Biographies
Trio Elatha was formed in 2012 by three Irish musicians, violinist Zoe Conway, guitarist Brendan Walsh and cellist Ailbhe McDonagh. Subsequently, the trio has enjoyed a busy schedule touring around Ireland and Europe as a traditional Irish fusion group. Trio Elatha bring together elements of Irish folk and classical music. Their concert programmes feature arrangements of traditional Irish tunes coupled with their own compositions. In September 2013, violinist Lynda O'Connor joined the group. Since then the group has taken a break from their busy touring schedule to rehearse together and to compose and some of their own new material. All three members are prizewinner’s of major competitions and have performed solos with major orchestras throughout Ireland, Europe and the USA. They are all avid chamber musicians in varied genres, collaborating with such artists as Michael Collins, Nobuko Imai, Chee Yun Kim, Michael O'Suilleabhain, Michael Buble and DeDannan. The trio has a busy schedule planned for the 2014/2015 season. They are very excited to be recording their debut album in the summer and look forward to launching it before the end of this year.
Lynda O'Connor________________________________________________
Lynda O' Connor began her violin studies at the age of three with Magsie Goor. She made her first appearance on the National Concert Hall stage at the age of four and has made regular appearances there since. At the age of 12 Lynda made her debut recital with the Suzuki tribute orchestra conducted by Fergus Shield in Powerscourt Ballroom. She followed this by performing the Concerto for two violins by Bach with the Greystones Orchestra also conducted by Fergus Sheila. Later that year Lynda went on to represent Ireland at the Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan. When Lynda returned she changed teacher to Professor Ronald Mason. In 2002 Lynda was awarded The Briscoe Cup at the DIT Conservatory of Music and Drama and The Arthur Manchester Bursary for Young Musicians. Lynda has also been a regular prize-winner at Feis Ceoil including the Arthur Lateral, Eisner and Aileen Gore Cup. Lynda performs regularly with Camerata Ireland, RTE Concert Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland, Irish Chamber Orchestra and Young European Strings. Lynda recently completed a Music Performance degree in DIT Conservatory of Music and Drama with first class honours, where she studied under Michael D’Arcy and was a Bank of Ireland Millennium Scholar. In August 2005 Lynda took part in Master-classes in Clandeboye, Northern Ireland with world renowned violinist Chee Yun. Here she was awarded title of Clandeboye Young Musician 2005. Since then Lynda has had the opportunity to perform in numerous concerts with Camerata Ireland directed by Barry Douglas; Dublin Symphony Orchestra playing Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto, conducted by assistant conductor of the N.S.O.I, Gavin Maloney.
Brendan Walsh _________________________________________________
An International BA Music graduate from NUI Maynooth and the Lemmensinstitute, Leuven, Belgium and a two time Masters in Music Performance graduate from Dublin Institute of Technology and from the Hochschule Luzern – Musik, Switzerland where he also undertook the specialized course C.A.S. (Certificate of Advanced Studies). Brendan studied guitar with Gwen Moore, John Feeley, Benjamin Dwyer, Raphaella Smits and Frank Bungarten. A participant in over 20 master classes given by players such as David Russell, Oscar Ghiglia, Pavel Steidl, John Williams, Stefano Grondona, Manuel Barrueco etc. He is a two time All Ireland ‘Feis Ceol’ competition winner including the George Lowden Bach Prize and has performed live on both local and national Irish radio. Brendan is an active composer and premiered his first guitar concerto (Feb 07) at the National Concert Hall (Ireland) with a commission from the Music Matters organization. His compositional output ranges from solo to orchestral and has had his music performed in public recitals many times across Europe. Brendan has premiered dozens of new works by CMC composers such as Martin O’Leary, Fergal Dowling, David Stalling and Victor Lazzarini. In 2003 he founded and still directs the Diversus Guitar Ensemble (a guitar orchestra of approx. 20 guitarists from around the world) for which he has composed and arranged extensively. He is founder of the Lucerne Guitar Concerts series and is currently president of Fokus Gitarre which is a Swiss based music association that promotes the underplayed guitar repertoire through concerts and workshops.
Ailbhe McDonagh ____________________________________________
Irish cellist, Ailbhe McDonagh, performs throughout Ireland and internationally as a soloist and chamber musician. A graduate of the Eastman School of Music, Rochester, NY, and the Royal Irish Academy of Music, Dublin, Ireland, she studied with world-renowned cellist Steven Doane, Nora Gilleese, Aisling Drury-Byrne and William Butt. McDonagh gave her debut recital with celebrated Irish pianist John O’Conor at the National Concert Hall in Dublin, Ireland.Over the last ten years, she has performed throughout Europe, Asia and the USA and has appeared as a concerto soloist numerous times all over Ireland. Performances include concerts for the Irish President at Aras an Uachtarain, the Yale Norfolk Festival, Schleswig Holstein Music Festival, Great Irish Houses Festival, Carnegie Hall and Irish national television and radio. McDonagh has worked in masterclasses with Bernard Greenhouse, David Geringas, Ralph Kirshbaum, Philippe Muller, Tsuyoshi Tsutsumi, Julian Lloyd Webber, Maria Kliegel, Moray Welsh, Anna Shuttleworth, The Tokyo String Quartet, Altenberg Trio Wien and many others.She has recently formed a new duo, “The McDonagh Sisters” with pianist Orla McDonagh. Keenly interested in contemporary music, McDonagh collaborates with several composers and other artists worldwide, most recently recording a CD of contemporary music for Bridge Records in New York. A composer and arranger in her own right, she has had several piano compositions published for the RIAM Local Centre Examinations. McDonagh joined the cello faculty of the RIAM in 2010.
