prophet.
How we work
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Andrew Synnott
Vocal
Andrew Synnott is a composer and conductor based in Dublin. He has conducted operas for Irish National Opera, Wexford Festival Opera, Opera Collective Ireland, Opera Theatre Company and the Royal Irish Academy of Music. He is a former artistic director and conductor of Crash Ensemble, a group he co-founded in 1997. He has conducted many orchestras and choirs, including Chamber Choir Ireland, the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland and the RTE Concert Orchestra.
In January 2015 he conducted the premiere of his first opera, Breakdown, in the NCH in Dublin. His second opera, Dubliners, was premiered at Wexford Festival Opera in 2017 and was nominated for an Irish Times Theatre Award in the Best Opera category. His opera, La cucina, commissioned by Wexford Festival Opera in 2019 became the first by a living Irish composer to be performed on the main stage at the festival.
He has had two further operas staged at the Wexford Festival as part of his tenure as Composer in Residence—What Happened To Lucrece (filmed and broadcast digitally as part of the 2020 festival) and The Fortyseventh Saturday (winner of Best New Opera 2022 Opera Bear Awards) staged at the 2021 festival.
Andrew is a lecturer with the vocal faculty of the Royal Irish Academy of Music since 2010.
Elaine Kelly
Orchestral &
Chamber Music
GRAMMY-nominated Irish conductor, Elaine Kelly, held the position of Resident Conductor and Chorus Director of Irish National Opera (INO) from 2021-2024. An avid champion of contemporary opera, she has conducted works by Donnacha Dennehy, David Cooney, Amanda Feery, Evangelia Rigaki, Anna Mullarkey and last year conducted the double-bill, operatic world premiere by Emma O’Halloran in the PROTOTYPE Festival in New York and later with LA Opera before a nationwide Irish tour the following year. She conducted nine new works in INO’s internationally praised 20 Shots of Opera in 2020 and a nationwide tour of The Lighthouse (Maxwell Davies) in 2021.
Most recently, Kelly has conducted Dawn to Dusk: The Moon is Listening (Richard Taylor) with Garsington Opera, UK and in November 2023, conducted the world premiere of Akathist (Benedict Sheehan) in Trinity Church Wall Street, New York, recorded for album release in 2024 receiving a GRAMMY nomination.
Equally at home in standard operatic repertoire, Kelly conducted Faust (Gounod) and Così fan tutte (Mozart) with INO and has worked on Elektra, Der Rosenkavalier and Salome (Strauss), Cenerentola and William Tell (Rossini), Die Entführung aus dem Serail (Mozart), La bohème (Puccini), Alice’s Adventures Under Ground (Barry), Fidelio (Beethoven), Carmen (Bizet), L’Elisir d’Amore and Maria Stuarda (Donizetti). Elaine has also worked as assistant conductor with Opera National de Bordeaux and Nouvel Opéra Fribourg.
Kelly has guest appeared with the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland, RTÉ Concert Orchestra, Cork Concert Orchestra, Cork Opera House Concert Orchestra and was Music Director of the Dublin Symphony Orchestra and the University of Limerick Orchestra.
In 2014, Kelly won 1st prize in the inaugural ESB Feis Ceoil Orchestral Conducting Competition.
Mia Cooper
Strings
Mia studied at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester with Yossi Zivoni, and completed her studies at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique in Paris.
After graduating Mia joined the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra as principal first violin, and has been in demand as a guest leader with orchestras such as the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Royal National Scottish Orchestra, BBC Philharmonic, Philharmonia and BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Ulster Orchestra and Klaipeda Chamber Orchestra.
Mia joined the RTE Concert Orchestra as Leader in 2006, and in the same year joined the violin faculty at the Royal Irish Academy of Music.
Professor Paul Roe
Woodwind
Paul is Professor of Clarinet at the Royal Irish Academy of Music and Lecturer at the Technical University of Dublin. He also works as an executive coach for the Department of Education’s Centre for School Leadership; working with school principals and management teams in a range of contexts.
Paul is also the director of the innovative multidisciplinary collective –The Art of Collaboration that explores a diverse range of approaches to co-creativity; cultivating transformation through collaborative action. As a collaborative artist and thought leader Paul is involve in many other projects with individuals and groups including Concorde, Evlana, Music Currents.
