Katharine MacMaghnuis

Director, Manager, Head of Classical and Orchestral Music, Suzuki Violin and Viola

Katharine has a starred 1st class honours degree in Music from NUI Maynooth and is a fully qualified Suzuki violin teacher. Katharine started teaching violin and academic music in 1992 and has enjoyed conducting many ensembles and orchestras. In 2007, Katharine founded the Athenry Youth Orchestra for whom she has composed many pieces including her first orchestra suite which was performed in the National Concert Hall in 2012. She is a three time recipient of the IAYO National Achievement Award for Youth Orchestra development. Katharine is a founder/director of the OURchestra residential camp with Coole Music Director Katharine Baker. Katharine is a founding member of the new string orchestra for Galway, Luminosa and in 2017 was appointed deputy leader of the Irish Memory Orchestra with whom she has performed with Martin Hayes and Mairtín O Connor. She has lectured and performed in Europe, America and Australia including presenting on online orchestra delivery IAYO 2020, lecturing in the Atherton Tablelands (funded by the Australian Arts Council), Irish National Chamber Music Course, 2012- to date, Edinburgh Suzuki Group 2007-9, Hamburg Music Teachers Conference 2003, Alsace Traditional Festival 2000 and  with the trad rock band Tamlin, played support to The Boomtown Rats in Liechtenstein in 1999!

Helen Farrell

Director; Head of Vocal and Academic music

Helen has a Masters degree in Education (Music) and a 1st class honours Teaching Diploma from the University of Limerick. She received her B.A. Music degree from NUI Maynooth. She has over fifteen years experience as a Junior and Leaving Certificate Music, English and instrumental teacher and is a full time staff member of Presentation College, Athenry. Helen studied classical voice, piano and Speech level singing taking workshops with Andres Martorell, Spencer Welch, Julie Gossage, Richard Halton & Joshua Alamu. Helen has a keen interest in choral music and has taken choral conducting workshops with Colin Durant, Martin Barrett & Greg Beardsell. She attended the Association of Irish Choirs Choral conducting course in 2013 in the University of Limerick and tutored by Bernie Sherlock completed Level 3. An experienced musical director and choral director, she founded Athenry Youth Choir in 2012.

All faculty: in alphabetical order

Clara Booth 

Harp & Piano

Clara Booth has been playing harp since the age of eight. She has a Bachelors of Music specialising in pedagogy from the Technological University of Dublin, where she studied under Denise Kelly. She was the principal harpist of the National Youth Orchestra of Ireland, the Irish Youth Wind Ensemble and the Dublin Youth Orchestra. Clara has won numerous competitions including the ESB Feis Ceoil (Under 12’s, Under 15’s, Junior Harp and Senior Harp) and was shortlisted for the RDS music bursary for young talented musicians. Clara is a member of the TU Dublin harp ensemble who have performed at the RDS Rising Stars Concert, the Welsh International Harp Festival and the Edinburgh International Harp festival. Clara has also been chosen to perform with the RTE National Symphony Orchestra as part of their mentoring scheme. Clara also loves her Irish harp and piano. She was a member of the TU Dublin trad ensemble and has played in numerous venues around Dublin such as Whelans, Workmans, the Button Factory and Opium.

Kevin Brett

Guitar, Director of Athenry Guitar Orchestras, Head of Guitar Dept. 

Kevin has a Masters Degree in Composition from Kingston University and an Honours Postgraduate Diploma in Education (Music) from the University of Limerick. He obtained his B.A. Music Degree from NUI Maynooth. He is an experienced teacher in numerous fields including Musical Theatre, Sound Engineering and is currently teaching FETAC/QQI with Galway Roscommon ETB. Kevin has been teaching Classical Guitar for seven years at Athenry Music School and is the founding Director of the schools Guitar Orchestra. Kevin has studied Composition under Martin O’ Leary, Ian Brabazon, Victor Lazzarini, Mick Parker and Micheal O’ Suilleabhain. He has composed for numerous genres including Modern Dance with Chrysalis Dance Company, Musical Theatre with Stagecoach Galway, a number of short films, animations and documentaries. He is also a song-writing workshop facilitator and recently spent a year as Artist in Residence with a Foróige targeted project for disadvantaged young people.