Lynda O'Connor________________________________________________
Lynda O' Connor began her violin studies at the age of three with Magsie Goor. She made her first appearance on the National Concert Hall stage at the age of four and has made regular appearances there since. At the age of 12 Lynda made her debut recital with the Suzuki tribute orchestra conducted by Fergus Shield in Powerscourt Ballroom. She followed this by performing the Concerto for two violins by Bach with the Greystones Orchestra also conducted by Fergus Sheila. Later that year Lynda went on to represent Ireland at the Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan. When Lynda returned she changed teacher to Professor Ronald Mason. In 2002 Lynda was awarded The Briscoe Cup at the DIT Conservatory of Music and Drama and The Arthur Manchester Bursary for Young Musicians. Lynda has also been a regular prize-winner at Feis Ceoil including the Arthur Lateral, Eisner and Aileen Gore Cup. Lynda performs regularly with Camerata Ireland, RTE Concert Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland, Irish Chamber Orchestra and Young European Strings. Lynda recently completed a Music Performance degree in DIT Conservatory of Music and Drama with first class honours, where she studied under Michael D’Arcy and was a Bank of Ireland Millennium Scholar. In August 2005 Lynda took part in Master-classes in Clandeboye, Northern Ireland with world renowned violinist Chee Yun. Here she was awarded title of Clandeboye Young Musician 2005. Since then Lynda has had the opportunity to perform in numerous concerts with Camerata Ireland directed by Barry Douglas; Dublin Symphony Orchestra playing Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto, conducted by assistant conductor of the N.S.O.I, Gavin Maloney.
Brendan Walsh _________________________________________________
An International BA Music graduate from NUI Maynooth and the Lemmensinstitute, Leuven, Belgium and a two time Masters in Music Performance graduate from Dublin Institute of Technology and from the Hochschule Luzern – Musik, Switzerland where he also undertook the specialized course C.A.S. (Certificate of Advanced Studies). Brendan studied guitar with Gwen Moore, John Feeley, Benjamin Dwyer, Raphaella Smits and Frank Bungarten. A participant in over 20 master classes given by players such as David Russell, Oscar Ghiglia, Pavel Steidl, John Williams, Stefano Grondona, Manuel Barrueco etc. He is a two time All Ireland ‘Feis Ceol’ competition winner including the George Lowden Bach Prize and has performed live on both local and national Irish radio. Brendan is an active composer and premiered his first guitar concerto (Feb 07) at the National Concert Hall (Ireland) with a commission from the Music Matters organization. His compositional output ranges from solo to orchestral and has had his music performed in public recitals many times across Europe. Brendan has premiered dozens of new works by CMC composers such as Martin O’Leary, Fergal Dowling, David Stalling and Victor Lazzarini. In 2003 he founded and still directs the Diversus Guitar Ensemble (a guitar orchestra of approx. 20 guitarists from around the world) for which he has composed and arranged extensively. He is founder of the Lucerne Guitar Concerts series and is currently president of Fokus Gitarre which is a Swiss based music association that promotes the underplayed guitar repertoire through concerts and workshops.
Ailbhe McDonagh ____________________________________________
Irish cellist, Ailbhe McDonagh, performs throughout Ireland and internationally as a soloist and chamber musician. A graduate of the Eastman School of Music, Rochester, NY, and the Royal Irish Academy of Music, Dublin, Ireland, she studied with world-renowned cellist Steven Doane, Nora Gilleese, Aisling Drury-Byrne and William Butt. McDonagh gave her debut recital with celebrated Irish pianist John O’Conor at the National Concert Hall in Dublin, Ireland.Over the last ten years, she has performed throughout Europe, Asia and the USA and has appeared as a concerto soloist numerous times all over Ireland. Performances include concerts for the Irish President at Aras an Uachtarain, the Yale Norfolk Festival, Schleswig Holstein Music Festival, Great Irish Houses Festival, Carnegie Hall and Irish national television and radio. McDonagh has worked in masterclasses with Bernard Greenhouse, David Geringas, Ralph Kirshbaum, Philippe Muller, Tsuyoshi Tsutsumi, Julian Lloyd Webber, Maria Kliegel, Moray Welsh, Anna Shuttleworth, The Tokyo String Quartet, Altenberg Trio Wien and many others.She has recently formed a new duo, “The McDonagh Sisters” with pianist Orla McDonagh. Keenly interested in contemporary music, McDonagh collaborates with several composers and other artists worldwide, most recently recording a CD of contemporary music for Bridge Records in New York. A composer and arranger in her own right, she has had several piano compositions published for the RIAM Local Centre Examinations. McDonagh joined the cello faculty of the RIAM in 2010.