Our Tutors ...

Tuition will be given by international musicians drawn from such esteemed ensembles as the Vienna Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra. Ireland’s leading musicians, including pianist Darina Gibson, guitarist Michael O’Toole and renowned sean-nos singer Eílin Begley will teach alongside other tutors from Ireland, UK and Australia.

Darina Gibson G.R.S.M., A.R.C.M.
(PIANO)

Darina Gibson currently lectures in the Keyboard Department at DIT Conservatory of Music. She studied piano at the College of Music, Dublin and at the Royal Irish Academy of Music, Dublin. As a young student she won many prizes including the Hamilton Harty Cup outright for concerto playing at the Feis Ceoil. At the age of sixteen she won the BBC Society for the Piano Competition. On leaving school, she won a scholarship to the Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester, where she studied with Gordon Green and Clifton Helliwell for accompaniment. She graduated with distinction and the Dayas Gold Medal. In addition, she also won a Chopin Fellowship to Warsaw. She has held teaching posts at the Cork School of Music and the Royal Irish Academy of Music. Her interests lie in chamber music and in working as an accompanist with instrumental players. She is much in demand as a recitalist and has given concerts at the national Concert Hall, Dublin, the Bank of Ireland Series, and Lismore and Kilkenny Arts festivals. She regularly attends summer festivals such as the Oxford International Piano Festival and is currently recording a CD with cellist Aisling Drury-Byrne.

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Lisa Hutchings M.Mus. (Perf), B.A. (Hons)
(RECORDER)

Lisa Hutchings began her musical education at an early age studying the recorder with Anne Costello, and later along with the clarinet and piano at Kylemore Music College in Dublin. Having completed a B.A. Honours Degree in Music and Geography at the National University of Ireland, Maynooth she then studied the recorder privately with Professor Doris Keogh before continuing her piano and recorder studies at the Conservatory of Music and Drama D.I.T. with Laoise O’ Brien and Edward Holly where she graduated with a Masters Degree in Music Performance.

Lisa has been actively involved in music education over the past ten years. Her teaching is diverse and she has a particular interest in bringing music to people with disabilities and those from disadvantaged areas. Having worked as a music teacher in primary education and special education, Lisa is now widely involved in promoting the recorder within music education. She currently works as a music teacher in Kylemore Music Centre, Kilternan School of Music and also as a workshop facilitator for the National Concert Hall’s Learn & Explore Programme in schools and health care settings.

As a performer, Lisa is keen to exploit the recorder’s full repertoire from Medieval music through Renaissance and Baroque, and has a specific interest in playing Contemporary music. She has performed in various capacities as either soloist or chamber musician in some of Ireland’s most prestigious venues. Currently she plays with the recorder quartet Blockflötation who specialise in performing Renaissance and Contemporary music.

EILíN NI BHEAGLAOICH
(SEAN-NóS SINGING)

A native of West Kerry, Ní Bheaglaoich was a well-known singer in the emerging folk scene in Ireland before she emigrated with her husband and infant daughter to Melbourne, Australia in 1970. Amongst the many initiatives by which Eilín contributed to an awareness and appreciation of the Irish language and culture in Victoria, was the founding with her husband Vincent Loughnane of the inaugural branch of  Comhaltas Ceoltóiri Éireann and as a presenter on Australia’s first National Irish language Programme, 3EA. Highlights with singer and instrumentalist Lynne Muir, included the Duo’s performances as Support Act for The Dubliners, Makem and Clancy, Mary O’Hara, The Chieftans and The Furey’s and Davey Arthur on Australian national concert tours. 
Since her return to Ireland in 1989, Eilín Ní Bheaglaoich has taught Irish at the National University of Ireland, Maynooth.  She performs regularly at traditional music forums and is a frequent presenter for Radio na Liffe and Anna Livia radio stations.

MICHAEL O’TOOLE
(GUITAR)

Michael teaches guitar at the Royal Irish Academy of Music, the Music School at Waterford Institute of technology, and also the DIT Conservatory of Music and Drama. He is recognized as a leading figure in the Irish guitar scene today and was Artistic Director of The Waltons Guitar Festival of Ireland from 2003 till 2005. He studied for many years with John Feeley in Dublin and also spent two years studying with the renowned Cuban virtuoso Ricardo Iznaola in Denver, Colorado. Michael has performed extensively at home and abroad and has performed live several times on national radio and television.   .