Paula Camacho

Guitar

Brazilian, living in Galway City, Ireland, Paula Camacho has studied music since she was 6 years old. Member of “Projeto Guri”, an important Brazilian project that encourages children and teenagers to study music, she played in orchestras and chamber groups with the classical repertoire as the main one, until then. She studied traditional Brazilian music with the transverse flute as a teenager, participating in several choro groups (a Brazilian musical style of which the song “Brasileirinho” is a part).

Paula had the opportunity to study classical flute at the Tatuí Conservatory, a very famous institution in Latin America for teaching classical, Brazilian and jazz music and began studying and playing Irish traditional music in 2016 through Irish Sessions in the city of São Paulo/SP. Music teacher for 17 years, she currently teaches music, hosting Irish sessions and dedicating herself to the 7-string guitar for accompaniment and solo in the Brazilian repertoire and the irish guitar as well.

Ana Cardon 

Violin, Viola, ‘Cello 

A Suzuki child since she first encountered the violin at a concert in her hometown of Curitiba, Brazil, Ana progressed through the entire method while studying classical and operatic singing. She continued to play and study while completing a degree in Biology and Pedagogy at the federal university of Parana, before moving to Paris to study Baroque singing and violin at the Conservatoire Erik Satie. She has studied under Montserrat Figueras, Howard Crook and Pierre Hamon. While in Paris she was an intern at a music school teaching music theory and voice training.  She came to Galway and happily soaked up the local musical culture, turning her violin into a fiddle with the help of the Kane sisters. Ana is Brazilian by birth but Irish by choice, she is no stranger to trad, while in Galway she hosted sessions, and gigged playing traditional Irish music. She is the first Brazilian to be granted a masters degree in Traditional Irish music performance by Limerick University studying under fiddle players such as Martin Hayes, Siobhan Peoples and Zoe Conway. Ana also plays Brazilian music and played in the Irish folk metal band Na Cruithne.

Sharon Connell Geraghty

Accordion & Concertina; Head of Traditional Dept.

Sharon holds an honours B.A. degree in Irish Music and Dance and an honours Graduate Teaching Diploma (Music) from the University of Limerick. She has also completed the Comhaltas TTCT teaching diploma. Sharon has fifteen years experience in instrumental tuition and ensemble direction. She has been victorious in the All- Ireland Fleadh Cheoil competition over the past decade, as too have some of her own pupils. Sharon is the current Chairperson of Lackagh Comhaltas. Sharon is the head of our Traditional Department and has taught with Athenry Music School since 2008.

Diarmuid Dempsey

Sound and Video editor 

Diarmuid Dempsey is a multi-instrumentalist and sound engineer currently based in Galway. Starting in the Cork School of Music with Violin and Piano at a young age, he continued his music education in Athenry Music School playing violin with Athenry Youth Orchestra.

Around the same time, he started learning guitar and eventually became involved in Galway’s vibrant cover and wedding band scene as both a guitar and fiddle player, performing with acts such as Footloose, The Gamblers and Carmel Dempsey. As an outlet for his keen interest in songwriting, arrangement and music production, Diarmuid also works with Whifflefit – a three-piece rock band, and Noch Zweimal – a folk duo, producing and releasing material on a regular basis.

Diarmuid graduated from Maynooth University with a BSc in Psychology in 2020. He taught music throughout his course of study, initially completing “foundational violin teacher training” for the Colourstrings method at sixteen and going on to teach violin, guitar and piano in Maynooth Music Academy and the Esker Music Project. During this time, he also played in the Maynooth University Orchestra and was extensively involved in the Maynooth University Jazz Society.

