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481
Mairead Nesbitt / Lets Meet Mairead N
« on: February 13, 2018, 09:22:24 PM »
Máiréad Nesbitt (pronounced like "parade" with an "M") was born in Loughmore, County Tipperary, Ireland. is an Irish classical and Celtic music performer, most notably as a violinist. She is formerly the fiddler for the group Celtic Woman.

Background

Nesbitt was born to John and Kathleen Nesbitt, both music teachers in Co.Tipperary, Ireland. She has a sister, Frances, and four brothers, Seán, Michael, Noel and Karl, all of whom are musicians. She has been a piano player since the age of four, and began playing the violin at age six.

Her formal musical studies began at The Ursuline Convent in Thurles, County Tipperary and progressed through the Waterford Institute of Technology and the Cork School of Music, during which time she participated in the National Youth Orchestra of Ireland. Nesbitt completed postgraduate studies at Royal Academy of Music and Trinity College of Music in London under Emanuel Hurwitz.

Besides her family, Nesbitt has stated that her influences range from Itzhak Perlman and Michael Coleman to bluegrass artist Alison Krauss and rock's David Bowie and Sting

Career

After finishing her post-graduate studies, Nesbitt joined the RTÉ Concert Orchestra, thus beginning her professional career as a violinist at age 16. She later moved into solo performances, working with a variety of performers, including Van Morrison, Clannad and Sharon Shannon. She also spent some time as fiddler for the Irish group Coolfin, and recorded an album with them.

Nesbitt broke into the wider world in 1996 when she was invited to perform in the Michael Flatley show Lord of the Dance There, she played lead fiddle until 1998, at which time she went with Flatley to his second show, Feet of Flames. She toured in this production, again as lead fiddler, until leaving in 2001. Nesbitt also played on the original soundtracks to both shows, as well as for the soundtrack to Riverdance.

Nesbitt released her début solo album in 2001, Raining Up, which features a broad range of musical styles, both traditional and contemporary. The album features a number of guest performers and members of Nesbitt's own family: her mother, sister, and brothers Seán and Karl. In promotion of the album, she toured with her own band.

In 2004, Nesbitt was invited to play violin for a performance at the Helix Theatre in Dublin, called Celtic Woman.[8] The popularity of this and subsequent performances on television and live albums has led to five tours across the United States. Celtic Woman has released a total of nine albums to date: Celtic Woman, Celtic Woman: A Christmas Celebration, Celtic Woman: A New Journey, Celtic Woman: The Greatest Journey, Celtic Woman: Songs from the Heart, Celtic Woman: Lullaby, Celtic Woman: Believe, Celtic Woman: Home for Christmas, and Celtic Woman: Emerald - Musical Gems.

Nesbitt has worked with the bhangra fusion band The Dhol Foundation on their 2005 album Drum-Believable, has composed the original music score alongside Tibor Kasza for the tour of Irish Dance Invasion, a production based in Budapest, and has played and recorded with the group Afro Celt Sound System. Nesbitt also performed privately for HRH The Princess Anne during her visit to Dublin in September 2004. The Celtic Tenors Live in Concert DVD released in 2006 also features Nesbitt on several tracks.

Nesbitt is featured as a soloist on Walt Disney's direct to DVD film Tinker Bell. Joel McNeely composed music specifically to fit Nesbitt's distinctive style, and collaborated with her to further polish the music for Celtic authenticity.

As of March 2010, Nesbitt was working on a second solo album, as well as an album with her very musical family.

Shortly before Thanksgiving, 2011, Nesbitt married Jim Mustapha, Jr., lighting director for The Who in Maui, Hawaiʻi.

On May 4, 2016, Nesbitt announced she was recording a new solo album, Hibernia, in August 2016. The album was released on December 9, 2016. It debuted at No. 4 on both the Billboard World Albums chart and at No. 11 on the Billboard Classical Albums chart.

On July 11, 2016, Nesbitt announced she would be launching her own line of violins called Celtic Violins by Máiréad Nesbitt Celtic Violinist. Nesbitt also announced she would be using a new violin alongside her 17th century Matthias violin on upcoming projects, including on Hibernia.

On August 7, 2016, it was announced that Nesbitt would be stepping away from Celtic Woman to focus on working on her own projects.

In February, 2017, Nesbitt was announced as the featured violinist on the inaugural tour of Rocktopia, a fusion of rock and classical music. The inaugural tour ran from March 28, 2017 to April 23, 2017, with an additional show on August 12, 2017. Rocktopia will appear in a limited six-week run on Broadway from March 20 to April 29, 2018.

On June 30, 2017, the Nesbitt family released a family album, Devil's Bit Sessions. The album features 13 members of the Nesbitt family, spanning 3 generations from age 10 to 81. It was recorded in the Nesbitt family home in County Tipperary, Ireland and is named after the local mountain, The Devil's Bit.[21][22] The album first appeared on the Billboard World Albums chart at No. 9, the week of July 29, 2017.

Discography
Solo
Raining Up (2001 UK Release; 2006 US Release)
Hibernia (December 2016)
With Celtic Woman
Celtic Woman (March 2005)
Celtic Woman: A Christmas Celebration (October 2006)
Celtic Woman: A New Journey (January 2007)
Celtic Woman: The Greatest Journey (October 2008)
Celtic Woman: Songs from the Heart (January 2010)
Celtic Woman: Lullaby (February 2011)
Celtic Woman: Believe (May 2011, January 2012)
Celtic Woman: Home for Christmas (October 2012)
Celtic Woman: Emerald - Musical Gems (February 2014)
Celtic Woman: Destiny (October 2015)
Celtic Woman: The Best of Christmas (November 2017)
With The Dhol Foundation
Drum-Believable (2005)
Other contributions
Lord of the Dance (March 1997)[24]
Feet of Flames (February 1999)
Tinker Bell (soundtrack) (October 2008)
Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure (soundtrack) (September 2009)
Devil's Bit Sessions (June 2017)

Filmography
Lord of the Dance (November 1999)[24]
Celtic Woman (March 2005)
Celtic Woman: A New Journey (January 2007)
Celtic Woman: A Christmas Celebration (October 2007)
Celtic Woman: The Greatest Journey (October 2008)
Celtic Woman: Songs from the Heart (January 2010)
Celtic Woman: Believe (January 2012)
Celtic Woman: Home for Christmas (October 2013)
Celtic Woman: Emerald - Musical Gems (February 2014)
Celtic Woman: Destiny (October 2015)


FAQ:

Q: When is Máiréad Nesbitt's birthday?

A: April 17, 1979

Q: Is the blonde fiddler still with Celtic Woman?

A: No. Mairead left the group after the Destiny tour to pursue her solo career and start her violin line.

Q: How do you pronounce Máiréad?

A: To quote Máiréad, "It's like 'parade' with an M."

Q: What is the difference between a violin and a fiddle?

A: There isn't one. Traditional violinists usually refer to their instruments as a fiddle and classical players as a violin.

Q: What kind of violin(s) does Máiréad play?

A: The violin Máiréad played for a long time (including on tour with Celtic Woman) is is a 300 year old 9/8 Matthias Alban. It was given to her as a child by a family friend whom Máiréad used to warm violins up for. During her Lord of the Dance days, and on her album Raining Up, she played a Skyinbow violin and her endorsement page with the company can be found here. Since she launched her violin line, she has played various models from her line.

