About
Celtic Woman is the dynamic music group of four young Irish female vocalists: Chloë Agnew, Lisa Kelly, Méav Ní Mhaolchatha and Órlagh Fallon, along with an exciting young violinist Máiréad Nesbitt. The group and the show are based on the inspiration of Sharon Browne. Browne is the managing director of Celtic Collections, a very successful independent record label in Ireland.
Musical director, conductor, composer and arranger behind Celtic Woman is David Downes, the previous musical director of Riverdance. Downes is accompanied by the Irish Film Orchestra, Aontas Choral Group, and a host of exciting Irish musicians including percussionists Ray Fean and Robbie Casserly to backup the vocalists and create the instrumentation behind this truly moving and inspirational show.
Celtic Woman puts a new spin on many timeless Irish classics such as “Danny Boy” and “Ave Maria” in addition to more contemporary songs such as Enya’s “Orinoco Flow” and Clannad’s “Harry’s Game.” Sharon Browne and David Downes brought these great performers together, and with a dream to take them to the world stage, created CELTIC WOMAN.
MEET CELTIC WOMAN
Chloe Agnew was born on June 9, 1989, in Dublin, Ireland. She is the daughter of Irish pop icon Adele “Twink” King and Irish oboist David Agnew In 2002, at 12 years of age, Agnew was signed to Celtic Collections, and with the backing of Downes she recorded her debut album Chloe. Two years later, in 2004, she followed this with her second album, Walking in the Air. That same year, she appeared as part of the group Celtic Woman at The Helix in Dublin.
Lisa Kelly, birth name: Laoise Ní Cheallaigh, was born on May 7, 1977 in Dublin, Ireland. She is married to Scott Porter and has two sons: Cian and Jack. In 2000 Lisa joined the cast of “Riverdance” and toured with them for four years. In 2003 she recorded her debut solo album entitled Lisa. In 2004 Lisa Kelly was asked to be part of the popular Irish singing group Celtic Woman.
Born in Dublin, Ireland, Méav Ni Mhaolchatha (pronounced, Mayv Knee-Whale-Kha-ha) was educated through the Irish language and continued to study voice, harp and piano while completing her law degree at Trinity College. Between 1994 and 1998 she was a principal soprano soloist with the choral group Anuna, which was featured in several of the biggest productions of Riverdance. Méav has a broad range of performing experience in Ireland and abroad. She recorded two highly successful and critically acclaimed solo CD’s, Méav (1999) and Silver Sea (2002).
Along with the other members of Celtic Woman, Méav gained musical stardom upon the ensemble’s founding and almost immediate fame in 2004. Her singing is a prominent element of Celtic Woman’s CDs: Celtic Woman, Celtic Woman: A Christmas Celebration, and Celtic Woman: A New Journey.
Orla Fallon, birth name Órlagh Fallon, was born on August 24, 1974 in Knockananna, County Wicklow, Ireland. Orla Fallon is an Irish multi-award winning artist, both a vocalist and harpist. She sings traditional Irish music, most often in Gaelic.
Her debut album, The Water is Wide (2000), has earned her much critical acclaim and has led to many television and radio broadcasts. The album includes many of Ireland’s best-loved songs such as She Moved Thro’ The Fair, Carrickfergus and Down by the Sally Gardens.
In Loughmore, County Tipperary, Ireland Mairead Nesbitt was born to John and Kathleen Nesbitt, both well-known music teachers. She has been a piano player since the age of four, and began playing the violin at age six.
Nesbitt got her break in 1996 when she was invited to perform in the Michael Flatley show Lord of the Dance. She released her debut solo album in 2001, Raining Up, which features a broad range of musical styles, both traditional and contemporary.
In 2004, Nesbitt was invited to play violin for a performance at the Helix Theatre in Dublin, called Celtic Woman.