Irish Harp
HARP TEAM
Aisling Lyons
Aisling was born and reared near Newmarket on Fergus in County Clare. From an early age, she had a fond interest in Traditional Irish Music, having come from a family steeped in Irish music and culture. John Lyons, her Father is a renowned traditional singer, brother of Tim Lyons, a great songwriter and singer, both hailing originally from County Cork. Likewise her Mother, Ann Lynch Lyons, who released her debut album a few year ago, on which Aisling features (Silvery Light, 2013).
Aisling began playing the harp at 7, then began learning the concertina at age 9. She has had some of the finest tuition this country has to offer; Noel Hill, Mary McNamara, Fionnuala Rooney to name but a few. She is now a competant performer and plays with her family, friends and individually around the country and abroad. The Lyons Family performed at The Sidmouth Folk Festival in 2013, Whitby Folk Festival 2014 & Whitby Folk Festival 2015.
Aisling recently travelled to Yass, Sydney & Canberra, Australia where she taught masterclasses and performed at The Turning Wave Festival. (2015). Aisling and her brother Sean (Uilleann Pipes), played for the Irish Ambassador in Canberra at The Irish Embassy & also at Floriade Spring Festival in Canberra for The National Folk Festival.
Aisling is the holder of 5 All-Ireland Fleadh Ceoil harp titles, an All-Ireland Céilí Band title with a junior Tulla Céilí Band, whom she played the drums with, a Grúpa Ceoil title with The Burren Group under the leadership of Garry Shannon, and is the All Ireland concertina champion under18. (2014)
Some of the recordings she features on include John & Tim Lyons album, 'Easy & Bold' (2012), 'Silvery Light' (2013) & a compilation album of East Clare Young Musicians, 'Unfolding' (2014). Aisling released her debut 5 track EP (extended play) in August 2015, where it was greatly received in the UK & AUS. It is available through Custy's Music Shop, Ennis, Co.Clare. (www.custysmusic.com)
Aisling hosts an open-to-all-ages, welcoming session in Dolans Bar in Limerick City every Monday night form 7.30pm to 9.15pm. This session allows musicians, singers and dancers of all ages to participate at their own level. See www.dolans.ie/traditional-irish-music/ for details.
Aisling is currently studying for her BA in Irish Traditional Music & Dance at The Irish World Academy of Music & Dance at The University of Limerick.
www.aislinglyonsmusic.com
Aisling was born and reared near Newmarket on Fergus in County Clare. From an early age, she had a fond interest in Traditional Irish Music, having come from a family steeped in Irish music and culture. John Lyons, her Father is a renowned traditional singer, brother of Tim Lyons, a great songwriter and singer, both hailing originally from County Cork. Likewise her Mother, Ann Lynch Lyons, who released her debut album a few year ago, on which Aisling features (Silvery Light, 2013).
Aisling began playing the harp at 7, then began learning the concertina at age 9. She has had some of the finest tuition this country has to offer; Noel Hill, Mary McNamara, Fionnuala Rooney to name but a few. She is now a competant performer and plays with her family, friends and individually around the country and abroad. The Lyons Family performed at The Sidmouth Folk Festival in 2013, Whitby Folk Festival 2014 & Whitby Folk Festival 2015.
Aisling recently travelled to Yass, Sydney & Canberra, Australia where she taught masterclasses and performed at The Turning Wave Festival. (2015). Aisling and her brother Sean (Uilleann Pipes), played for the Irish Ambassador in Canberra at The Irish Embassy & also at Floriade Spring Festival in Canberra for The National Folk Festival.
Aisling is the holder of 5 All-Ireland Fleadh Ceoil harp titles, an All-Ireland Céilí Band title with a junior Tulla Céilí Band, whom she played the drums with, a Grúpa Ceoil title with The Burren Group under the leadership of Garry Shannon, and is the All Ireland concertina champion under18. (2014)
Some of the recordings she features on include John & Tim Lyons album, 'Easy & Bold' (2012), 'Silvery Light' (2013) & a compilation album of East Clare Young Musicians, 'Unfolding' (2014). Aisling released her debut 5 track EP (extended play) in August 2015, where it was greatly received in the UK & AUS. It is available through Custy's Music Shop, Ennis, Co.Clare. (www.custysmusic.com)
Aisling hosts an open-to-all-ages, welcoming session in Dolans Bar in Limerick City every Monday night form 7.30pm to 9.15pm. This session allows musicians, singers and dancers of all ages to participate at their own level. See www.dolans.ie/traditional-irish-music/ for details.
Aisling is currently studying for her BA in Irish Traditional Music & Dance at The Irish World Academy of Music & Dance at The University of Limerick.
www.aislinglyonsmusic.com
Fiana hails from Castleconnell, Co Limerick. She comes from a family which has been involved in Irish music for three generations and was reared in a household immersed in the Irish music tradition. Her grandmother was an instrument maker and her aunts include two all-Ireland winning harpists and an all-Ireland winning concertina player.
She began learning the piano when she was 8 years old and progressed to the harp 2 years later, after her grandmother Rita decided that she would like another harp player in the family. Fiana started learning the harp at Limerick school of music in 2000 from the renowned harper Dr. Janet Harbison and later continued lessons with her in the Irish Harp Centre when it was opened in 2002.
Fiana became heavily involved with Comhaltas Ceoltóiri Éireann at the age of 15, where she competed through the years, right up to senior level. Her achievements include numerous All-Ireland medals as well as achieving first place in the Harp Slow Airs competition in 2012. Fiana has won numerous prizes at local harp festivals, including those in Keadue and Granard and the senior title at the O’Carolan Harp festival in Nobber, Co. Meath in 2009.
Her own students are now beginning to gain recognition through competition which includes the winning of All-Ireland medals at Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann as well as other local competitions. She has also given workshops both in Ireland and abroad. These include workshops for the Blossom Harp School, based between Co. Clare and Co. Galway, The Transpennine Harps society and Glasgow Harp society which are both branches of the Clársach Society.
Fiana completed her BA in Irish Music and Dance in 2012 with a First Class Honours degree at the University of Limerick. She went onto graduate from Newcastle University, UK with an Mmus in Musicology in 2013. During her studies she has had the opportunity to learn from a number of renowned teachers such as Holly Geraghty, Michelle Mulcahy, Gráinne Hambly, Laoíse Kelly, Cormac de Barra, Michael Rooney, Rachel Hair and Máire Ní Chathasaigh to name but a few.
Fiana has toured extensively in countries such as Germany, Austria, Belgium, France, Cyprus and the USA as a member of the Irish Harp Orchestra. As well as giving solo concert performances, she has also collaborated with flautist Matthew Dean on whose solo album “Trasna Na Farraige” she featured. Highlights of her career to date include performing for former President of Ireland Mary McAleese, The Emperor and Empress of Japan and other state officials and dignitaries as well as performing in front of 50,000 people as part of the St. Patrick’s Day celebration in Trafalgar Square in London in 2014.
“Fiana completed the Comhaltas TTCT teaching Diploma in 2014 as well as their Adjudicators training course. She continues to teach and perform; bringing this wealth of experience of the tradition to her own students and audiences alike while pursuing a PhD at the University of Limerick in Music and Tourism.