Q: What brand of strings does Máiréad use?

A: Máiréad plays on Dominant strings by Thomastik-Infeld and the company sponsors her on tour.

Q: Is Máiréad any relation to Caroline Nesbitt?

A: Yes, Caroline is Máiréad's sister-in-law and has been Celtic Woman's art director since 2008. She also designed Máiréad's album cover for Raining Up.

Q: Is Máiréad married?

A: Yes, to Celtic Woman's former on tour Lighting Director, Jim Mustapha.

482
Órlagh Fallon / Lets Meet Orlagh
« on: February 13, 2018, 09:09:54 PM »
Órlagh Fallon, professionally known as Órla Fallon, is an Irish soloist, songwriter and former member of the group Celtic Woman and the chamber choir Anúna.

Early life and education

Fallon was born in Knockananna, Ireland. She plays the harp and sings traditional Irish music, most often in the Irish language. Fallon studied at Mater Dei Institute of Education, in Dublin. She has performed for the Pope and the President of Ireland and at Carnegie Hall.

Early career

Her debut album, The Water is Wide, was released in Europe in 2000 and in North America in 2006. In 2005, she was featured on The Duggans album Rubicon along with peers Moya Brennan and other members of Clannad.

Celtic Woman

In 2004, Fallon sent a demo offer to composer David Downes, who was then working on the concept of Celtic Woman. Due to her unique vocal abilities, Downes contacted Fallon and asked if she would like to be a part of Celtic Woman, then only envisaged to be a one-night show. Fallon agreed, and became one of the founding members of the group. In some songs, Fallon has performed the harp as well as singing - some examples of the songs she has performed are "Isle of Innisfree" and "Carrickfergus". She has also performed the harp for fellow Celtic Woman member Chloe Agnew's performance of Guun's "Ave Maria".

Fallon was featured in the self-titled debut album Celtic Woman, Celtic Woman: A Christmas Celebration and Celtic Woman: A New Journey, as well as in the tie-in PBS television specials and DVDs filmed in 2004, 2007, and 2006 respectively. She also toured with the group in 2005 on the inaugural North American Tour, the 2006-07 A New Journey tour, and again in 2007-08 on the second A New Journey tour.

In 2009, Fallon announced that she would be leaving Celtic Woman to have a full break and spend time with her family, and was replaced as a member of Celtic Woman by actress and vocalist Alex Sharpe.

Post-Celtic Woman[edit]

In 2009, Fallon appeared as a guest vocalist on Jim Brickman's "It's a Beautiful World" tour and PBS special, and released her second album Distant Shore in September of that year. This was followed in March 2010 with her third album Music of Ireland: Welcome Home. In December 2010, Fallon released a PBS Celtic Christmas special and tie-in CD, titled Órla Fallon's Celtic Christmas, the first time any former Celtic Woman member had starred in their own PBS special. In this special, as well as Fallon's own songs, there were also songs which featured a few guest singers, including former fellow Celtic Woman member Méav Ní Mhaolchatha, in which they sang a duet together ("Do you hear what I hear"), and American Idol runner up David Archuleta, who joined Fallon on stage to perform "Silent Night", "Pat a Pan", and the finale song of "Here we come A-Wassailing", which Ní Mhaolchatha was also featured in. This was the second Christmas album she recorded, the first being Winter, Fire & Snow: A Celtic Christmas Collection in September 2010.

In March 2011, Fallon released another album, Órla Fallon: My Land, which tied in with another PBS special. Both PBS special were produced by The Elevation Group and WNET. Another solo album, Lullaby Time, was released in 2012.

She is married to husband John and has a son named Freddie

Discography

Solo
The Water is Wide (2000 EURO) (2006 U.S.)
Distant Shore (September 2009)
Music of Ireland: Welcome Home (March 2010)
Winter, Fire & Snow: A Celtic Christmas Collection (September 2010)
Órla Fallon's Celtic Christmas (November 2010)
Órla Fallon: My Land (March 2011)
Lullaby Time (2012)
Sweet By and By (March 2017)
With Celtic Woman
Celtic Woman (March 2005)
Celtic Woman: A Christmas Celebration (October 2006)
Celtic Woman: A New Journey (January 2007)
Celtic Woman: The Greatest Journey (October 2008)
Celtic Woman: The Best of Christmas (November 2017)
With Jim Brickman
Beautiful World (2009)
With The Duggans
Rubicon (2005)


FAQ:

Q: What is Orlagh Fallon's birthday?

A: August 24, 1974

Q: How do you spell her name? Orla, Órla, or Órlagh?

A: It depends on the day and who you're asking. On her birth certificate it's Órlagh. It is an Irish name and when pronounced properly it sounds like Orla. So to keep people from struggling with her name she spells it Órla for publishing and touring purposes. Any of the three spellings are acceptable.

Q: What kind of harp does Órlagh play?

A: Órlagh is sponsored by Salvi harps and they provide her with a lever harp whenever she needs one. During the original Celtic Woman tour, Órlagh had her own harp shipped to the US from Ireland which was a bit nerve racking for her. As Celtic Woman gained popularity she gained a sponsor and a tour harp. She also played the Salvi on her album Distant Shore.


483
Tara McNeill / Lets Meet Tara
« on: February 13, 2018, 08:54:42 PM »
Tara McNeill is a violinist, singer and harpist from Antrim, Ireland.

 Tara graduated with First class honours in the BA in Music Performance (violin) at the Royal Irish Academy of Music under the tuition of Michael D’Arcy. She has toured China, Argentina, Chile and Mexico with Camerata Ireland and world renowned pianist, Barry Douglas, performed with the RTE Concert Orchestra and Ulster Orchestra, led the Ulster Youth Orchestra and both the RIAM Chamber and Symphony Orchestras. Tara performed the Irish premiere of Finzi's Violin Concerto in the National Concert Hall, Dublin in April, 2013.

 Tara  has toured Canada, China, Japan and Holland as both a singer and solo violinist with the vocal group Anúna . She is also the solo violinist on their album ‘Illumination’.

 In Celtic Woman's 2015 TV special 'Destiny', Tara appears with the Irish music sensation playing the harp.

 Orchestral tours have taken Tara throughout Europe, China, Japan, Korea and America performing in venues such as Carnegie hall, New York, Oriental Arts Centre, Shangahi and the National Centre for the Performing Arts, Beijing. She has won many awards including the Inaugural Flax Trust Classics £5000 bursary and The George & Angela Moore Flax Trust Classics Audience Award in 2012, the Leo Gibney Award for Chamber Music (RIAM), Ballymena Music Festival’s prestigious Young Instrumentalist Award in 2009 and Holywood Music Festival’s Ulster Bank Festival Gala Cup and the d’Arcy Cup and Award in 2010.

 Exciting collaborations have included artists such as Bono, Josh Groban, Celtic Woman, Damien Rice, Julie Feeney and Il Divo. She has appeared on RTE's Late Late Show and Saturday Night Shows. 

 Tara was a lead in the show 'Ireland Calling' in which she was a singer, violinist and harpist.  The show appeared in Copenhagen, Denmark and Dublin, Ireland in 2014.

 She was selected as Head Girl in St. Louis Grammar School, Ballymena 08/09 and obtained a First class honours in the RIAM's Diploma in Music Teaching and Performance in June 2009.

Tara taught violin in Mount Anville Junior School, Dublin.