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Paul Frost
Brass
Frost studied classical bass trombone in his native Cork City at the Cork School of Music, gaining a BMusHons and following that, a PGDip at the Royal Academy of Music in London.
As a freelancer he plays professionally with orchestras in Ireland, The UK and in Europe and plays regularly with Irish National Opera, Wexford Opera and Irish Chamber Orchestra. He has played with orchestras and ensembles including BBC Concert Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Deutsche Staatsphilharmonie, Cyprus Symphony Orchestra, RTE orchestras and in London’s West End. He is trombonist for the Gaiety Panto and plays with bands and musicals around the country. Having studied arranging through prestigious online Berklee courses and developing an adept ear for orchestrating through years of playing, Frost works regularly as an arranger for RTÉ Concert Orchestra, Cork Opera House and others. His arrangements have been featured on numerous tv and radio shows and on stages including the National Concert Hall and 3Arena with many distinguished artists. Some of Frost’s recent composition projects include A New Day Rising, played by RTÉ Concert Orchestra, commissioned by Lyric FM for their 25th Anniversary Concert. Trip commissioned by the Irish Chamber Orchestra. The Burning of Cork Orchestral Suite, recorded and performed by RTÉ Concert Orchestra. Elevation for solo violin and strings, played by the Irish Chamber Orchestra and also by Appalachian Chamber Music Festival. In the Beginnings’ a special collaboration between Northern Irish author Jan Carson and the Ulster Orchestra. An Old Song, Half Forgotten, a Sofft Productions and Abbey Theatre co-production which ran in the Peacock theater. Changes for String Quintet commissioned by Killaloe Music Festival. Pieces for New Irish Jazz Ensemble and Dublin City Jazz Ensemble. Glioscarnach, a piece for MTU for marimba soloist with percussion ensemble. The Cardinal Virtues, played by The European Brass Collective. Paul recently arranged for and conducted Draíocht’s Playground Orchestra project, bringing a 29 piece orchestra into schools in the Dublin 15 area and reaching 17500 children.
Réamonn Keary
Piano
Réamonn Keary studied piano with Gerard Shanahan in Limerick, John O’Conor at the Royal Irish Academy of Music in Dublin and with Leonid Brumberg in Vienna. Réamonn is a highly regarded chamber musician and has performed and recorded with many of the country’s top instrumentalists. He has appeared as a soloist with RTE Concert Orchestra and performed recitals in the UK, Berlin, Beijing and Shanghai. Over the years he has curated and performed in numerous chamber music concert series which he built around the music of individual composers, among them Poulenc, Brahms, Schubert, Berwald, Chopin and Debussy.
He has championed the music of contemporary Irish composers and has brought many world premier performances to the stage. His most recent performances have been with cellist Annette Cleary and actor Barry McGovern, performing works by Richard Strauss and neglected female composers.
Réamonn is closely associated with the RIAM’s Local Centre examination system, having served as the Chairman of the Senior Examiners for many years. In association with RTE Lyric FM his Piano Keys podcast series won second place in the New York Festivals International Radio Awards in 2012. He is also much in demand as an adjudicator and was a jury member of the Dublin International Piano Competition in 2006 and 2009.
Robert Harvey
Traditional Group
Seven times All-Ireland Champion, flute player Dr. Robert Harvey was selected by Donal Lunny as flute player for the TG4 series “Lorg Lunny”, which resulted in the formation of the band Ciorras,with whom he released the album ‘Silver Lining’ and toured extensively internationally. In 2020, Robert released his critically acclaimed solo flute album ‘Feochán’. Robert played the part of ‘Frank the Robin’ in Universal Studio’s ‘The Christmas Letter’ narrated by Kate Winslet and also features in the RTÉ produced animated children’s show ‘Peak Zoo’ as well as the recently released CD ‘Songs of Zelda: A Link to the Celts’, produced by Eimear Noone and Craig Garfinkle. As a member of the National Folk Orchestra of Ireland, he has featured in the shows Boroimhe, Macalla 1916, Legacy and Oriel Wave. In 2024 Robert released a duet album The Lads of Laois with his brother James Harvey on banjo accompanied by Ryan Molloy, Caoimhin O Fearghaill and Niall Preston showcasing the repertoire of his native county. Robert also released the album Beara with harpist Tara Viscardi featuring newly composed music for flute and harp inspired by the landscape and history of the Beara Pennisula.
