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Celtic Woman 20th Anniversary Tour
In the years since its 2005 debut, global musical sensation Celtic Woman has emerged as both a formidable multimedia presence and a genuine cultural phenomenon. The groupʼs albums and DVD releases have been consistent multi-platinum best-sellers, and its concert tours continue to touch the hearts of a devoted audience that spans the globe. Both an accomplished recording ensemble and a world-class performing collective, Celtic Woman celebrates Ireland's rich musical and cultural heritage, while continuing its remarkable 16-year legacy of introducing some of Ireland's most talented singers and musicians onto the world stage.
Celtic Womanʼs fresh fusion of traditional Irish music and contemporary songcraft celebrates Irelandʼs history while reflecting the vibrant spirit of modern Ireland. The groupʼs repertoire encompasses Irish classics, contemporary songs, classical favorites and stirring originals. The lineup of performers has evolved in the years since the group's inception, but the signature sound of Celtic Woman has remained consistent, showcasing the membersʼ individual and collaborative talents.
Celtic Woman is comprised of four young Irish women whose performing skills bring centuries of musical and cultural tradition to life. In concert, their angelic voices and instrumental virtuosity are accompanied by a robust ensemble that includes Irish dancers, bagpipers and a full band playing an array of traditional Celtic instruments, including bodhran, tin whistle, bouzouki and Uilleann pipes.
Celtic Woman has sold over ten million CDs and DVDs, making it the only all-female act to achieve multi-platinum success in the classical crossover and world music genres during the past decade. Named Billboardʼs #1 World Music Artist of the Year six times, twelve of the studio CDs have debuted at #1 on Billboardʼs World Album chart. Celtic Woman has also scored two Top 10 debuts on Billboardʼs influential album chart and five Top Five DVDs on Billboardʼs Top Video chart, as well as achieving platinum-level sales in nine countries. Their 2016 album release, Destiny,
was nominated for a Grammy award in the category of Best World Music Album, marking the groupʼs first-ever Grammy nomination.
Celtic Woman continues to perform its sonically and visually stunning concerts in front of capacity crowds around the world, having racked up cumulative ticket sales of over four million and performing for adoring crowds in 23 countries on six continents. Named Celtic Woman to represent the essence of a Celtic female performer, the group made its American television debut in early 2005 with a self-titled PBS concert special, which captured a soldout performance at the Helix in Dublin. Immediately thereafter, Celtic Womanʼs eponymous debut CD reached #1 on Billboardʼs World Music Chart and occupied the top slot for an unprecedented 81 weeks. It remained there until the release of Celtic Womanʼs second album, 2006ʼs A Christmas Celebration, which cemented Celtic Womanʼs spot at the top for a total of 112 consecutive weeks.
Although initially intended as a one-timeonly event, Celtic Womanʼs music was so warmly received by the public that the group immediately followed with its first concert tour in the United States. Since then, the group has maintained a strong presence on U.S. public television, where its Emmynominated concert specials regularly dominate the audience-supported network's viewer pledge drives.
Celtic Woman has performed for three U.S. Presidents and appeared twice at the White House, including the 2009 National Christmas Tree Lighting. The group was seen by 23 million viewers when performing on ABC-TVʼs Dancing with the Stars, and gained considerable attention for appearances in multiple episodes of the daytime drama The Bold and the Beautiful, as well appearing on numerous other television shows in the U.S. and internationally.
Their album Ancient Land – the first new studio album of brand new songs since the Grammy-nominated Destiny – was recorded in the famous Real World Studios in the
UK, and was released in the fall of 2018. To coincide with this, Celtic Woman returned home to Ireland to film a spectacular live show in the grounds of the beautiful Johnstown Castle in Wexford, which was recorded for PBS, as well as a DVD release in 2019. In Spring 2019 Celtic Woman returned to North America to perform in over 70 cities from March through June, as part of their Ancient Land Tour.
Then came a brand new studio album The Magic of Christmas, before the group marked its 15 year anniversary in 2020. Celebration –15 years of Music & Magic was released on CD & DVD to coincide with the Celebration Tour which kicked off in North America in
Bios
Tara McNeill
Tara McNeill is a violinist, singer and harpist from Antrim, Ireland.
In August 2016 Tara became a member of the Irish music sensation Celtic Woman. She is the second violinist to join the #1 World Music Artists and she is also the first multiinstrumentalist as she brings her harp and voice to the group.
Tara graduated with first class honours in the BA in Music Performance (violin) at the Royal Irish Academy of Music under the tuition of Michael D’Arcy. She has toured China, Argentina, Chile and Mexico with Camerata Ireland and world-renowned pianist, Barry Douglas, performed with the RTE Concert Orchestra and Ulster Orchestra, led the Ulster Youth Orchestra and both the RIAM Chamber and Symphony Orchestras. Tara performed the Irish premiere of Finziʼs Violin Concerto in the National Concert Hall, Dublin in April, 2013.
Tara has toured Canada, China, Japan and Holland as both a singer and solo violinist with the vocal group Anúna. She is also the solo violinist on their album Illumination. In Celtic Woman's 2015 TV special Destiny, Tara appeared playing the harp.