 
FAQ

Q: What type of violin does Tara play?

A: A Roger Hansell violin.

What does Tara call her violin?

A: Roger. She previously called her violin Jacob when she was obsessed with Twilight.

Q: Is Tara married?

A: Yes. To Alex Bernstein.

Q: What is Tara McNeill's charity of choice?

A: Aware. The organization provides information, understanding and support for individuals who had a diagnosis of depression or bipolar, as well as family members supporting a loved one. https://www.aware.ie/

 

484
Susan McFadden / Lets Meet Susan
« on: February 13, 2018, 08:51:40 PM »
Susan McFadden is an actress and singer born in Dublin, Ireland. She is best known for playing the roles of Sandy in Grease at the Piccadilly Theatre and Elle Woods in Legally Blonde the Musical at the Savoy theatre in London's West End. She has also been a member of the all female Celtic music group, Celtic Woman, since 2012.

Early life

Susan McFadden was born in Dublin, Ireland in 1983, to parents Mairead and Brendan. She is the younger sister of former Westlife member, Brian McFadden.

Career

McFadden is a graduate of the Billie Barry Stage School, located in Dublin. Before appearing on Grease is the Word, McFadden toured with many Irish entertainers (including June Rodgers) in supporting roles. She was one of the dancers in Daniel O'Donnell's Rock & Roll Show tour and DVD. She also played the role of Kathy in an Irish production of Singing in the Rain in 2004 to much acclaim. The show played at the Olympia Theatre in Dublin and the Everyman Palace Theatre in Cork.

She is the winning contestant on the ITV reality TV show Grease Is the Word. As a result, she played the lead female role of Sandy in the West End production of Grease with Danny Bayne beginning in August 2007.

In 2008, McFadden recorded two songs for the CD Act One - Songs From The Musicals Of Alexander S. Bermange, an album of 20 brand new recordings by 26 West End stars, released in November 2008 on Dress Circle Records.

She played the lead role of Milly in the stage adaption of Seven Brides For Seven Brothers, with Steven Houghton.

McFadden starred in the original west end cast of the musical Legally Blonde at the Savoy Theatre in London's West End playing Elle Woods after originating the role of Serena. Official reviews and audience reaction were extremely positive. Beginning on 25 October, McFadden became the alternate Elle, performing Mondays and Tuesdays. McFadden began playing the role of Elle Woods full-time beginning 10 January 2011 and left the role on 9 July 2011 and has recently been nominate for a What's on stage award for "best takeover". She was subsequently replaced by former Margot and understudy Elle, Carley Stenson.

McFadden sang with Ben Morris and Séan Carey in the final of RTÉ One's Fame: The Musical in Dublin on Sunday 13 June 2010.

On 5 January 2012, McFadden was named as a replacement for Lisa Kelly, then going on maternity leave, in the all female ensemble Celtic Woman. McFadden debuted with Celtic Woman in February at Nashville, Tennessee for the kickoff of the "Believe" North American Tour and continued with the European, Australian and South African Tours in 2012. After Lisa Kelly announced her departure from the group in January 2013, McFadden has since become a full-time member of Celtic Woman.


FAQ:

Q: What is Susan McFadden's birthday?

A: February 8, 1983

Q: Is Susan McFadden married?

Yes, to Anthony Byrne (Anto Byrne), who was the long-time bagpiper for Celtic Woman.

Q: Does Susan have children?

A: Yes. She has a daughter, Joanie, born in 2018.

Q: What is Susan McFadden's charity of choice?

A: LittleHill Animal Rescue, a rescue & sanctuary for a variety of animals, including dogs, cats, horses, and many more.

485
Mairead Carlin / Lets Meet Mairead C
« on: February 13, 2018, 08:49:26 PM »
Mairéad Carlin (born December 5, 1988) is an Irish singer and a member of the ensemble Celtic Woman

Early life

Mairéad was born in Derry, Northern Ireland. "Derry, my hometown, is a very cultured and musical place, wherever you turn there's always music...That was especially true in my family...We’d just sit around the fire, sing and drink tea".

Career

Mairéad  began her career at the age of 15 when she won the title role of 'The Rose' in BBC Talents 'Young Singers' competition in the opera The Little Prince, by Rachel Portman. It aired on BBC Two and PBS in America.

Mairéad  trained in vocal performance at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance in London. Once she graduated, she was offered a postgraduate scholarship in Musical Theatre by the Royal Academy of Music. She declined the scholarship when offered a deal with Decca Records. Mairéad continued to train with Mary Hammond and Simon Lee.[citation needed]

Mairéad  has since performed for the President of Ireland, celebrated the Irish Anthem for the England-Ireland Rugby International to a TV audience of millions. She has shared the stage with Snow Patrol and The Priests at the 2013 BBC TV Gala Concert ‘Sons and Daughters’ to mark Derry's year as City of Culture. She also recorded the City of Culture anthem ‘Let The River Run’ with Glee star Damian McGinty. Carly Simon was impressed by the song, saying "I just played it and cried my eyes out and I'm still crying. It's absolutely stunningly wonderful. Thank you for doing me proud." Carly later invited Mairéad and Damian to perform live with her in Los Angeles at an Oceana benefit concert presented by Hillary Clinton, Ted Danson and Harvey Weinstein. Carly subsequently released the single under her own label Iris Records/Walled City Records.

Mairéad has toured the UK and Ireland with American singer-songwriter Don McLean, including a sold out concert at the Royal Albert Hall. In early 2013, she made her debut with the National Symphony Orchestra in the National Concert Hall for RTÉ TV. She was the featured soprano on 'White Light' in the box office hit Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa with music by Ilan Eshkeri.

"A motto I’ve used throughout my career so far", she says, "is a quote from the award-winning poet Seamus Heaney: ‘Sing yourself to where the singing comes from.’ I think there's a lot to be said for that".

Celtic Woman

After finishing her degree, Mairéad was signed to Decca Records and recorded her debut album, ‘Songbook’ with the London Philharmonic Orchestra in Air Studios and British Grove Studios. It was mixed by Grammy award winning engineer Geoff Foster. Carlin describes the album as portraying the more 'vulnerable' side to her sound and a 'transition period in my life where I was finding myself- I guess I was growing up through this album. In every breath and in every note, there's a story...believe me'.

On 5 August 2013 the Celtic Woman website reported that Chloë Agnew would be taking a break from Celtic Woman to work on solo projects, and on 23 August 2013 it reported that Mairéad Carlin would be taking Chloë's place. Carlin made a statement saying: "I am thrilled and honoured to join Celtic Woman, particularly as the first girl from the north of Ireland. I am humbled to be able to continue on their musical journey alongside Susan, Lisa and Mairéad.

Mairead married Ronan Scolard in September 2016.


FAQ:

Q: What is her birthday?

A: December 5, 1988

Q: How do you pronounce Mairéad?

A: To quote Máiréad N, "It's like 'parade' with an M."

Q: Is "Songbook" Mairead Carlin's album?

A: Songbook is an album that features Mairead Carlin's voice that she recorded while she was signed to Decca Records. It was scheduled for release in 2014, but got delayed. It was ultimately released by BFD Records in 2016. At the time, Mairead did not approve of the release. She did not have rights to the album and felt that while she was proud of the work she did then, it wasn't representative of her more recent work as a singer. A number of fans chose to boycott the album out of loyalty to Mairead.

