- Eimear Arkins & Eileen Gannon
- Eimear: Fiddle, Singer & Dancer
- Website: https://www.eimeararkins.com/
- Contact: https://www.eimeararkins.com/contact
- Eileen: Harp
- Website: https://eileengannon.com/
- Contact: https://https://eileengannon.com/
E imear Arkins is a multi-instrumentalist, singer and dancer from Ruan in County Clare. She holds eleven solo All-Ireland Fleadh Cheoil titles and has competed in all Ireland, European and World Dancing Championships. Eimear has toured extensively with Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann on concert tours throughout Ireland, Britain, North America and Canada. She has represented Ireland in France as a performer at Rennes Expo and in Spain as a participant in La Noche Negra a cultural collaboration and exchange between the Mid-West of Ireland and the province of Asturias.
Eimear is the only female to win senior titles for what is known as the trio of vocal competitions; English singing, Irish singing and lilting.
In 2014 Eimear was selected to be part of the Comhaltas National Folk Orchestra of Ireland, which was put together to perform the Boróimhe Suite, a newly composed suite of music, written and directed by Michael Rooney, commemorating the life of Brian Ború.
For the past eight summers, Eimear has performed with the internationally renowned show Brú Ború and was part of the troupe that represented Ireland at World Expo 2010 in Shanghai, China. In August 2015, Eimear traveled to World Expo 2015, in Milan with St. Louis Irish Arts where she promoted not only Irish culture but the expression of Irish culture worldwide.
Eimear has toured and performed with numerous groups including Cherish The Ladies, The Paul Brock Band, Trinity Irish Dance Ensemble and Téada. She is a regular teacher at St. Louis Irish Arts since and has given workshops at various festivals throughout the world including Catskills Irish Arts Week, New York; Viljandi Pärimusmuusika Festival, Estonia; St. Louis Tionól, St. Louis; Festival Interceltique de Lorient, France, Winnipeg Irish Fest, Canada and Canadian Celtic Celebration, Thunder Bay, Canada.
E ileen Gannon has been lighting up the St. Louis music scene for many years. Eileen, a St. Louis native, is one of the top Irish harp players in the world. She has won numerous accolades including the highly coveted Senior Harp title at Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann (World Irish Music Championships). She has a bachelor’s degree in Music Performance from St. Louis University and a master’s degree in Ethnomusicology from University of Limerick. Eileen has toured and performed all over the world and is a regular tutor at international festivals like the Catskills Irish Arts Week, and Scoil Eigse. Eileen also represented Ireland at World Expos in 2010 in Shanghai, China and in 2015, in Milan, Italy. This summer, Eileen will launch her debut solo CD, The Glory Days Are Over.
The sound of her harp is rich and resonant, her melodic phrasing and harmonic voicings tasteful, and she plays with an impeccable sense of rhythm.
Eileen studied classical harp with Laura Hearne and spent most of her summers growing up studying with various harp masters in Ireland. Many of Eileen’s students have now won honors in All-Ireland competitions. She also holds the TTCT teaching certificate awarded byComhaltas Ceoltoiri Eirreann. Eileen was a member of the St. Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra and has performed with the Clayton and University City Symphony Orchestras. Eileen has also appeared with the Musical Diversions Society Orchestra and the St. Louis Women’s Chorale.While studying in Ireland, Eileen taught at the Limerick Municipal School of Music and performed regularly at Dromoland and Bunratty Castles.