Katie Diviney

Choral Tutor

Katie is from Athenry and a past student of Athenry music school studying piano through Suzuki
method and going on to learn pieces for practical exams in school and university with the guidance
of Teresa in the music school. Katie has just received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Music and English from University of Galway. She is now going on to study the Professional Master of education at university of Galway.
Over the last year Katie has become a mentor with Cor le Kids and brings great energy and
enthusiasm to the group. Meeting new people and helping them to learn is one of Katie’s passions and the reason she has been inspired to become a teacher.

Antonello D’Orazio

Flute, Clarinet, Alto & Tenor Saxophone, Theory

Antonello D’Orazio is originally from Italy and has lived in Ireland for over 10 years. He is a saxophone, flute and clarinet player and a graduate of Conservatorio Licinio Refice”, Frosinone, Italy.  Originally classically trained and with extensive performance experience in contemporary/Jazz music, Antonello has over twenty years of experience as a teacher of wind and theory. As musician he has performed with the DIT Big Band, the RTE Concert Orchestra and continues to perform as a freelance tenor saxophonist. Antonello has been building our wind department since 2016 and we are delighted to see the fruits of his labour with many wind students joining our orchestras and gaining places in the National Wind Ensemble of Ireland and Symphonic Waves.

Dr. Anna Falkenau

Fiddle

Fiddle teacher Anna Falkenau has been playing music since the age of five, training formally on violin and on classical guitar. She studied music at University College Cork, graduating with a First Class Honours and gaining distinction in 2002. She also holds a Master in Music from Wesleyan University in the US (2005). She has learned traditional music from Seamus Creagh, Liz Doherty, Connie O’Connell, Johnny McCarthy and many more during workshops. Teaching traditional fiddle privately since 1997, she has taught at University, Secondary and Primary School level. She is an avid performer herself, having toured extensively in the US and in Europe.

Mia Fitzgerald

Suzuki Piano

Mia hails from Athenry and is currently completing her BA in Music in the University of Galway. A past student of the ASM, she studied piano with Teresa Turner, achieving an Honours Senior Certificate from the RIAM in 2021. Mia has developed her pedagogical skills in Suzuki Piano training with the Suzuki Education Institute of Ireland, of which she is a registered member. She has taught individual lessons privately since 2020 and is delighted to be joining the faculty in ASM.

Nicola Geddes

Violin, Viola, Cello 

Nicola Geddes has been teaching cello in the West of Ireland since 1999.  She has worked with the GTI Music Scheme, the Limerick School of Music, Coole Music in Gort and the Galway Youth Orchestras.  She performs regularly with SoundPost Quartet, who are part of the Galway Music Residency, and has performed and featured on recordings with popular and traditional artisis, such as Damian Rice, the Saw Doctors and many more. Nickie has taught with Athenry Music School in our original outreach programme in Clarin College established in 2008.

Steph Geremia

Wooden Flute & Tin whistle

Steph Geremia studied World Music at the prestigious, Wesleyan University (USA) and holds a Master’s Degree in Traditional Irish Music Performance, which she completed at the University of Limerick. She is a highly sought-after teacher who continues to teach masterclasses at many international festivals, Royal Conservatory of Scotland and the University of Limerick.

Perhaps best known for her vibrant and versatile Irish flute playing and as a mainstay of the critically acclaimed group, Alan Kelly Gang, she brings a wealth of musical scholarship to her love for Ireland’s North Connaught tradition.

To date, Steph has released two critically acclaimed solo flute albums, The Open Road (2009) and Up She Flew (2018) in addition to collaborative albums with the Alan Kelly Gang: Small Towns and Famous Nights (2011) and The Last Bell (2014). 2022 will bring an exciting new chapter with the release of her first solo album fully dedicated to song.