Q: What is Mairead Carlin's charity of choice?

A: Foyle Hospice in Derry (https://foylehospice.com/), which provides palliative care and support services. The charity is dear to her heart because they looked after her dad when he was ill.

Q: Is Mairead Carlin married

A: Yes, to Ronan Scolard, who joined the Celtic Woman choir for the Destiny tour in 2016.

486
Lynn Hilary / Lets Meet Lynn
« on: February 13, 2018, 08:22:49 PM »
Lynn Hilary is an Irish singer, guitarist, and songwriter. She has also performed as a featured soprano soloist in the all-female ensemble Celtic Woman.

Career

Hilary was born in Dublin, Ireland, and completed a Bachelor of Music performance degree in 2005 at the DIT College of Music. Initially singing classical music she moved to Celtic music to be able to "use [her] natural vocal range". Among the singers who influenced her, she counts Michael Jackson, Joni Mitchell, and Karen Carpenter.

Anúna

Hilary joined the Irish choral group Anúna in 2000. She toured the United States, Morocco, the Netherlands, and Finland with the group, and she has sung with the choir and featured as a soloist on six of their albums: Invocation (2001), Winter Songs (2001), Behind the Closed Eye (2002), Sensation (2006) "Illumination" (2012) and "Revelation" (2015). She continues to sing with Anúna and has appeared with them on the soundtrack of Diablo III as a soloist.

Celtic Woman

In 2007, longtime Celtic Woman member Méav Ní Mhaolchatha decided to leave the group to focus on her solo career. As a result, Hilary joined the group in time to feature in the A New Journey tour, which started on 10 October 2007 in Estero, FL. She was the first new full-time member to join the group since its inception in 2004.

Hilary has featured to date in Celtic Woman: The Greatest Journey, Celtic Woman: Songs from the Heart, Celtic Woman: Lullaby, and the Japanese release of Celtic Woman: Believe. She has only appeared in one PBS special/DVD, Celtic Woman: Songs from the Heart which was shot at Powerscourt House and Gardens in Summer 2009. She has also appeared in three tours, A New Journey, Isle of Hope, and Songs from the Heart.

Following Celtic Woman's inaugural Australian Tour in November 2010, Hilary announced she would be leaving Celtic Woman to return to her home and life in Ireland. She was replaced by singer/actress Lisa Lambe as part of the Celtic Woman line-up. On 14 February 2014 it was announced that Lynn would be returning to Celtic Woman for their Emerald tour in March while Lisa Lambe goes on a short 'leave of absence.' Lisa Lambe returned for two tours in the fall and winter of 2014, but announced she would be concentrating on solo work in 2015. Lynn Hilary was again seen in promotional material for the Celtic Woman Tenth Anniversary Tour starting in January 2015, and it is thought that she will remain a member at least for the remainder of 2015.

Other Appearances

Hilary performed the lead vocal of the piece "Cloudsong" from Riverdance at the Opening Ceremony of the 2003 Special Olympics in Croke Park, Dublin, and toured the US with Riverdance in 2006 as a featured soloist.[9] She released a solo album, Take Me With You, in 2008.

In September 2011, Hilary returned to music as a member of the Irish singing trio the Bluebelles, with two current Anúna members Nicola Lewis and Rebecca Winckworth.

According to a trailer released in 2012, Hilary was to be a featured soloist in a new show entitled "The Roots of Ireland," but she has since returned to Riverdance. She was a member of a musical group called Babylon Sisters which featured Lisa Nolan, and fellow Anúna singer, Rebecca Winckworth. The group disbanded when Winckworth left to tour with Celtic Nights, and Hilary with Riverdance.

In 2013, Hilary recorded her second album, Saturn Return, under the label CD Baby. The album consists of "original songs of a jazzy, folky nature" and is "an interpretation of a life up to the point of its first Saturn Return. The album represents a reflection of upon the first thirty or so years of one's life and the opportunity to transform oneself based on the lessons learned.

On 11 July 2016 it was announced that Hilary was forming a new group called CaraNua. The group also consists of former Celtic Woman singer Alex Sharpe and former Celtic Woman choir member Edel Murphy.

Discography

SoloTake Me With You (2008) Recorded and released on Irish record label Celtic Collections
Saturn Return (2013)
With Celtic Woman
Celtic Woman: The Greatest Journey (October 2008)
Celtic Woman: Songs from the Heart (January 2010)
Celtic Woman: Lullaby (February 2011)
With CaraNuaFavorite Hymns (November 2017)
With Anúna
Invocation (2002)
Winter Songs (2002)
Behind the Closed Eye (2003)
Sensation (2006)
Invocations of Ireland (2009). DVD; features on the track "The Road of Passage"
Illumination (2012)
Revelation (2015)
With Colm Ó FoghlúMass of the Angels (2011)
The Star Of Bethlehem: A Celtic Christmas Oratorio (2015)
With the cast of Riverdance
Riverdance: Music from the Show (2005) – 10th Anniversary Edition


FAQ:

Q: What is Lynn Hilary's birthday?

A: April 21, 1982

Q: Where was Lynn Hilary born?

A: Dublin, Ireland

487
Lisa Lambe / Lets Meet Lisa Lambe
« on: February 13, 2018, 08:09:59 PM »
Lisa Lambe is an Irish singer and actress and a former member of the ensemble Celtic Woman. Her career encompasses theatre, film, television, radio, and live performances, touring both as a member of Celtic Woman and as a solo artist. She recorded her debut solo album, Hiding Away, in Nashville in 2014. It was released in Ireland in 2015

Early career

Lambe started out in the performing arts at the age of three, and graduated with a Bachelor of Acting Studies from Trinity College, Dublin. She has been a featured soloist with Ireland’s RTÉ Concert Orchestra, and was a soloist on Ireland’s popular TV program The Late Late Show, leading to collaborations with RTÉ affiliated musicians Shay Healy and Frank McNamara.

Lambe’s vocal roles include The Shaughraun directed by John McColgan (under the Musical Direction of David Downes; at The Abbey Theatre), The Wiremen by Shay Healy (The Gaiety Theatre), and Sweeney Todd (The Gate Theatre). She was nominated for a Best Actress Award at the Irish Times Theatre Awards for her performance in the lead role of Philomena O Shea in Rough Magic’s musical Improbable Frequency, where she performed at The Edinburgh Theatre Festival, in Torun (Poland), and in Dublin.

At the end of the 2010 Australian tour Lynn Hilary announced that she was leaving CW to spend more time at home. Lisa Lambe took her place. Lambe performed as a member of Celtic Woman from 2011 to 2014 before returning to solo projects in both music and acting.

In February 2015, Lambe released her self-produced debut album, Hiding Away in Ireland followed shortly by a worldwide release and a US launch of the album in Nashville TN. The single "Heaven" from this album featured some of the members of ALONE Ireland, a charity with which Lambe is affiliated.

Theatre roles

Lambe graduated with distinction from Trinity College Dublin.[3] She has been nominated for 'Best Supporting Actress' at the Irish Times/ESB awards.

Her theatrical roles have included Sorcha in Ross O Carroll Kelly’s The Last days of the Celtic Tiger, as well as performing in plays in many theatres in Ireland, such as the Gate Theatre and Abbey Theatre.

Lambe played Nora Helmer in Second Age’s A Dolls House by Ibsen. Roomkeepers Productions: Bleeding Poets by Dan Reardon.

