Artist Profile
Artist Profile:
Jose Gallardo
The Argentine José Gallardo, born in 1970, is one of the most sought-after chamber music pianists in the world. At the age of 5, he began to take piano lessons at the Conservatory in Buenos Aires. Later, he continued his studies with Prof. Poldi Mildner at the Department of Music, University of Mainz, Germany, from…
Artist Profile:
Killian White
Killian White is the first cellist to be awarded the Royal Dublin Society (RDS) Music Bursary, the single largest annual classical music award in Ireland, and one of the largest in Europe. Killian was described as “an outstanding winner who impressed with a superb performance and a crystal-clear sense of purpose,” by John O’Kane (RTE)…
Artist Profile:
Macdara Ó Seireadáin
Macdara Ó Seireadáin is a native of Dublin and a First Class Honours graduate of the Hochschule für Musik und Theater Hannover and Royal Irish Academy of Music, where he studied with Johannes Peitz and John Finucane respectively. A multiple competition prizewinner, Macdara has performed as soloist with the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, RTÉ Concert…
Artist Profile:
Naomi Berrill
Naomi is a cellist, multi-instrumentalist, composer and singer, originally from Co. Galway, currently based in Florence, Italy. After completing her musical studies in Scotland, Italy and Switzerland, she began composing new material, arranging works from different musical genres and experimenting with cello technique, giving it focus as an accompanying instrument to the voice. She has…
Artist Profile:
Michael Chang
Michael Chang is originally from Seattle and began training as a classical violinist at the age of 5. He played in a variety of orchestras and symphonies, and while studying at university, he found himself caught up in the Seattle grunge movement of the early 90s. His band, Like Rain, was nominated for Best New…
Artist Profile:
Gavin Maloney
Gavin Maloney is one of Ireland’s foremost musicians. He is Associate Principal Conductor of the RTÉ Concert Orchestra and has a long-standing relationship with the National Symphony Orchestra and Choirs. After training at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester and the Mozarteum Salzburg, at the age of 21, Gavin successfully competed for the…
Artist Profile:
Rachel Croash
Dublin Soprano Rachel Croash was a member of the inaugural Irish National Opera Studio and the Cork Opera House Cara O’Sullivan Associate Artists. Awards include the Wexford Festival Opera Aria Friends Award and the WFO & PwC Emerging Artist Bursary. Rachel recently made her Swiss debut as Mathilde (Guillaume Tell) with Nouvel Opéra Fribourg. Other…
Artist Profile:
Natalie Clein
Described by the Times as 'mesmerising' and 'soaringly passionate', British cellist Natalie Clein has built a distinguished career, regularly performing at major venues and with orchestras worldwide. She records regularly with Hyperion, and has recorded the two Cello Concertos by Camille Saint-Saëns as well as Bloch's Schelomo and Bruch's Kol Nidrei with the BBC Scottish…
Artist Profile:
Neil Martin
Belfast-born Neil Martin is a composer and musician who enjoys a most varied and rewarding career. Recent compositions include an opera - Nobody/Somebody (2023), a violin concerto - dall’ombra (2022), the RTS award-winning score for Lost Lives (2020), theatre scores and chamber music. Amongst other works are – Sweeney (2018), an orchestral song cycle; an…
Artist Profile:
Nicolas Altstaedt
German-French cellist Nicolas Altstaedt is one of the most sought after and versatile artists today. As a soloist, conductor, and artistic director, he performs repertoire spanning from early music to the contemporary, playing on period and modern instruments. Season 2022/23 includes debuts with Budapest Festival Orchestra and Iván Fischer as well as on tour with…
Artist Profile:
National Symphony Orchestra
Patron: Michael D. Higgins, President of Ireland Chief Conductor: Jaime Martín Founded in 1948, the National Symphony Orchestra has been at the centre of Ireland’s cultural life for 75 years. Resident orchestra of the National Concert Hall since its opening in 1981, it is a leading force in Irish music through its varied, year-long programmes…
Artist Profile:
Pól Ó Conghaile
Pól Ó Conghaile is Travel Editor with The Irish Independent and a regular contributor to National Geographic Traveller, among other international publications. He has been named Travel Writer of the Year in both Ireland and the UK, and as a travel expert features regularly on national TV & radio, most often on Newstalk’s Pat Kenny…
Artist Profile:
Stephanie Dufresne
Stephanie Dufresne is a dancer, actor and choreographer from the West of Ireland based in Dublin. Stephanie holds a BA in Dance from the Rotterdam Dance Academy and is a graduate of the full-time programme for Screen Acting at the Bow Street Academy, Smithfield. Since graduating Stephanie has enjoyed combining her skills in a variety…
Artist Profile:
William Butt
William Butt was born in London and started his musical career early as a chorister in St Georges Chapel, Windsor Castle. After graduating from the RNCM with Moray Welsh he then continued his studies at McGill University in Montreal with Antonio Lysy. He has since enjoyed a busy career as a soloist, chamber musician and…
Artist Profile:
Adrian Mantu
Dr Adrian Mantu is the cellist/founder of the ConTempo Quartet (1995), Galway Ensemble in Residence since 2003 and RTE’s National Quartet since 2013. He is the winner of 16 International Prizes (London, Munich, Berlin, Prague, Bucharest, Hamburg, Rome), performing over 3000 concerts in 46 countries (in venues such as Wigmore Hall, Berlin Philharmonic, Tel-Aviv Opera,…
Artist Profile:
Catherine Cotter
Catherine Cotter is a student at the Royal College of Music in London, where she studies with Amanda Truelove. She began her studies with Aisling Drury-Byrne in 2009 in the Royal Irish Academy of Music, where she later studied under Christopher Marwood. She was on continuous scholarship from the age of 11 at the RIAM.…
Artist Profile:
Katherine Hunka
“ a beguiling melt in the mouth sonority….a silver purity enhanced by a magical instinct for cantabile” BBC Music Magazine. Born in London, Katherine studied at the Royal Academy of Music and furthered her studies in the USA at Indiana University where she also acted as teaching assistant to her professor, Mauricio Fuks. She has…
Artist Profile:
Anna Lardi
Anna Lardi is CEO of Music for Galway where she has been since 2003, and in a key leadership role since 2006. Anna steered the company through the challenges of recession and the changeover from its first paid former artistic director to the current one at the start of 2013. In close collaboration with the…
Artist Profile:
Little John Nee
John Nee, more commonly known by his stage name Little John Nee, is an Irish storyteller, writer, performer and musician based in Galway on Ireland's West Coast. Nee was born in Glasgow in 1959. He returned to Letterkenny, in County Donegal, with his family when he was twelve. It was here that he began performing in punk bands, such as Joe Petrol and the Petrol…
Artist Profile:
Matthew Berrill
Multi-instrumentalist Matthew Berrill leads a diverse career as a performer, improvisor, composer, arranger and curator. Matthew is an integral member of numerous ensembles in the jazz, improvised and traditional Irish music spheres. He works in trio partnership with Cormac McCarthy and Iarla Ó Lionáird, and he plays regularly with Mick Flannery and band and recorded…