Fionnuala Hannigan-Dunkley

Concertina, Voice, Director Cor Le Kids & Cor le Cheile

Growing up in a musical family in Conamara, competing in Fleadh Ceoil, and studying music and singing with Sr Karol at Kylemore Abbey make up the bulk of Fionnuala’s early musical education. After obtaining RIAM gold medal and grade 8 distinctions, she studied performance on concertina, voice and conducting in the Cork School of music CIT 2007-2011, graduating with first class honours, mentored by Johnny McCarthy and by the late Alan Cutts. Following the completion of a MA at NUIG in 2015, she now divides her time as a performer with musical act Don’t Tell Dad, session musician, choir leader and music teacher.

In harmony with her musical ethos, of love and enjoyment in making music, Fionnuala tutors for voice (individual and group), concertina and leaving cert music.

Pat Hargan

Guitar

Pat read Classics at Oxford before moving to Ireland in 2001. He has taught classical guitar for the past ten years and has a teaching diploma from the Associated Board of Royal Schools of Music. Pat has studied music technology at the University of Limerick and has trained in both Colourstrings and Kodály methodologies through his work with Maoin Cheoil na Gaillimhe and Music Generation.

He performs regularly as a singer and guitarist, and has toured with various groups in Europe and the Middle East and also works in the Galway theatre scene as a musician, actor and sound designer, and has toured internationally with productions by Branar and Moonfish Theatre. Pat has taught in our Guitar and Traditional Departments since 2018.

Sineád Hayes

Advisor & Mentor

Irish conductor Sinead Hayes is equally at home working with choir, orchestra, opera and contemporary music ensembles. A graduate of the renowned masters conducting programme of the Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester, she is emerging as a leading interpreter of contemporary music and opera in Ireland.

The 2020-21 season is Sinead’s seventh season as conductor of the Hard Rain Soloist Ensemble in Belfast, with whom she has premiered numerous works by established Irish and international composers.

She has conducted all the major professional orchestras in Ireland including the Ulster Orchestra, RTE Concert Orchestra and Irish Chamber Orchestra, as well as conducting productions for Northern Ireland Opera and Opera Collective Ireland. In the 2018-19 season, Sinead was assistant conductor and chorus director for Irish National Opera’s main stage productions.

Prior to moving back to Ireland in 2018, Sinead lived and worked in the UK and Berlin, Germany, where she was active as a traditional fiddle player, even performing on fiddle with members of the Berlin Philharmonic in their family concert series in 2017!

Future projects include the postponed performances of Elaine Agnew’s opera Paper Boat in Galway, recordings and performances with the Hard Rain Soloist Ensemble, as well as the establishment of her conducting teaching studio in Galway.

Carolina Ibagos

Suzuki Violin & Viola

Carolina is from Colombia. She has qualified with a degree in music education in Colombia. She has studied in Paris where she obtained a Masters in education and Certificate in Violin. Carolina is a fully qualified Suzuki violin teacher, having trained both in South America and with the Suzuki Education Institute of Ireland and she is a member of Suzuki association of the Americas and SEIi. Carolina has extensive experience as a music teacher, teaching from the very young to advanced. Carolina has taught with Athenry Music School since 2009.

Liz Johnston

Cello

Liz Johnston (B.MUS, L.T.C.L, Dip CSM, H Dip Arts Admin) is a native of Cork city and has been living and working in Galway as a freelance musician for 35 years.  From a young age she studied cello in the Cork School of Music and music in UCC.  An established cellist and teacher she is no stranger to the Galway classical music scene, having played with various musical societies and performing groups from The Galway Cathedral Players and Galway Choral Association to Frankie Gavin and De Danann, Nollag Casey, Charlie Lennon, Martín O’Connor and Garry O Bríain and Pauline Scanlon and The Whileaways. Liz has been teaching cello in Headford for the past 18 years with considerable success with a number of former students now working as professional musicians both nationally and internationally. She is also a longstanding member of the award winning choir Cois Cladaigh and a founder member of Maigh Seola and String Serenade (formerly the Oriel String Quartet). She is a former conductor of the Galway Youth Orchestra, NUIG Choral Society and Galway Choral Association Youth Choir. Liz is delighted to be joining the faculty in ASM where she has been teaching since January of 2020 and is looking forward to the year ahead.