Her TV/Film work includes: Den TV’s current StoryLane, Olive (TG4), Bachelor’s Walk and Legend (RTÉ) and Eye to Eye.

Her radio work includes Ross O’ Carroll Kelly’s The Twelve Days of Christmas, The Power of Darkness (John Mc Gahern), The King with Horses Ears (RTÉ concert orchestra, Conor and Fergus Linehan, and Grace – a musical for Mind the Gap Films/RTÉ in which she played the title role of Grace Plunkett.

She played Elizabeth in a film for PBS entitled The Bloody Irish!: Songs of the 1916 Rising.

Filmography
Celtic Woman: Believe (May 2011, January 2012)
Celtic Woman: Home for Christmas (October 2013)
Celtic Woman: Emerald - Musical Gems (2014)

Discography
SoloHiding Away (2015)
With Celtic WomanCeltic Woman: Believe (2011)
Celtic Woman: Home for Christmas (2012)
Celtic Woman: Emerald - Musical Gems (2014)
Celtic Woman: The Best of Christmas (November 2017)
With Steve LynchAn Klondike OST (June 2015) Original soundtrack for the Irish television series An Klondike


FAQ

Q: What is Lisa Lambe's birthday?

A: August 1

Q: Is Lisa Lambe married?

A: Yes, to Simon Morgan (who was in choir for the very Celtic Woman concert).

Q: What is Lisa Lambe's charity of choice?

A: ALONE (http://alone.ie/). The organization provides Housing with Support, Support Coordination, Befriending, BConnect training and technology, and Campaigns for Change to hundreds of older people every week, who are homeless, socially isolated, living in deprivation or in crisis.

488
Lisa Kelly / Lets Meet Lisa
« on: February 13, 2018, 07:54:54 PM »
Lisa Ann Kelly or Lisa Olivia Mary Sinead Kelly is a singer of both classical and Celtic music. She has taken part in many musical theatre productions and concerts, and is a founding and former member of the musical group Celtic Woman.

Early life

Lisa Kelly was born in Dublin, into a musical family, with both her parents, Joe and Noeleen Kelly, and sisters, Joanne and Helen Kelly, being singers. Lisa herself has been singing since the age of seven, when she starred in the musical version of Bugsy Malone. Her parents are both heavily involved in amateur theatre, influencing Lisa toward studying drama, as well as being classically trained in both piano and singing.

Music career

She has played several principal roles, such as "Velma Kelly" in Chicago, "Florence" in Chess, "Laurey" in Oklahoma!, "Maria" in West Side Story and "Sandy" in Grease.

She has also performed in a number of concerts in Dublin's National Concert Hall, including The Magic of Gershwin, The Music of Cole Porter and From Romberg to Rodgers, and has won numerous national awards for singing and drama.

Riverdance

After deciding to take a break from her day job in the computer industry to return to theatre, she played the lead role in the Christmas pantomime Jack and the Beanstalk at Dublin's Gaiety Theatre. This led to her being cast in the American production of Riverdance – The Show as lead female vocalist in 2000, a position she held for five years while touring. While touring with Riverdance, Lisa met Australian dancer Scott Porter, who later became her husband. During this time, Lisa also met fellow vocalist Lynn Hilary, who would later go on to become a member of Celtic Woman in 2007 as a replacement for Méav Ní Mhaolchatha.

Lisa was one of the Riverdance vocalists who appeared in the 2003 Special Olympics opening ceremony when they performed 'Cloudsong'. This was in support of Lynn, who had the leading vocal role at the start of the song.There is a video of the performance on YouTube.

Solo album

In 2002, Lisa was asked to record a solo album with director David Downes on the Celtic Collections label. The resulting album, Lisa, was released in 2003. Songs on this CD are "Carrickfergus", "Siúil A Rún", "The Deer's Cry", "Lift the Wings", "The Soft Goodbye", "Home and the Heartland", "Homecoming", "Now We Are Free", "Dubhdarra", "May It Be" and "Send Me a Song".

Celtic Woman

Lisa was again approached by Downes in 2004, and asked to be part of Celtic Woman, originally planned as a one-night event at Dublin's Helix Theatre. The group has since released several albums and DVD performances of their concerts and embarked on several world tours.

She says she accepted a spot in Celtic Woman because "I wasn't doing anything else that day." She did not know any of the artists she would be performing with when they first got together but Kelly stated that "the show is blessed with the girls [the show's creators] picked. She has toured with Celtic Woman throughout most of their tours and appears in almost every CD and DVD to date.

Lisa performs several songs with Celtic Woman. She sings "Send Me a Song" and "The Blessing", both originals that have been featured on the original and A New Journey CDs, DVDs, and tours respectively. They were written by David Downes and feature him on the piano. Another song written by David Downes is "Green the Whole Year Round", which has been featured on the Christmas Celebration DVD and Greatest Journey CD and DVD, but not any tour. Lisa performs "The Voice" in A New Journey, which was originally supposed to be sung by Méav Ní Mhaolchatha, and also features fiddler Máiréad Nesbitt. "The Voice" was written by Irish novelist and composer Brendan Graham. Another song that Lisa performs in the original performance is "May It Be", originally from the movie The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. Lisa sings "Caledonia" in A New Journey, and sang Sting's "Fields of Gold" during the Isle of Hope and Songs From the Heart tours. In Songs From the Heart, she also sings "The Moon's a Harsh Mistress," accompanied by Máiréad Nesbitt on the violin.

During the A New Journey tour, and again during the "Believe" 2012 tour, Lisa took a break for the birth of her children. She was replaced by Alex Sharpe who later became a full-time member of Celtic Woman when Orla Fallon left. Later, in the Believe tour, she was replaced by Susan McFadden.

Other

In 2009, Lisa Kelly sang the main title song If You Believe for the Disney movie Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure. Lisa was one of four people involved who were connected to Celtic Woman – the others being violinist Máiréad Nesbitt, musical director and composer David Downes, and former member and vocalist Méav Ní Mhaolchatha.

In December 2011, Lisa announced she was taking maternity leave and would not be participating in the 2012 Believe Tour. She was replaced by Susan McFadden, the younger sister of Brian McFadden. At the time it was thought to be a short-term departure only; however, in January 2013 Lisa announced her departure from Celtic Woman and moved to Peachtree City, Georgia, USA, where she announced the opening of The Lisa Kelly Voice Academy, indicating a switch from performing to teaching. The new voice academy is being run in conjunction with her husband Scott Porter, the former CEO of Celtic Woman Ltd. She also starred in the concert titled The Voice of Ireland, featuring fellow Celtic Woman performer Chloë Agnew and former Celtic Thunder member Paul Byrom. On December 13, 2014, she starred in the concert titled A Celtic Christmas, featuring fellow Celtic Woman performer Chloë Agnew, former Celtic Woman choir performer Dermot Kiernan, and former Celtic Thunder member Paul Byrom, along with performances by the Kelly Porter Dance Academy.

Personal life

Lisa is married to Australian dancer Scott Porter. They have four children: sons Cian (born 2002), Jack, Harry (born June 2012), and daughter Ellie (Born March 5, 2008). She calls them, "hands down, the most important parts of my life", and they accompany her on tour when they are not in school. Lisa's sister Helen has performed with Celtic Woman in the choir.