Orchestral tours have taken Tara throughout Europe, China, Japan, Korea and America
March 2020, but sadly had to be rescheduled after only a few shows.
This year Celtic Woman return with a brand new PBS Special Postcards from Ireland, followed by a CD and DVD release and returning to touring in 2022 for the Postcards from Ireland Tour.
Celtic Woman continues to transcend national and cultural boundaries to celebrate the timeless emotion of Irelandʼs centuries-old heritage. A one-of-a-kind live act, Celtic Woman combines the country's finest musical talents with epic stage production to present a uniquely inspiring live experience. Postcards from Ireland perfectly captures this chapter of their extraordinary musical journey.
performing in venues such as Carnegie hall, New York, Oriental Arts Centre, Shanghai and the National Centre for the Performing Arts, Beijing. She has won many awards including the Inaugural Flax Trust Classics £5000 bursary and The George & Angela Moore Flax Trust Classics Audience Award in 2012, the Leo Gibney Award for Chamber Music (RIAM), Ballymena Music Festival’s prestigious Young Instrumentalist Award in 2009 and Holywood Music Festival’s Ulster Bank Festival Gala Cup and the d’Arcy Cup and Award in 2010.
Mairéad Carlin
Mairéad Carlin is a Grammy-nominated singer from Derry, Northern Ireland. Mairéad began her career at the age of 15, winning BBC Talentʼs Young Singers Competition, resulting in her performance of the title role, The Rose, in Rachel Portmanʼs The Little Prince. The score and vocals were recorded by Sony Classical in Abbey Road Studios, alongside the BBC Concert Orchestra. This same project also marked Mairéadʼs debut performance at The Royal Opera House in London.
Mairéad trained in Vocal Performance at Trinity Laban Conservatoire in London. Upon graduating, she signed her first record deal with Decca (Universal Music), and her debut album Songbook was recorded with the
Celtic Woman 20th Anniversary Tour
London Symphony Orchestra at AIR Studios Lyndhurst.
Mairéad subsequently toured the UK and Ireland with American singer-songwriter, Don McLean, which included a sold out concert at The Royal Albert Hall. She also performed with legendary American artist Carly Simon.
Mairéad has performed for the President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins, celebrating the Irish national anthem in Twickenham for the Ireland vs. England rugby Six Nations, airing to millions of TV viewers the world over.
Mairéad worked closely with Oscar-winning lyricist Don Black on the Stay Away From Stars album. This album, written by Don and composer Alexander Rudd, featured songs written specifically for Mairéad's voice. This, too, was recorded at Abbey Road Studios with the English Session Orchestra.
Other notable orchestras Mairéad has performed alongside include the: Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Seattle Symphony Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, Boston Pops Orchestra, Atlanta Pops Orchestra, and Colorado Symphony Orchestra.
Most recently Mairéad collaborated with Irish singer Daniel O Donnell, appearing as a special guest on his tv show Opry Le Daniel on TG4. Mairéad is so thrilled to be returning to Celtic Woman for the 20th anniversary tour ‘it really feels like coming home.’
Muirgen OʼMahony
Originally from County Cork in Ireland, Muirgen has been performing as an actor, singer and instrumentalist for almost 10 years. She studied as a classical soprano at the Cork School of Music before furthering her training in musical theatre at the Royal Academy of Music in London.
Over the past number of years, Muirgen has been lucky enough to share the stage with some amazing performers and musicians. She has performed on several occasions as a soloist with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra at the National Concert Hall, most notably in their New Year’s Eve Gala Concert in 2018.
Most recently, as part of RTÉ ‘Winter Sessions’, Muirgen featured in ‘The Musicals’ alongside Susan McFadden and Killian Donnelly - a project that was recorded at the RDS in Dublin and was televised in early 2021.
Emma Warren
Emma is originally from Dublin, now living in Donegal and has been singing and dancing from a very young age. She has recently returned from Londonʼs Westend, performing at the Sondheim Theatre in Les Misérables The Musical after touring the world with Riverdance as their lead dancer for over 5 years. Performing is Emmaʼs passion and she is absolutely thrilled to join the Celtic Woman family for their 20th Anniversary!
Emma has a Masters in Musical Theatre (Distinction), from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama.
Her theatre work also includes: Lou-Ann in Hairspray (UK & Ireland Tour), Johanna in Sweeney Todd (RWCMD), Tiger Bay The Musical (Wales Millennium Centre), Jasmine in Aladdin (National Stadium, Dublin & Beck Theatre, London), Lead Dancer and Singer in Riverdance (Gaiety Theatre - Dublin, UK, North America, Australia/New Zealand, China and Japan Tours), Lead Dancer in Heartbeat of Home (Bord Gais Energy Theatre - Dublin, China and North American Tours), Prodijig (Sadler’s Wells Theatre & UK tour), Jill in Jack and the Beanstalk (Helix Theatre, Dublin), Cinders in Cinderella (Olympia Theatre, Dublin).
She performed at the St. David’s Day Gala celebration honouring Catherine Zeta Jones (Rainbow Room, Rockefeller Centre, New York), and at the Tribute Gala Concert to Dame Shirley Bassey (RWCMD).
Her television appearances include Over The Rainbow (BBC), The One Show, The Late Late Show and Good Morning America