Stephen Kenny

Suzuki Violin & Viola

Stephen playing violin (and electric violin) has performed and recorded in the UK and Ireland with a number of bands and contemporary groups. His string pedagogical skills have been developed in Suzuki Violin training with Suzuki Education Institute of Ireland. He is a registered member of the SELi and of the European String Teachers Association. He has a violin teaching diploma from the London College of Music. Athenry Music School has had the pleasure of working with Stephen since 2009. He has succeeded in guiding students through their auditions and on to gain places in the National Youth Orchestra of Ireland and the West of Ireland Youth Orchestra, Symphonic Waves.

Daire MacMághnuis

Jazz & Classical Piano and Double Bass

Daire is an enthusiastic musician who will always try to maintain the energy and enjoyment in any performance. The groups Daire has performed with belong to a variety of genres; jazz and funk; the majority of his experience is as a classical musician including experience with the National Youth Orchestra of Ireland, the Ulster Youth Orchestra and Camarata Ireland. As section leader Daire has performed extensively with the DIT Symphony Orchestra and the City of Dublin Chamber Orchestra.  Daire continues to play with the Fishamble Sinfonia, the west Cork chamber music festival’s ‘Festival Strings’ and the Orchestra of the Irish National Youth Ballet. Daire has also gained a lot of knowledge about large ensemble playing in two series of concerts with Academos, a group led and tutored by Catherine Hunka and section leaders of the Irish Chamber Orchestra. He performed a series of chamber music concerts including the music of Beethoven, Schubert and  solo performances of Bottesini’s Elegy in D and Vanhal’s Double bass concerto in D while tutoring on Summer Music on the Shannon with members of the Oslo Symphony Orchestra and students from London. At the age of 17, Daire started performing blues and jazz and has since played in many venues and festivals around Ireland and aboard, most recently in Poland and Germany. Daire is the founder conductor of the Horizons Orchestra and Athenry Camerata in the Athenry Music School where he also taught improvisation for piano and double bass. He is now based in Berlin, where he works as a freelance musician. He is now an associate member of faculty with Athenry Music School, guest conducting and arranging for our orchestras and choirs, running song writing and improvisation workshops and tutors of our annual OURchestra camp. Daire completed his undergraduate studies in the DIT Conservatory of Music and Drama receiving a first class honours in performance and an upper second class honours overall.

Berni Mahon

Suzuki and Classical Piano 

Berni holds an ALCM, LLCM (TD) and a Diploma in Music Education from NUI Galway. She is also a fully accredited Suzuki Piano teacher. Berni is a founder member and current member of the multi-awarding winning choir Cois Cladaigh and has studied the Kodaly method with both Yvonne Barry and Sr Karol of Kylemore Abbey.

David McEntee

Piano

David McEntee, DipMus, BMus, is an award winning pianist, composer and teacher at Athenry Music School and Galway Piano Studio. A graduate of the Royal Irish Academy of Music and the Cork School of Music, David trained in classical piano, has won several competitions across the country and has given performances at home and abroad. With 19 years teaching experience, David teaches a variety of piano styles as well as music production. He also runs Hell Bent Music Studio composing and producing multimedia content.

Sineád Murphy

Voice, Director of Youth Choir

Sinead Murphy hails from Athenry and  is a graduate from the prestigious Cork School of Music having specialised in singing and songwriting and is a past student of Athenry Music School. Sinead released her debut EP “The Golden Book” in April 2017 and is currently in the process of recording her debut album which is set for release in spring 2021. Sinead performs regularly in hotels around Galway and weddings across the country. Sineád featured as a composer-in-residence with Athenry Music School while she was in her final year in college and has written and performed with our Horizon Orchestra. Sineád began teaching with Athenry Music School in 2020.

