The West Ocean String Quartet

Niamh, from Rosses Point Co Sligo, attended the Royal Irish Academy of Music and then continued her studies at the Royal College of Music, London graduating with a first class honours degree. She subsequently completed a postgraduate degree in performance as a Senior Exhibitioner and holder of the Beckwith Music Scholarship. She was awarded the centenary Tagore Gold Medal for the most outstanding student at the College.

Niamh has performed regularly with Barry Douglas as a member of Camerata Ireland including tours of North and South America, Russia, China and throughout Europe. They also played for Queen Elizabeth on her visit to Ireland. Niamh has a busy freelance career performing with Michael Bublé, Andrea Bocelli, José Carerras, Westlife, Sinead O’Connor, Il Divo and Colm Wilkinson to name but a few. She also works with the National Symphony Orchestra, the RTE Concert Orchestra, the Irish Chamber Orchestra, The West Ocean String Quartet and many other ensembles nationwide.

She is an experienced recitalist and has performed concerti with many orchestras including Tchaikovsky and Bruch Violin Concertos with the RTE Concert Orchestra. She has toured extensively with the European Union Youth Orchestra and has worked with the London Symphony Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Niamh performed a specially commissioned piece for Prince Charles’ historic visit recent state visit to Sligo.

Niamh has been involved in musicals throughout the country from a very early age and has worked as musical director for many shows since 1999. In 2000 Niamh founded the Sligo Academy of Music to create
opportunities for instrumental tuition in the classical genre in the Northwest. She is now very busy as the director of music at SAM which now boasts 34 teachers and over 450 students. Niamh conducts the Sligo Academy of Music Junior and Sinfonietta orchestras who she has brought to perform in the National Concert Hall and on tour to the Czech Republic, Hungary, France, Holland, Poland and the USA.