John Feeley (born 24 May 1955) an Irish

classical guitarist This is a list of classical guitarists. Baroque (17th and 18th centuries) 19th century 20th century https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXAPUbFDFJfxY2qijBIG2Og?view_as=subscriberModern See also * List of flamenco guitarists References ...

, and a teacher and editor of guitar music.

Life

Feeley was born in

Ballinasloe Ballinasloe ( ; ) is a town in the easternmost part of County Galway in Connacht. Located at an ancient crossing point on the River Suck, evidence of ancient settlement in the area includes a number of Bronze Age sites. Built around a 12th-ce ...

, County Galway,

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

. He started guitar playing in popular music, and at age 17 "was recognised as one of Europe's best electric guitarists" After graduating from

Trinity College Dublin , name_Latin = Collegium Sanctae et Individuae Trinitatis Reginae Elizabethae juxta Dublin , motto = ''Perpetuis futuris temporibus duraturam'' (Latin) , motto_lang = la , motto_English = It will last i ...

, with a first class degree in music, he moved to the USA to study with

Oscar Ghiglia Oscar Alberto Ghiglia (born 13 August 1938) is an Italian classical guitarist. Biography Early years Born in Livorno to an artistic family – his father and grandfather were both famed painters, his mother an accomplished pianist – Oscar Ghig ...

, Ángel Romero, and David Russell, completing a master's degree at

Queens College, City University of New York Queens College (QC) is a public college in the Queens Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City. It is part of the City University of New York system. Its 80-acre campus is primarily located in Flushing, Queens. It has a student body ...

. In the following years he taught at Memphis State University, Tennessee. He now teaches at the DIT Conservatory of Music and Drama, Dublin. His past students include all current members of the

Dublin Guitar Quartet The Dublin Guitar Quartet is an Irish guitar quartet that specialises in the performance of contemporary classical music, particularly music associated with minimalist composers such as Philip Glass, Steve Reich, Arvo Pärt and Kevin Volans. Th ...

, along with

Redmond O'Toole Redmond O'Toole is an Irish classical guitarist who performs on a Brahms guitar. His former teachers include Oscar Ghiglia, Paul Galbraith, Graham Devine and John Feeley. He studied at the Dublin Institute of Technology and the Accademia Musi ...

, Michael O'Toole and Alec O'Leary, director of the Waltons Guitar Festival of Ireland. Composers

Benjamin Dwyer Benjamin Dwyer (born 3 August 1965) is an Irish composer, guitarist and musicologist. Life Dwyer was born in Dublin and studied the classical guitar at the DIT Conservatory of Music and Drama, Dublin, and at the Royal Academy of Music, London. H ...

, Ciarán Farrell, David Fennessy and David Flynn, all of whom have written music for Feeley, were also guitar students of his. In 2006 Feeley completed a doctorate (Doctor of Philosophy in Music erformance at

Maynooth University The National University of Ireland, Maynooth (NUIM; ga, Ollscoil na hÉireann Mhá Nuad), commonly known as Maynooth University (MU), is a constituent university of the National University of Ireland in Maynooth, County Kildare, Ireland. It w ...

, which involved a major thesis in three volumes with the title ''Classical Guitar Music by Irish Composers: Performing Editions and Critical Commentary''.

Performing and recording career

Feeley has appeared at such festivals as the Guitar Festival of Ireland, Bath International Guitar Festival, the Dundee International Guitar Festival, and the Wirral International Guitar Festival. He has won numerous awards including the Special Award for interpretation in the 1984

Mauro Giuliani Mauro Giuseppe Sergio Pantaleo Giuliani (27 July 1781 – 8 May 1829) was an Italian guitarist, cellist, singer, and composer. He was a leading guitar virtuoso of the early 19th century. Biography Although born in Bisceglie, Giuliani's cent ...

competition, Italy. He has appeared as a soloist with The American Symphony Orchestra at Carnegie Hall, the

RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra The National Symphony Orchestra (NSO; previously known as RTÉ Symphony Orchestra and the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra) is the largest professional orchestra in Ireland. Housed at the National Concert Hall, Dublin, since January 2022, it used ...

, the

Ulster Orchestra The Ulster Orchestra, based in Belfast, is the only full-time professional orchestra in Northern Ireland. The orchestra plays the majority of its concerts in Belfast's Ulster Hall and Waterfront Hall. It also gives concerts across the United K ...