FAQ:

Q: What is Lisa Kelly's birthday?


A: May 7, 1977

Q: Where is Lisa Kelly's DVD?

A: On the first Celtic Woman DVD Lisa K mentioned in her interview that she was working on a solo DVD. It was filmed, but because of the massive success of Celtic Woman it was never edited and the footage is sitting on a shelf somewhere gathering dust. Lisa Kelly appeared on all the Celtic Woman DVDs up to and including "Believe."

Q: Were other members of Lisa Kelly's family in Celtic Woman?

A: Lisa's sister Helen Kelly toured on and off with Celtic Woman as a member of the chorus (choir) since the beginning. Another of Lisa's sisters, Joann, worked in the Celtic Woman office in Dublin for a while. Lisa married Scott Porter, former CEO of Celtic Woman Ltd. Anyone else named Kelly that is attached to the show is no relation.

Q: Is Lisa Kelly on Ice Road Truckers?

A: There is someone called Lisa Kelly on the TV show Ice Road Truckers and its spinoff series IRT: Deadliest Roads, but it is a different person that the singer Lisa Kelly who was in Celtic Woman.

Q: What is a "Lisa Kelly Starbucks Special?"

A: A non-fat, no whip, white chocolate mocha.

Q: What does Lisa Kelly do now?

A: She opened a voice academy in Peachtree City in 2013 called The Lisa Kelly Voice Academy.

Q: Does Lisa Kelly still tour?

A: No. Her focus is her family and her business.

Q: Is Lisa Kelly ever returning to Celtic Woman?

A: No. She has no intention of doing so.

Q: What does Scott Porter do now?

A: He founded and runs a dance academy called the Kavanagh Porter Warren Academy.

489
Hayley Westenra / Lets Meet Hayley
« on: February 13, 2018, 07:46:58 PM »
Hayley Dee Westenra is a New Zealand singer, classical crossover artist, songwriter, and UNICEF Ambassador. Her first internationally released album, Pure, reached No. 1 on the UK classical charts in 2003 and has sold more than two million copies worldwide. Pure is the fastest-selling international début classical album to date, having made Westenra an international star at age 16. In August 2006, she joined the Irish group Celtic Woman, was featured on their Celtic Woman: A New Journey CD and DVD, toured with them on their 2007 Spring Tour (she alternated, 6 weeks on 6 weeks off, with Méav so that there were only ever 5 girls in the show), and was also featured on their DVD, The Greatest Journey: Essential Collection, released in 2008. Westenra has produced five New Zealand number one studio albums, holding the title for the most number one records for any New Zealand act, a record shared with alternative rock band Shihad since the release of their 2014 album, FVEY.

Across classical music to easy listening, folk and pop style songs, Westenra has performed songs in English, Māori, Irish, Spanish, Italian, German, French, Portuguese, Latin, Japanese, Standard Mandarin Chinese, Catalan, and Taiwanese Hokkien

Westenra has performed for dignitaries all over the world. She is the second youngest UNICEF Ambassador to date and has contributed to charities around the globe.

Early life

Westenra was born in Christchurch, New Zealand. Her parents, Jill and Gerald Westenra, have two other children, Sophie and Isaac. Westenra's grandmother Shirley Ireland was a singer, and her grandfather was a pianist who also played the piano accordion. She has Irish, Dutch and English heritage.

She began performing at age six when she was cast in the lead singing role of "Little Star" in the Christmas play at her school, Fendalton Open Air School. After the show, a teacher who had watched the performance approached her parents to tell them that their daughter was "pitch perfect". The teacher encouraged Westenra to learn how to play a musical instrument; Hayley soon after learned to read music and play the violin, piano, guitar, and recorder. She then began voice lessons and discovered a passion for musical theatre. By age 11, she had performed more than 40 times on stage, but was often given male parts: "I got boy parts quite often. In ballet, there were not enough boys. So they ended up choosing half and half. I got chosen to wear the grey suit and the wig, and not the pretty dresses. In A Christmas Carol, I was Tiny Tim, so I got to be a poor sick boy. There was a severe lack of singing boys and, at the time, it was quite disappointing. Westenra attended Cobham Intermediate School in 1998 and 1999, where a performing arts building was later named in her honour. She won a talent quest in her first year (Year 9) at Burnside High School, which she attended from 2000 to 2003.

Personal life

After releasing Pure, Westenra and her family moved to London. She continues to reside in a central London flat, even though her family subsequently returned home to Christchurch. Although she spent most of 2006 touring, she did visit them when her schedule allowed.

Westenra has been known as a vegetarian/pescetarian. In 2007, she was nominated for PETA's 'Sexiest Vegetarian'.

Westenra married her French boyfriend of three years, Arnaud Sabard (born 1981), on 29 December 2013 in Hawarden, North Canterbury, New Zealand. She has spoken little about her marriage publicly since then, in keeping with earlier practice of largely remaining quiet about her personal relationships. At some point, Hayley parted ways with Arnaud. In 2018, she moved to LA. On August 15, 2019, she announced her engagement to Chris McFarland (aka Chris Gaelan).


FAQ:

Q: What is Hayley Westenra's birthday?

A: April 10, 1987

Q: Is Hayley married?

A: She got married in 2013 to Arnaud Sabard, but they later split up. As of August 2019, she was engaged to Chris McFarland.

490
Eabha McMahon / Lets Meet Eabha
« on: February 13, 2018, 07:37:14 PM »
Éabha McMahon (pronounced  AY-va  Mac-MA-hon) is an alto Irish singer and a member of the ensemble Celtic Woman

Early life

Éabha was born in Dublin, Ireland on 9 December 1990. She is a fluent Irish speaker and was brought up singing and speaking Irish at home in Dublin. English was not spoken at home until Éabha was 6 years old.

Éabha attended an Irish speaking primary school. When she was 5 years old, she was inspired by her teachers to become a member of the local Sean Nos choir.

Éabha holds a Human Rights degree from NUI Galway. She was a member of the musical society at NUI Galway.

After graduating, Éabha spent time in Vietnam and Mogolia. There, she worked with Christina Noble and the Christina Noble Children's Foundation.

Career

Éabha began her singing career in 1998 when, at the age of 9, she was chosen by Veritas to record an album for Beo go Deo, a children's book. She then began singing in sean nós, a traditional style, taught by such singers as Moya Brennan, Máire Ní Choilm, Íde Mac Mathúna, and Séamus Mac Mathúna.

At the age of 15, Éabha won the under-18 All Ireland Oireachtais final. From age 13 to 17, she was the reigning Leinster champion in the irish music competition Fleadh Ceoil. Between the age 14 to 18, she was the Dublin champion in the Fairview Feis Ceoil 5 times.

Éabha joined Anúna in 2007, becoming the group's youngest member at the age of 16. In 2008 she recorded the PBS Holiday Special "Anúna : Christmas Memories", released that year on DVD and CD. In 2015 she featured as a soloist on the song Fill, Fill a Rún on the Anúna album Revelation.

In 2015, Éabha headlined a sold out solo show in New York City, in aid of Kylemore Abbey.

Luke Kavanagh, a former college classmate of Éabha's, saw a video on YouTube of her singing Just Cry, one of her songs. Luke referred the video to his father David Kavanagh, the chairman and chief executive of Celtic Woman Ltd. Éabha was subsequently invited to audition for Celtic Woman.