 “…I was knocked out by his performances… he revealed a talent for telling stories with his hands and weaving meticulous trains of musical thought, delivered with a fair punch.”       
Tim Panting, Classical Guitar Magazine.

 “…a thoughtful player, sensitively attuned to the direction of the music…”  
Douglas Sealey, Irish Times.

Órna Loughnane was born in Melbourne, Australia in 1973. She began her training as a classical violinist at the Victorian College of the Arts School and continued her studies with Brian McNamara at the College of Music in Dublin, from 1989. In 1995 she completed the Bachelor in Music Performance Degree at the College of Music and was later awarded a scholarship from the Austrian Government to study in Graz with  Klaus Eichholz. In January 2000 Orna completed the second Diploma for violin performance in the Graz  Musikhochschule and received the academic title “Magistra Artium”. Orna has had a contract with the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra and is currently a member of the Vienna Chamber Philharmonic.

JANE HUGHES
(CELLO)

Jane Hughes MA (music performance) has worked as a cellist for the past 7 years in Dublin. She has performed with the RTE concert orchestra, the RTE national symphony orchestra, the Ulster orchestra , the Irish film orchestra and Opera north. Jane has held teaching positions the Limerick School of Music, the East Leeds Music Centre and Leeson Park School of Music in Dublin. She was artist in residence for 2005 at St. Andrew’s community centre in Dublin and is an experienced workshop facilitator for local schools in Ireland and the UK.  Jane is a regular circuit player with international artists including Meatloaf, Ronan Keating, Rod Stewart, Westlife, Sarah Brightman, Charlotte Church, Sinead O’Connor, Duke Special, The Chieftains, Kiri teKanawa, Luciano Pavorotti, Jose Careras and Placedo Domingo.

MARGARET KEYS
(CLASSICAL VOICE)

Margaret Keys is a young soprano from Derry. She was awarded a1st Class Honours degree from Queen’s University, Belfast in Music Education. She was subsequently awarded a scholarship to study for a masters Degree in Singing and performance at the prestigious Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama under Pat Hay.  Margaret has sung extensively throughout Ireland, UK and America. She has won numerous awards including the International Artists Profile Award,” “The New York Artist award” “The BBC Fame Academy Bursary” and was chosen as one of 8 finalists in the RTE young Diva of the year. Margaret has performed frequently on live broadcasts for RTE and BBC and has taken part in BBC programmes and workshops alongside top west end professionals. She has recently worked with Sir Andrew Lloyd Weber, BBC New Talent and as a soloist with Phil Coulter, The Celtic Tenors, The RTE Concert Orchestra and Chorus and as a support artist to the grammy award winning "Nordyls" ensemble.
Margaret continues to work as the soprano soloist with RTE Concert Orchestra and chorus and will make her debut as the lead soloist in the National Concert Hall in September this year.  As well as concert, radio and television performances Margaret is a frequent performer in musical theatre, Light opera and on the opera stage. She has played the leading role of Eliza in "My Fair Lady" and " Carrie" in RTE production of "Carousel" with the RTE Concert Orchestra and chorus. As part of the New York Artist Award and the BBC Fame Academy Bursary she has been selected to take part in the prestigious “Broadway musical theatre performance and vocal workshops.”  This allows her to work alongside the Broadway stars, directors and producers of Mary Poppins, Beauty and the Beast, Les Miserables, Phantom of the Opera and many of the Broadway productions.

 
LOUISE MCKINNEY
(TRADITIONAL IRISH FLUTE)

Louise McKinney is a young traditional flute player from Tooban.  She studied flute with Marcas Ó’Murchú and tin whistle with Kate Forde.  She came 2nd in the All-Ireland traditional Irish flute competition in 2006 and she held the All-Ireland title in tin whistle for 5 years from 1999-2004.  Lousie is also an accomplished sean-nós singer and was the 2005 and 2006 All-Ireland champion.  Lousie has appeared on Rté television’s Nationwide programme and was featured on Rté radio’s Ceili House programme.  She has also played on Rté Raidió na Gaeltachta.