Tom Murphy

Violin and Viola, Leaving Certificate

Tom graduated with a B. Mus. from University College Cork. He also holds Licentiate diplomas from The Associated Board, The Royal Irish Academy of Music and the London College of Music. He has studied with Una Kindlon of the NSO in Cork, Viola with Seamus O Grady also of the NSO. Tom really enjoys playing chamber music and regularly plays with the Corrib String Quartet and Yukatope String Quartet. He is a founding member of the Loughrea Music Club which presents free monthly concerts in Loughrea Library.

Ingrid Nicola

Violin & Chamber Music

Ingrid Nicola is a violinist and founding member of ConTempo quartet. She is a chamber music visiting teacher at the Royal Irish Academy of Music, and has taught at the Royal Academy of Music in London, Gedai University of Music Tokyo, DIT and Cork School of Music. Ingrid graduated from the University of Music in Bucharest where she studied with Daniel Podlovschi and Ladislau Csendes. She continued her studies through various residencies including the Banff Centre for the Arts in Canada, Royal Academy of Music in London, Accademia Chigiana in Siena, European Academy of Music in Aix-en Province, Britten, Pierce School for Advanced Music Studies in Aldeburgh and Escuela Superior de Musica Reina Sofia in Madrid. Ingrid received her Masters of Arts in Music with First Class Honours at Cork School of Music in 2005. In 2015, Ingrid was awarded a Diploma in Child Psychology(O.A.DIP). On 10th June 2016 Ingrid and her colleagues from ConTempo Quartet were awarded Doctorates of Music (honoris causa) by the National University of Ireland, Galway for their contribution to music and education in the West of Ireland. Ingrid has studied with some of the most celebrated string quartets of the world, such as Amadeus, Alban Berg, Tokyo, Emerson and Hagen quartets, and with musicians such as Diemut Poppen, Petra Mullejans, Piero Farulli, David Takeno, Laurence Lesser and Gilbert Kalish. As part of ConTempo Quartet, Ingrid has won 14 International Prizes in Chamber Music Competitions (London, Munich, Berlin, Prague, Graz, Hamburg, Rome). She has performed over 2000 concerts around the world in 42 countries. Since September 2018, Ingrid has been a conductor and teacher for Galway Youth Orchestra.

Elaine O’Connor  

Piano – Suzuki, Classical and various styles. 

Elaine has completed her Suzuki training having studied in both Australia and Ireland. She holds a European Suzuki Association (ESA) Dip in Suzuki piano and a Dip in Music Education from NUI Galway. Additionally, she has achieved Advanced Performance certification from the London College of Music. Elaine has taught at National Suzuki camps in both Australia and Ireland.

With over 20 years of experience teaching classical piano, Elaine also incorporates various genres of music including jazz, blues and funk into her teaching. Her background in band performance informs her approach, allowing her to work effectively with teens in ensemble and band settings.

Elaine is passionate about early childhood music. She has introduced an early childhood music program to day-care centres based on the principles of Dalcroze and Orff.  In addition she has actively participated with keyboard programs in various primary schools.

Emmet O’Connor (online) 

Piano, composition

Emmet O’Connor holds a BMus (Hons) in Composition from DIT Conservatory of Music and Drama where he studied piano with Shirin Goudarzi-Tobin, organ with the late Una Russell and composition with Dr. David Bremner. He has worked extensively as an accompanist, in classical recitals, in jazz settings from duos to big bands, as a liturgical pianist/organist, and currently works with several active choirs in Dublin, including the Forget Me Nots, Mellow Tonics, and MISA St. James’ choirs. His debut EP: 2020, an instrumental concept piece, was released in July 2020 and can be found on all major streaming platforms. His work has been performed by the DIT Symphony Orchestra, Concorde Ensemble, Ulster Jazz Ensemble, members of the RTE Symphony Orchestra and the Athenry Youth and Horizon Orchestras.

Tom Portman

Guitar

Established composer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Tom Portman plays and teaches acoustic/electric/classical guitars and dobro/lap steel.

