Performance Background
Fiona recently graduated with a Master Degree in Music Performance from the DIT Conservatory of Music and Drama with Denise Kelly-McDonnell having previously graduated with a First Class Honours BMus degree in Performance and Pedagogy from the DIT Conservatory of Music and Drama where she was awarded the Nuala Levins Perpetual Award for Pedagogy. She also completed postgraduate studies in Harp at the Civica Scuola di Musica Claudio Abbado, Milan with Irina Zingg.
Over the years, Fiona has been a multiple prizewinner in National competitions. In 2014, Fiona was awarded the John Vallery Memorial prize for ‘the best performance by a string player’ at the Irish Freemasons Young Musician of the Year competition as well as the RTE Lyric FM Instrumental Bursary at Sligo Feis Ceoil.
Fiona is an active orchestral and chamber musician. She has performed as Principal harpist with the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, the RTÉ Concert Orchestra, The Irish Chamber Orchestra and the Ulster Orchestra. She has performed as soloist with orchestras on numerous occasions, including performances of, Danses Sacrée et Profane by Debussy and ‘Handel’s Harp Concerto in B-flat major’ as well as Marbhna Requiem for 1916 composed by Odhrán Ó Casaide. With clarinettist Berginald Rash, Fiona has performed at the Boyne Music Festival 2018 as well as the Tara Summer Festival 2018.
As a soloist and member of the DIT Harp Ensemble she has performed at the Wales International Harp Festival and An Chúirt Chruitireachta Annual International Harp Festival as well as the RDS Rising Stars series, the Edinburgh International Harp Festival and the Boyle Music Festival.
As a former member of the Aurora Flute and Harp duo with Katie Hyland, Fiona participated in ‘Tuning Up 2018’, a schools education project and performed in concerts and masterclasses at the 2017 West Cork Chamber Music Festival and Fringe Festival. The duo availed of many of the Apprentice training programmes available in Ireland such as The Galway Music Residency Apprentice Ensemble Programme, the KBC Great Music in Irish Houses Support Act Residency and the Boyne Music Festival Young Associated Artists Programme.
Fiona is currently continuing her studies at TU Dublin.
Teaching Background
Fiona began learning the harp at age eleven with Dearbhail Finnegan and then Emer Kenny and has since gone on to study with Denise Kelly-McDonnell and Irina Zingg. She has also participated in masterclasses with some of the world’s leading harpists such as, Milda Agazarian, Petra van der Heide, Isabelle Moretti, Annaleen Lenaerts, Sioned Williams, Milda Agazarian, Mara Galassi, Alice Giles, Marie-Claire Jamet, Elinor Bennet and Catrin Finch.
Fiona teaches harp and piano to adults and children privately from her home studio in Ashbourne Co. Meath. She teaches a variety of genres including classical, traditional and pop music. Her students have gone on to study at TUDublin Conservatoire of Music and Drama and gained places in the Cross Border Orchestra of Ireland.
Fiona is the founder and director of her own harp ensemble and organises student concerts and performance opportunities with her students throughout the year.
Fiona has had a lot of education and outreach experience over the years. She has been a harp teacher at international festivals such as An Chúirt Chruitireachta, Wales Harp Festival and Tara Summer Festival and Ruaille Buaille Festival, Lucan. She has taught the harp in Rathdown Music School and in the Harp Department of the DIT Conservatory of Music and Drama. She was awarded a pedagogy award scholarship to attend the Kodály Society of Ireland summer course. She has worked as a student facilitator at the DIT IDEA creativity summer camps as well as teaching some of the music modules at the camps. She has assisted with musical activities in Scoil Cholmcille, Skryne and she has worked with St. Louis Primary School, Rathmines and Scoil Cholmcille, Skryne on Primary School composition projects.
Qualifications
- Masters in Music Performance from DIT Conservatory of Music and Drama, Dublin, Ireland
- First Class Honours BMus in Performance and Pedagogy, DIT Conservatory of Music and Drama
- Licentiate of the Royal Irish Academy of Music (LRIAM) Diploma in Harp Teaching, (NFQ Level 8) Distinction, RIAM, Dublin, Ireland
Postgraduate Diploma in Harp at Civica Scuola di Musica Claudio Abbado, Milan, Italy
Awards
Elected as a Nissan Generation Next Ambassador 2016—2017.
Nuala Levins Perpetual Award for Pedagogy from the DIT Conservatory of Music and Drama.
John Vallery Memorial prize for ‘the best performance by a string player’ at the Irish Freemasons Young Musician of the Year competition
Sligo Feis Ceoil RTE Lyric FM Instrumental Bursary Winner
Feis Ceoil Senior Harp Cup Winner
Keadue Open Harp Competition Winne