Éabha joined Celtic Woman in July 2015. Éabha replaced Lisa Lambe in the ensemble (Lynn, Alex, and Méav had been filing in for Lisa Lambe until Éabha joined). Éabha was delighted to begin her new journey and she is proud to be representing her Irish roots with Celtic Woman.


FAQ:

Q: Is Eabha still in Celtic Woman?

A: No. It was announced in January 2020 that Eabha was taking leave from the group to pursue her own projects. Chloë Agnew returned to the group as a special guest to fill in for Eabha.

Q: What is Eabha McMahon's birthday?

A: December 9

Q: How do you pronounce Eabha?

A: AY-va

Q: What is Eabha McMahon's charity of choice?

A: The Christina Noble Children's Foundation. Eabha has worked with the organization in Vietnam and Mongolia and the organization supports children and their families in those areas through healthcare, education and community development.

Q: Is Eabha McMahon married?

A: Yes, to John Gaffney. Her married name is Éabha Gaffney.

Q: What is Eabha's natural hair color?

A: Light brown.

Fun Facts:

Eabha's left-handed.

491
Deirdre Shannon / Lets Meet Deirdre
« on: February 13, 2018, 07:28:53 PM »
Deirdre Gilsenan is an Irish singer who has toured with a variety of Celtic music groups, such as Anúna,[1] Celtic Thunder and Celtic Woman. She is better known by the stage name Deirdre Shannon.

Background

Shannon was born into the Gilsenan family in County Meath, Ireland, as the middle child of five siblings.

Shannon's exposure to music came very early on from her parents and older siblings. Her formal introduction came at the age of nine when she was enrolled for piano lessons. She and her siblings participated in the church choir and in local events, including weddings, funerals and local concerts.

In 1992, Shannon entered Dublin's College of Music and studied under the guidance of vocal trainer Mary Brennan. She participated in many musical activities, including traveling with the Dublin Institute of Technology Choir.

Shannon began her professional career in 1996 when she was selected to be a member of the Irish choir Anúna.

In 1997, Shannon was selected by Michael Flatley to join his world wide tour with the show Lord of the Dance. She was cast into the role of Erin the Goddess and performed in over 800 shows over a four-year period covering most of North and South America.

Since her professional debut, Shannon has performed with artists including Eily O'Grady, Dionne Warwick, The Celtic Tenors, Air Supply, and Celtic Woman. Shannon's accomplishments have also included participating in the sound track of RTÉ's historical documentary television series called The Island. She has also made appearances on CBS Morning News, Fox Morning TV, and The Late Late Show.

On 1 October 2006, Shannon released her solo album, simply entitled Deirdre Shannon. She has also been a principal singer in the group in Celtic Woman, but she was never featured in the studio DVDs.

Playing the role of the Gentlewoman, Shannon also sings "Harry's Game" as well as other songs in Celtic Thunder: Storm which was released on CD and DVD on 20 September 2011.

Discography
SoloDeirdre Shannon (2006)
Anamċeol (2011)
With Celtic ThunderCeltic Thunder: Storm (2011)

FAQ:

Q:What is Deirdre Shannon's birthday?

A: July 19

Q: What is her real name?

A: Deirdre Gilsenan. Deirdre Shannon is a stage name. She has also recorded under the name Deirdre Correa.

Q: Is Deirdre married


A: 2012: Shannon married her husband Alan in June 2012.
 

492
Chloe Agnew / Lets meet Chloe
« on: February 13, 2018, 07:22:30 PM »
Chloë Alexandra Adele Emily Agnew is an Irish singer and songwriter who is an original former member of the Celtic music group Celtic Woman, as well as its youngest member. She comes from Knocklyon, County Dublin where she lived with her mother Adele "Twink" King and younger sister, Naomi. She sings in English, Irish, Latin, Italian, and German. Agnew has a soprano vocal range.

Early life

Agnew was born to Irish entertainer Adele "Twink" King and Irish oboist David Agnew. She made her first television appearance on her mother's programme aged four weeks old, and later sang on the show at the age of six. She attended Notre Dame des Missions Junior School for her primary school education, followed by Alexandra College girls' school.

In 1998, Agnew represented Ireland and was the winner of the Grand Prix at the First International Children's Song Competition in Cairo with a song called The Friendship Tree. She then began to perform pantomime at the Olympia Theatre in Dublin and continued in that role for four years.

In 1999, she appeared in The Young Messiah, a modern adaptation of Handel's Messiah. In this production, she played one of the children and performed sign language

Musical career

In 2000, aged 11, Agnew approached director David Downes about recording a song to raise money for the children of Afghanistan. With his help, she recorded Angel of Mercy for the album This Holy Christmas Night, which raised over £20,000 for the Afghan Children's Charity Fund in 2001. That same year, she joined the Christ Church Cathedral Girls' Choir, and remained a member for three years.

In 2002, she was signed to Celtic Collections, and with the backing of Downes she recorded her debut album Chloë. In 2004, she released her second album, Chloë: Walking in the Air. She also recorded a companion DVD for her second album, released in Europe in 2004 and in North America in 2007. She appeared as part of the group Celtic Woman at The Helix in Dublin in 2004. Agnew featured on 14 albums with the group, recorded songs in multiple languages and took part in several world tours.

According to the Souvenir Program for Celtic Woman's 2010 North American tour, in 2009, Agnew was invited by Italian tenor Alessandro Rinella to sing with him on his debut album.

In 2012, Agnew was named Female Vocalist of the Year at the Irish Music Awards.

On 5 August 2013, the Celtic Woman website announced that Agnew would be taking a break from Celtic Woman to focus on solo projects. Her position was filled by Derry-born singer Máiréad Carlin.

During an interview by BeliefNet.com, Agnew commented on Irish music:

Irish music was bred into us from the day we are born. Looking back to our ancestors and our heritage, it was always in our culture. Even through the hardest of times Irish people always turned to music. They have a song for everything – for drinking, for depression, for famine. I remember a song growing up that was for milking the cows.


FAQ

Q: When was Chloë Agnew born?

A: June 9, 1989

Q: Where was Chloë Agnew born?

A: Dublin, Ireland

Q: Who are Chloë Agnew's Parents?

A: "Twink," aka Adele King, is Chloë's mother and a renowned Irish entertainer. David Agnew, Chloë's father, was the oboist on the first Celtic Woman DVD. That was his only appearance with the group (he never toured with them).

Q: What is Chloë Agnew's charity of choice?

A: Chloë is fond of charities that support children or animals. While she's not attached to any particular charity, she has suggested a few charities that you may wish to support including DSPCA, ASPCA, and The Dog Trust.

Q: Is Chloë in Celtic Woman?

A: Yes! Chloë announced her surprising returned to Celtic Woman in January 2020 and will appear on all but 6 shows of the spring Celtic Woman: Celebration tour. It's expected Chloë will remain part of the group as a special guest until the end of the spring tour, June 7, 2020.

493
Alex Sharpe / Meet Alex
« on: February 13, 2018, 07:14:16 PM »
Alexandria Sharpe is an Irish soprano singer and actress mostly known for her live roles in London's West End and on the Irish stage (both the Olympic and Gaiety Theatres). She is well known for performing with Celtic Woman from 2008-10.

She was a featured soloist at Andrew Lloyd Webber's 60th birthday celebration (2008) with the RTE Orchestra and she released a solo album titled Be Still My Soul in 2014.

