Mairead Nesbitt

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Biography

Máiréad Nesbitt (pronounced "mah-raid") is a Classical music|Classical and Celtic music performer, most notably as a fiddle r and violin ist. She is currently the fiddler for the group Celtic Woman .

Background

Nesbitt was born to John and Kathleen Nesbitt , both well-known music teachers. 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 Ursulines|Ursuline Convent in Thurles , Co. Tipperary, Ireland, and progressed through secondary schooling at 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 post-graduate studies at London's Royal Academy of Music and Trinity College of Music under Emanuel Hurwitz .

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

Career

After finishing her post-graduate studies, Nesbitt joined the Radio Telefís Éireann|RTÉ Concert Orchestra, thus beginning her professional career as a violinist at age 16."Máiréad" bio in Celtic Woman: Songs from the Heart Souvenir Program (2010), pp. 12-13 (paraphrased information appears on p. 12). She later moved into solo performances, working with a variety of performers, including Van Morrison , Clannad (musical group)|Clannad and Sharon Shannon . She also spent some time as fiddler for the Irish group Coolfin, and recorded an album with them.

Nesbitt got her break in 1996 when she was invited to perform in the Michael Flatley show Lord of the Dance (musical)|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 tours with her own band.

In 2004, Nesbitt was invited to play violin for a performance at the The Helix|Helix Theatre in Dublin, called Celtic Woman . 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 seven albums to date: Celtic Woman (album)|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 , and Celtic Woman: Believe .

Nesbitt has worked with the bhangra fusion band Dhol Foundation|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 Royal Highness|HRH Anne, Princess Royal|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 (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.

Nesbitt is a former Fleadh Cheoil all-Ireland fiddle champion, and was named by Irish Music Magazine as Best Traditional Female in 2003.

Currently, Nesbitt is working on a second solo album as well as an album with her very musical family.

Shortly before Thanksgiving, 2011, Nesbitt married Jim Mustafa, lighting director for Celtic Woman, in Maui, Hawaii.

Discography

Lord of the Dance (musical)|Lord of the Dance (March 1997)

Feet of Flames (February 1999)

Raining Up (2001 UK Release; 2006 US Release)

Drum-Believable (2005)

Celtic Woman (album)|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)

Tinker Bell (film)|Tinker Bell (October 2008)

Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure (September 2009)

Celtic Woman: Songs from the Heart (January 2010)

Celtic Woman: Lullaby (February 2011)

Celtic Woman: Believe (May 2011, January 2012)

Filmography

Lord of the Dance (musical)|Lord of the Dance (November 1999)

Celtic Woman (album)|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: Lullaby (February 2011)

Celtic Woman: Believe (January 2012)

Copyright Citations

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Mairead Nesbitt Photo by: www.activeevents.org.uk


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