Published by Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann, Roberts first book Feadail: The Whistling Tradition in Ireland was launched at the National Opera House as part of Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann 2024. Robert has also toured internationally with the Katerina Garcia Band, the Traditional Arts Collective, Eilis Lavelle, among others. Robert is musical director of Ceoltóirí Óga Laighean and the DCU traditional music ensemble. Robert studied music in Trinity College Dublin and Conservatory of Music and Drama DIT, where he graduated with first class honours and was presented with the President’s Gold medal in 2010. Robert recently completed PhD research on Traditional Composition in the East Galway Style. Robert currently lectures in Irish music in Trinity College Dublin, and is a well-established teacher of flute, tin whistle, whistling and lilting with numerous all-Ireland Champion students. He is in demand as a teacher and guest lecturer at festivals and workshops having taught at Scoil Eigse and Bernard’s Summer School in Prague among many others.
Oliver Cole
Rock Bands,
Own Performed Song
Having had some success with his first band Swampshack, Oliver Cole formed the three-piece rock band, Turn. Oliver was Turn’s singer, songwriter and main guitarist, and they soon signed to Infectious Records in London, which was home to Muse, Ash and Garbage, among others. Turn enjoyed great success and popularity, playing sell-out gigs at Vicar Street and a packed to the gills standout performance at the Oxegen festival in 2005.
They released three Irish Top 10 albums and were nominated for Ireland’s coveted Choice Music Award. Oliver left the band in 2006 to begin work on his first solo album,‘We Albatri’, which was recorded in Germany. Upon its release, The Irish Times gave the album 5 out of 5 and made it their album of the month. His second solo album ‘Year Of The Bird’ was released to huge critical acclaim in 2015. In 2020 Oliver released his most
successful album to date ‘Father, Brother, Son. This album achieved many accolades including RTE album of the week, Newstalk album of the week, Irish Times album of the week. Oliver is a well-respected songwriter and continues to collaborate and tour with some of Ireland’s biggest names such as Glen Hansard and Gemma Hayes to name a few. His new album ‘Wingspan’ is due for release later this year.
Tony Clayton Lea from The Irish Times said ‘Father, Brother Son is full of gorgeous meaningful tunes that everyone needs to hear right now’.
Oliver has a Masters in Music from DCU and is also currently the Head of Songwriting at BIMM Dublin.
Michael Fleming
Own Performed Composition
With over twenty years working as a film and TV composer, Michael Fleming brings his diverse musical background to the inimitable scores he crafts. Classically trained but with a music history steeped in trad and folk – by way of a stint with post-rock group, The Jimmy Cake – he brings a unique and bespoke element to every project he’s involved in.
Michael’s diverse range includes the gritty, urban thriller Broken Law (Netflix), the epic TV miniseries Dunhuang: Edge of the World (TenCent), the playful BAFTA-nominated animation film Here To Fall and the heart-rending true-crime podcast series Where Is George Gibney? for which he won Best Soundtrack at International Webby Awards. Most recent released work includes two feature documentaries – Housewife of the Year and Chasing the Light – and the BBC Sounds podcast series Stakeknife.
With over twenty years working as a composer, Michael Fleming brings his diverse musical background to the inimitable scores he crafts. Classically trained but with a music history steeped in trad and folk – by way of a stint with post-rock group, The Jimmy Cake – he brings a unique and bespoke element to every project he’s involved in.
Currently Michael is developing additional music for The Tourist, Season 2 and finalising his score for Beat The Lotto both of which are due out in late 2023. He also scored two feature documentaries – How To Tell A Secret and The Artist & The Wall of Death – which are nominated for Best Documentary IFTA Awards 2023.
The past number of years has seen Michael work back to back on a dizzying array of projects. In 2021 he won Best Soundtrack/Sound Design at International Webby Awards for his score for the BBC Sounds podcast series, Where Is George Gibney? A blend of orchestra and soundscape, it was praised for its subtlety of tone and delicate execution.
Notable TV and film work included a gritty, guitar and synth driven soundtrack for the feature drama, Broken Law (Netflix); a dark orchestra, percussion and choir score for the TV miniseries, Dunhuang: Edge of the World (TenCent); and a playful, eclectic score involving a mandolin ensemble, hammer dulcimer, celeste, piano and strings for the IFTA Award winning feature documentary, Mattress Men.