Career

She began her career at 1991 by portraying Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz at the Olympia Theatre in Dublin.

Her career in musical theatre continued, as she played Janet in The Rocky Horror Show, Young Sally in Follies in Concert, Jenny in Aspects of Love, and Mila in Aloha Kamano by Sean Purcell. She was asked to play Éponine in Les Misérables for the Cameron Mackintosh Company in the UK and Ireland and in the Concert Tour of Les Misérables. She created the role of Bernadette in the Andrew Lloyd Webber/Ben Elton Musical The Beautiful Game. On her return to Ireland she played the role of Kate Foley in The Wireman in the Gaiety Theatre, Dublin.

Alex has sung with the Icelandic Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, The Danish National Symphony, and the RTÉ Concert Orchestra. She has made many recordings, such as on the Evita film Soundtrack with Madonna.

She has appeared at a concert for the Princes Trust in the Mayflower Theatre, England, and in 2006 she travelled to Chicago to launch the musical The Pirate Queen as principal female. At 2014 she released her first solo album "Be Still My Soul" produced by Andrew Holdsworth, which is a collection of hymnal and Easy listening classical songs

Celtic Woman

When founding member of Celtic Woman Lisa Kelly went on maternity leave, Sharpe became a temporary member of the ensemble in 2008, saying that "I'm just in for this tour," and "It's a different style than I'm used to. But I've enjoyed learning the technique. My background is musical theatre, so this is something very different for me...But my philosophy is, you're always growing as a performer. There's always so much to learn. She admits that before she joined, she was not familiar with the group's music; "I'd never seen any of their shows...David (Downes, composer and music director of Celtic Woman) gave me a CD and some DVDs, and that was the first time I'd seen any of it.

However, "I knew about the success of Celtic Woman and was thrilled to join," she said. "It was an opportunity I couldn't say no to.

In 2009, Sharpe became a permanent member of Celtic Woman, in effect replacing Órla Fallon. She has said that "The other members have been really encouraging," and "They have such a history together. I've never been in anything with such a high profile; usually you're much more anonymous. She has toured with the ensemble on their 2009 'Isle of Hope' tour, and has recorded a CD and DVD with the group, both entitled Celtic Woman: Songs from the Heart, released in January 2010 The group toured North America from February to May 2010 on their 'Songs from the Heart' tour.

After the tour finished, Sharpe announced she would be leaving Celtic Woman to be with her family full-time. With the group she performed for President Obama and also at Radio City Music Hall. In early 2015 it was announced that she would rejoin Celtic Woman for two months (May and June) of their Tenth Anniversary tour

Post-Celtic Woman

On 11 July 2016 it was announced that Sharpe was forming a new group called CaraNua. The group also consists of Lynn Hilary and Edel Murphy who are former singers in both Celtic Woman and Riverdance

Personal life

When asked where she developed her musical talent, she has said that "my granddad was a great one for singing songs and banging out tunes on the piano. Also, "I love 'Abide With Me' and 'I Know That My Redeemer Lives'...I love singing hymns. Music is a very powerful thing. I've heard it said that music prepares a man's soul to receive the gospel.

Sharpe is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS).

She is the middle child and has two brothers and a son, Jacob; "When I had my son, he became my passion in life", she said. "I tried to stay home and take work that wouldn't compromise my relationship with my son.

FAQ:

Q: What is her birthday?

A: May 4, 1972

What group is Alex currently with?

A: Alex is a co-founder and current member of a group called CaraNua.

494
Forum Guidelines / Forum Guidelines
« on: February 09, 2018, 07:57:19 PM »
Keep in mind that being a member of a forum is a privilege, not a right.  Posts that are not respectful in nature, towards Celtic Woman, EMI, PBS, or members of the forum will be deleted.
Our goal is to maintain an inclusive, family-friendly atmosphere, accessible to all.  Members who violate the following rules will be given warnings.  Repeat offenders risk temporary or permanent loss of membership privileges (see policing, below).

1.   Forum Guidelines
   1.   Posts are to be made in the relevant forum. Users are asked to read the forum descriptions before posting.
   2.   Members should post in a way that is respectful of other users. Flaming or abusing users in any way will not be tolerated.
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   4.   Members should remember this forum is aimed at a general audience. Posting pornographic or generally offensive text, images, links, etc. will not be tolerated.
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   21.   Members are urged to exercise good judgment when posting links to artists' social networking sites.  Facebook/Instagram/Twitter pages are typically used by performers to keep in touch with their fans.  However, many of them use some of the less well known sites (Bebo, Buzznet, Faceparty etc.) just to stay in touch with family and friends while they are touring.  If the artist already has a long list of fans among their "friends," it's probably safe to assume that they would appreciate the exposure of having their page posted on our forum.  However, if their list of friends and comments is obviously limited to close friends and loved ones, it may be an invasion of their privacy to post such a link.  It's best to err on the side of caution.  If you're in doubt, contact an admin or mod.
   22. It is a violation of forum policy to post personally identifiable data - e.g. a home address, telephone number, or email address - your own or someone else's.  Any post containing such information will immediately be edited or removed.  Our goal is to provide a safe environment for our members and guests.  Posting private information is a serious risk and can not be allowed.
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   24.   The above forum rules where applicable also apply to the chat room. Abuse of the chat room may lead to warnings (as above) and/or the revocation of privileges.

2.   Signatures
   1.   Signatures may contain text and/or images, up to a maximum overall height of 400 pixels. Oversize signatures will be edited.  Edited February 16, 2010
   2.   Text sizes should be between 75% and 100% (small and normal). Text in signatures is subject to the same conditions as posts with respect to decency, warez, emoticons, and so forth.
   3.   Links in signatures are permitted to a maximum of four unique pages or sites. Linked sites may not be commercial in nature. You may not link to warez, porn or political, racist or other similar hate sites. Links are included in signature size limits.

3.   Avatars
   1.   Users are permitted to utilize a gallery avatar or to link to one of their own (subject to previous points on misuse of bandwidth). User defined avatars are to be no larger than 80 pixels square, contain no image which attempts to portray the user as having an official status here (e.g. mimicking ranks or copying avatars of team members), may not exceed 12KB (12288 Bytes) in file size and have a consistently high availability (i.e. links to images on slow servers or those prone to failure may be removed).
   2.   Avatars are subject to the same conditions as posts with respect decency, and so forth.

4.   Policing
   1.   The forum operates on a three strike policy. Users will be warned a maximum of three times for any and all offenses in a three month period. If the need arises for a fourth warning a temporary ban will be put in place of between 1 to 7 days.
   2.   Arguing with team members after having received a warning will lead to an immediate additional warning. Should this exceed three strikes a temporary ban will be put in place as above.
   3.   Users who feel they have been unfairly warned are welcome to contact an administrator. If they feel you were treated badly they will remove a warning.
   4.   Any attempt to circumvent a temporary ban will lead to that ban being made permanent. Circumvention includes re-registering under a non-banned user name, changing IP addresses to evade an IP ban, or registering a new email account to evade an email ban.
   5.   An exception to the three strike rule applies when users contact team members personally (via any method) and post insulting, threatening, indecent or vulgar material. Such users will be subject to an immediate permanent ban.
   6.   Permanent bans are a last resort and thought is given before implementing them. While we may consider lifting permanent bans from time to time this is a rare occurrence.

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