He been teaching since 1999 and regularly performs in Ireland and across Europe as a solo musician and is a member of the Louisiana based band ‘Brother Dege and the Brotherhood’. As a session musician, Tom has recorded for many Irish artists and Grammy nominated Brother Dege, whose music featured in Tarantino’s film ‘Django Unchained’ and Magma Film’s feature film ‘The Ugly Duckling and Me’. He also has four successful solo albums which contain original songs, compositions and arrangements for guitar, dobro and small ensemble. Tom recently received a first-class Honours Masters’ Degree in Song writing from the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance, University of Limerick

Alex Revenko

Orchestral Tutor

Alex was born and raised in Ukraine, and started playing violin at the age of 8. From the age of 12, he began to perform solo concerts, as well as participate in several city and regional competitions, only ever receiving 1st place or grand prix prize (grand prix -overall winner of all categories). In 2012 he entered the Lviv Academy of Music in the class of the rector of the academy, violinist Ihor Pylatiuk. During Alex’s studies at the Academy of Music he continued playing solo concerts and was actively involved with his quartet. Alex was a leader of the College Symphony Orchestra and also played in the Chamber and Symphony Jazz Orchestra. Their concerts included nationwide tours and festivals, as well as home concerts.

Sean Ryan

Percussion 

Drumming has been Sean’s life for more than 25 years. He has recorded original music with several bands on over ten albums and EPs. Since 2013, he has taught music professionally and has performed internationally. Sean studied for more than three years at the prestigious London College of Contemporary Music, where he had the privilege of studying under the late great Pete Zeldman and renowned session drummer and MD Richard Brook. He performed as part of the 2013 UEFA Champions League final opening ceremony as a member of the LCCM Beefeaters Drumline playing Marching Snare.

He is particularly interested in youth teaching and doing his part to introduce the next generation to the joy of music. Drumming and percussion are often neglected in musical education in Ireland, and so he is all the more delighted to provide a robust programme at the Athenry Music School. Please get in touch to join the exciting world of rhythm!

Róisín Rock 

Cello (online)

Róisín Rock has completed her bachelor of Music honours degree in the Cork School of Music where she specialised in performance and teaching and was awarded a first class honours degree. She hails from Athenry and is a past member of the Athenry Music School having studied with Peter Sebastyen, a youth leader of Athenry Youth Orchestra while on tour to Belgium in 2016, and a graduate of Athenry Music School’s Clarin College Cello Programme.

She has been a member of a number of orchestras such as the Cork Symphony Orchestra, Symphonic Waves orchestra and the Cork Concert orchestra. She has also performed with a number of musical societies such as the Loughrea Youth Theatre, Tullamore musical society and the Skariff musical society.  Róisín began teaching in the Athenry Music school in January 2020.

Agnese Sakare

Suzuki Piano

Agnese, who originally hails from Latvia, has played piano from a very young age. She qualified with a B.A. in Music Pedagogy from the Latvian Music Academy. She is a fully qualified Suzuki piano teacher and has fifteen years piano teaching experience in Ireland. She previously taught music at both primary and secondary level in Latvia.

Agnese is an accomplished pianist, accompanist and conductor and currently directs the Loughrea Cathedral Choir. Agnese has been teaching with Athenry Music School since 2009.

Fergal Scahill

Fiddle

Fergal began his musical career at the age of 5 on stage with The Galway Folk Theatre and hasn’t been far from the stage ever since! An accomplished musician on many instruments, he has won multiple “All-Ireland” titles on fiddle, bodhran, guitar and ceili drums, not to mention countless national titles in group competitions. Of late his main focus has been the fiddle and he has developed a unique style, borrowing from all the folk fiddle traditions. In addition to the 4 albums by We Banjo 3, Fergal is in huge demand as a recording artist and has recorded on over 40 albums to date. He has performed in over 30 countries with numerous bands and shows. When not playing the fiddle, Fergal likes cooking and making stuff out of timber!

