A Fundraising Recital in aid of the Irish Youth Guitar Orchestra.

Two of Ireland’s leading young musicians will be presenting a concert of classical and traditional Irish music. Part of a new breed of Irish talent, John and Anna Jane are comfortable in many genres. This concert will contain music by Rodrigo and Handel as well as music from the hit album ‘Irish Guitar’. The purpose of this concert is to fund raise for the Irish Youth Guitar Orchestra inaugural summer course 2016.

The IYGO is a brand-new, not-for profit, volunteer-run organisation for Ireland’s student classical guitarists. The summer course is a week-long residency at Limerick School of Music finishing with a 3-date tour of the Country’s most prestigious venues including the National Concert Hall. The world-famous Los Angeles Guitar Quartet will be travelling to Ireland to perform with the orchestra on the tour and there are no tuition fees for participants. All funds raised from this concert will go directly to the organisation.

John O’Shea

Part of a new breed of Irish talent, John is quickly establishing himself as one of the most exciting young musicians in the country. Having studied at the DIT Conservatory of Music and Drama for many years, he went on to complete his studies by becoming the first Irish guitarist to graduate on scholarship with a Masters of Music from the USC Thornton School of Music in Los Angeles. At USC John studied with world-famous guitarist Scott Tennant and under the tutelage of Maestro Pepe Romero, as well as guitar ensemble with William Kanengiser. John has many years of experience teaching masterclasses and performing on both sides of the Atlantic both as soloist and as a former member of the Dublin Guitar Quartet, Ireland’s leading guitar ensemble. He has performed as soloist for the Dublin Philharmonic, the Irish composers collective, Limerick Sinfonia and the RTE Concert Orchestra. John O’Shea has been head of the guitar department at Limerick School of Music since 2011 where he started the LSOM guitar ensemble.

John’s debut album of his own arrangements of traditional Irish music for guitar was released in 2014 to universal acclaim. It has been hailed as “alchemy on a 6 string” by Irish music magazine and “a masterpiece” by Fr. Pat Ahern, founder of Siamsa Tíre, Ireland’s national folk theatre. The album reached no.1 in the Irish iTunes World music charts. John is the founder and Director of the Irish Youth Guitar Orchestra.

Anna Jane Ryan started violin at the age of 6 at Limerick School of Music where she studied with Caroline Ahern. She has earned many awards, including the first Limerick City Council Féile Bursary. In 2004, she was awarded Bonn Peadar O’ Cillin for getting the highest result in the country in the Leaving Certificate Music examination, under the tuition of Orla Colgan.

She continued her studies in CIT Cork School of Music, where she graduated with a first class honours B.Mus. degree. In 2010 she received her MA in performance, also from CIT Cork School of Music, under the tutelage of Cornelia Zanidache.

Anna Jane also plays traditional music and has won various competitions in Fleadh Ceoil including the Senior Fiddle Slow Air competition in August 2008 in Fleadh Ceoil na hEireann. She has a keen interest in composing and arranging music.

She is currently assistant principal at Limerick School of Music.