Michael can just as easily turn his hand to commercials work including brand campaigns for Jameson Irish Whiskey, Liberty Insurance, Westfield London, Irish Rail, Kildare Village and 123.ie. In 2021 he composed the score for Ireland’s entry at the World Expo in Dubai.
Paul Byrne
Drumkit
Paul Byrne is a 49 year old freelance drummer/percussionist based out of Dublin, Ireland. Paul has been playing drums for over 39 years now, starting his musical career with the famous Artane Boys Band. After graduating from Artane, Paul spent 2 years studying under the watchful eye of the late John Wadham. From there he started playing in the local Dublin Jazz scene and then moved on to other styles, which has led Paul to develop a diverse range of styles. Paul is frequently booked to play orchestral music, musical theatre, traditional, folk, pop/rock, jazz and Latin.
Some of the highlights of Paul’s career include playing the Clannad reunion concert in the Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow in 2007 and working on their 1st tour in 10 years in 2007, continuing to 2010 which has included TV appearances and recordings. Working with Moya Brennan (singer from Clannad) over 10 years on numerous tours (including an appearance in front of 2.2 million people for the jubilee concerts in Rome, 2000), TV appearances and recordings. Working with Camille O’Sullivan over the last 20 years on her 5 star reviewed Edinburgh Fringe shows in 2007-2019, a 6 week London west end run at the Apollo Theatre, TV appearances and recordings. Paul is considered the 1st call for a lot of bands, musical directors and producers. He is regularly engaged for recording sessions, TV/DVD sessions and live concerts.
Paul is currently working with Camille O’Sullivan, Sharon Shannon, The Hothouse Big Band, Finbar Wright, Edel Murphy (Riverdance/Celtic Woman), Ewan Cowley (MD), David Wray (MD), David McGauran (MD), Dermot O’Callaghan (MD), David Hayes (MD), Gavin Murphy (MD), These Charming Men, Jody Trehy, Soulpower, Derby Browne, Joe Malik, Eanna Hickey, Keith Burke and Amy Creighton.
Paul has worked with Clannad, Moya Brennan, Glen Power (The Script), Jack L, Bagatelle, The Rock
Tenors, Luan Parle, Rodrigo y Gabriela, RTE Concert Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra, Ulster Orchestra, Phil Coulter, Carlos Nunez, The Chieftans, Duke Special, Jools Holland, Paddy Keenan, Kila, Carol Keogh, Leslie Dowdall, The Vard Sisters, The Irish/Celtic Tenors, Dr. Miller, Mundy, Imelda May, Liam ó Maonlaí, The Cafe Orchestra, Duncan Maitland, Steve Coleman, Galldubh, Stocktons Wing, Lia Luchra, Aoife Ni Fhearraig, Liam O’Connor, Tommy Fleming, Rain, The Blues Brothers Showband, Jason Kravitz, The Essential Big Band, The Dublin City Jazz Orchestra, The Irish Jazz Orchestra, Bob Wooton, The Wilders.
Tadhg McDonnell Leahy
Classical Guitar
Rock Guitar
Tadhg McDonnell Leahy is an Irish composer, instrumentalist, bandleader and one of the foremost session guitarists in Ireland. Performing and recording for Irish pop, folk and country artists while also performing and recording music under his own name, writing instrumental and vocal music in a variety of genres.
In 2019 he released his first composition as an independent artist entitled ‘Radio Silence’. In 2020, he was a recipient of the COVID-19 Crisis Response Award which afforded me the opportunity to have an extended period of engagement with my artistic process, treating his creative process like a full time job.
In 2021, he performed at the Drogheda Arts Festival. He developed a programme of original instrumental and vocal music written and arranged by Tadhg in duo, trio and quintet ensembles. In 2022, he was awarded the Agility Award from the Arts Council of Ireland which enabled me to fund further education in both composition and performance. He took 6 months of online tutorship from an Irish composer and American guitarist, focusing on developing a ‘Improvcompositional’ approach to his original music. In 2024 he released his first large body of work entitled ‘Bodies of Water’ which was the result of the development made possible by the mentorship received in the years beforehand.
Tadhg proudly uses Collings Guitars with thanks to the Irish Arts Council, Music Network and the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.
His influences are varied and include artists from the modern jazz guitar idiom such as Julian Lage and Wayne Krantz, as well as 20th century composers such as Frank Zappa and Claude Debussy.