Milwaukee Irish Fest Summer School Instructors
Note: All times are listed in CENTRAL TIME ZONE. Thank you!
Aisling Lyons
Instructor Website: http://www.aislinglyonsmusic.com/
Teaching Irish Harp Class (T-W-Th) and Concertina Class (T-W-Th)
Aisling Lyons, multi-award winning harper, concertina player & composer from County Clare has been described as '..the finest young Irish harpist at work today..' - Songlines Magazine & 'one of traditional music’s finest musicians’ by Hot Press Magazine in 2022 after the release of her debut album ‘Aistear’. She is the holder of 8 All-Ireland titles & has performed all around the world, from Europe to the U.S, Australia & China. Aisling graduated with a First Class Honours Degree in Irish Music from the University of Limerick in 2018 & as a Professional Master of Education in 2021. She has tutored harp at the Irish World Academy, Limerick & at University College Cork. Aisling is an experienced concertina teacher also, having taught masterclasses at festivals such as Consairtín, Milwaukee Irish Fest Summer School (USA) & Swaledale Squeeze (UK). Aisling was nominated in the ‘Best Folk Instrumentalist’ & ‘Best Emerging Artist’ categories at the RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards in 2022.
Aisling has been involved in a collaborative music residency with glór & Creative Ireland under the title ‘MERFOLK’. Merfolk will perform at Milwaukee Irish Fest 2023. She has recorded albums with bands 'Harpanno' and '3 on the Bund'. Aisling has been described as ‘one of the rising stars and budding composers of the Irish harp world – rooted in tradition and beautifully inventive’. In 2021, Aisling collaborated with artist Aideen Barry, on ‘Oblivion’ commissioned by Music Network and the Irish Traditional Music Archives & also performed with Tolu Makay on RTÉ's 'Ireland in Music' & for Michael D. Higgins' 80th Birthday Celebrations on TG4. Aisling’s debut album ‘Aistear’, supported by Clare County Council, was released in 2021 and has been described as ‘an exceptional CD’ ( the Living Tradition), ‘a standout record, flawless’ (Hot Press) & ‘excellent’ (Folk Radio UK).