, the

Irish Chamber Orchestra The Irish Chamber Orchestra (ICO) is an Irish classical music ensemble, administratively based at the University of Limerick. János Fürst founded the ICO in 1963. The ICO consisted only of strings as its regular ensemble for many years, adding w ...

and the Contempo Quartet. He performs regularly in duet with the flautist William Dowdall. Feeley is an enthusiastic champion of contemporary Irish music and in this capacity has commissioned works from many of Ireland's leading composers including

Seóirse Bodley Seóirse Bodley (first name pronounced ; born 4 April 1933) is an Irish composer and former associate professor of music at University College Dublin (UCD). He was the first composer to become a Saoi of Aosdána, in 2008. Bodley is widely regarde ...

, John Buckley,

Jerome de Bromhead Jerome de Bromhead (born 2 December 1945) is an Irish composer, classical guitarist, and member of Aosdána. Biography Jerome de Bromhead was born in Waterford, Ireland. He studied with A.J. Potter and James Wilson at the Royal Irish Academy ...

, Jane O'Leary, Brent Parker and

Eric Sweeney Eric Sweeney may refer to: * Eric Sweeney (composer) (1948–2020) * Eric Sweeney (footballer) (1903–1968) {{dab ...

. He also has a great interest in traditional Irish and Scottish music and in has recorded with

The Chieftains The Chieftains are a traditional Irish folk band formed in Dublin in 1962, by Paddy Moloney, Seán Potts and Michael Tubridy. Their sound, which is almost entirely instrumental and largely built around uilleann pipes, has become synonymous wi ...

and published his own arrangements of traditional melodies. He has been described by ''

The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...

'' as 'Ireland's leading classical guitarist'"Performing Arts", in: ''The Washington Post'', 13 March 2001, p. C03. and by Michael Dervan in ''

The Irish Times ''The Irish Times'' is an Irish daily broadsheet newspaper and online digital publication. It launched on 29 March 1859. The editor is Ruadhán Mac Cormaic. It is published every day except Sundays. ''The Irish Times'' is considered a newspaper ...

'' as "a trailblazer ... when it comes to the guitar and guitar-playing in Ireland".

Discography

*''e-motion. Contemporary Works for Guitar'', Black Box Music BBM 1002 (CD, 1998). Contains: Ciarán Farrell: ''The Shannon Suite'';

: ''Gemini''; Jane O'Leary: ''Four Pieces for Guitar''; Dawn Kenny: ''e-motion'';

Eric Sweeney Eric Sweeney may refer to: * Eric Sweeney (composer) (1948–2020) * Eric Sweeney (footballer) (1903–1968) {{dab ...

: ''Figurations''; Michael Howard: ''Niagara Falls on Thomond''; Brian Boydell: ''Three Pieces for Guitar''; Andrew Shiels: ''The Voyage of Maeldun''. *''in winter light'', Celestial Harmonies13244-2 (CD, 2004); with William Dowdall, flute. Contains: John Buckley: Guitar Sonata No. 2; Fantasia No. 1 for Alto Flute; Guitar Sonata No. 1; Three Pieces for Solo Flute; ''Lullaby for Deirdre''; ''Airflow''; ''In Winter Light''. *''Islands. Contemporary Irish Solo & Instrumental Works for Guitar'', Overture Music, o label code(CD, 2010); with Laura Chislett Jones (flute) & Pavlos Kanellakis (guitar). Contains: David Fennessy: ''... sting like a bee'';

: ''Cancion''; ''Tango''; John McLachlan: ''Four Pieces for Guitar''; Jane O'Leary: Duo for Alto Flute and Guitar; Eric Sweeney (arr.): ''Three Folk Songs'';

: ''Islands''; Brent Parker: Theme and Variations for Two Guitars. Earlier recordings, including arrangements of Irish traditional music for guitar *''Celtic Classics'' (Ossian) *''Sreanga Oir'' (Gael-Linn) *''Romanza'' (Marble Arch) *''John Feeley'' (Gael-Linn CEF 109) *''Serenade'' (with Raymond Burley) (CBA Classics)

Editorships

*''Scottish Music for Solo Guitar'', two volumes (Cork: Ossian Publications, 2005) *''Contemporary Irish Music for Classic Guitar Solo'' (Pacific, Missouri: Mel Bay, 2012)

References

External links

Official Website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Feeley, John 1955 births Irish classical guitarists Living people Musicians from County Galway Queens College, City University of New York alumni