Jose Scolaro

Violin & Viola

Jose, the accomplished Venezuelan violinist was born in Ciudad Bolívar, where he began his musical journey as the concertmaster for the Nucleus of Youth and Children’s Orchestras. In 1981, he moved to Caracas, joining the Simón Bolívar Venezuelan Youth Symphony Orchestra under Maestro José Francisco Del Castillo.

Jose’s musical pursuits have taken him across the globe, including a specialisation course in France with the renowned violinist Erick Friedman in 1982. He was one of the founding members of Chamber Orchestra of Venezuela and has been a devoted member of the “Simón Bolívar” Symphony Orchestra, participating in international tours.

Passionate about music education, Jose has been instrumental in teaching and leading workshops for Venezuela’s Youth and Children’s Orchestras Program. He has also worked with UNESCO and OAS to help create youth and children’s orchestras throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. In 1999, Jose played a crucial role in founding the National Children’s Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela, where he mentored talents like Gustavo Dudamel. With 37 years as a 1st Violinist in the Simón Bolívar Symphony and 26 years as a violin teacher at the Emil Friedman School, Jose is a deeply committed educator.

Holding degrees in Music and Pedagogical Competencies, Jose’s commitment to music education aligns with our mission at the music school.

Will Sexton

Trumpet 

Born in Dublin now living in Galway Will Sexton has been a Trumpet player since the age of 10yrs. He initially studied Trumpet under Joseph Csibi and Vivienne Johnson in TUD College of Music, Dublin. Will completed his undergraduate Bachelor of Music in the MTU, Cork School of Music. While studying in Cork he got the opportunity to perform many genres such as Orchestral and Military Band music. He also was given the opportunity to be a member of the CSM Guinness Big Band and got many opportunities to perform throughout Europe with this group.

While studying in Cork, Will first became aware of Music Therapy as a discipline and decided to further his knowledge with further study. He completed his Higher Post Graduate Diploma in Music Therapy in The Royal Welsh College of Music, Cardiff. Will has been a professional Music Therapist registered with the Irish Association for Creative Arts Therapists. He is currently employed by the Brothers of Charity Services, Ireland.

Anna Szombathy

Online Harp

Anna is a Hungarian harpist who studied music from the age of 6 in a musical primary and secondary school. She then moved to Ireland to continue her musical studies under the tutelige of Denise Kelly McDonnell, to complete the Bmus degree in the DIT Conservatory of Music and Drama.

She won many prizes in the Hungarian National Harp Competition and also received first prize in the Budapest 5th District Competition of Solo Musicians. She played in many venues of Budapest, including the Palace of Arts and the Hungarian State Opera House. In DIT Conservatory of Music and Drama, she received highly commended at the Inhouse Solo Orchestral competition 2017 and she has been nominated to represent the Conservatory for this years Freemasons Young Musician of the Future.
In Ireland she joined the DIT Harp Ensemble playing for the International Traditional Harp Festival in Edinburgh and for the RDS Rising Stars Concert. They gave workshops at the Wales International Harp Festival where she played and discussed Irish traditional music. She also performed as part of the DIT Harp Ensemble for the closing concert for the Wales International Harp Festival.

Teresa Turner

Double Bass & Piano

Teresa graduated in 2005 with an Honours Bachelor of Music Degree from the Cork School of Music. A keen orchestral musician, she started playing first with Wexford Sinfonia, and then went on to join the National Youth Orchestra of Ireland, among others. She has participated in many orchestra tours abroad including Germany, Holland, Denmark, and Finland. She is currently principal double bass of the Luminosa String Orchestra. Much sought-after as an accompanist, she has worked with various choirs, including the Tribal Chamber Choir and the Marine Singers in Galway, as well as regularly accompanying grade exams. Teresa has been teaching individual lessons in piano and double bass for over 15 years. In 2011 she completed a three year training to become a fully certified teacher of the Alexander Technique.