Máiréad Nesbitt ( , ) is an Irish musician. She is known for performing Celtic and classical music and being the former fiddler for '' Celtic Woman''. She was also one of the two original fiddlers in Michael Flatley’s '' Lord of the Dance'' in the mid to late 1990s, along with its extended version '' Feet of Flames'' in the early 2000s.

Background

Nesbitt was born to John and Kathleen Nesbitt, both music teachers in County Tipperary, Ireland. She has a sister, Frances, and four brothers, Seán, Michael, Noel and Karl, all of whom are musicians. She has been a piano player since the age of four, and began playing the violin at age six. Her formal musical studies began at The Ursuline Convent in Thurles,

County Tipperary County Tipperary () is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster and the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern Region. The county is named after the town of Tipperary (tow ...

and progressed through the

Waterford Institute of Technology The Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT; ) was an Institutes of technology in the Republic of Ireland, institute of technology, located in Waterford, Ireland. The institute had six constituent schools and offered programmes in business, engi ...

and the Cork School of Music, during which time she participated in the National Youth Orchestra of Ireland. Nesbitt completed postgraduate studies at

Royal Academy of Music The Royal Academy of Music (RAM) in London, England, is one of the oldest music schools in the UK, founded in 1822 by John Fane and Nicolas-Charles Bochsa. It received its royal charter in 1830 from King George IV with the support of the firs ...

and

Trinity College of Music Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance is a music, dance, and musical theatre conservatoire based in South East London. It was formed in 2005 as a merger of two older institutions – Trinity College of Music and Laban Dance Centre. Trini ...

in London under Emanuel Hurwitz. Besides her family, Nesbitt has stated that her influences range from

Itzhak Perlman Itzhak Perlman (; born August 31, 1945) is an Israeli-American violinist. He has performed worldwide and throughout the United States, in venues that have included a state dinner for Elizabeth II at the White House in 2007, and at the First ina ...

and Michael Coleman to bluegrass artist

Alison Krauss Alison Maria Krauss (born July 23, 1971) is an American bluegrass-country singer, fiddler and music producer. She entered the music industry at an early age, competing in local contests by the age of eight and recording for the first time at ...

and rock's

David Bowie David Robert Jones (8 January 194710 January 2016), known as David Bowie ( ), was an English singer, songwriter and actor. Regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, Bowie was acclaimed by critics and musicians, pa ...

and Sting.

Personal life

Nesbitt has been married to Jim Mustapha Jr., Celtic Woman's then-lighting director, since 2011.

Discography

; Solo *'' Raining Up'' (2001 UK Release; 2006 US Release) *''

Hibernia () is the Classical Latin name for Ireland. The name ''Hibernia'' was taken from Greek geographical accounts. During his exploration of northwest Europe (), Pytheas of Massalia called the island ''Iérnē'' (written ). In his book ''Geogr ...

'' (December 2016) *'' Celtic Spells'' (February 2023) ; With Celtic Woman *'' Celtic Woman'' (March 2005) *'' Celtic Woman: A Christmas Celebration'' (October 2006) *'' Celtic Woman: A New Journey'' (January 2007) *'' Celtic Woman: The Greatest Journey'' (October 2008) *'' Celtic Woman: Songs from the Heart'' (January 2010) *'' Celtic Woman: Lullaby'' (February 2011) *'' Celtic Woman: Believe'' (May 2011, January 2012) *'' Celtic Woman: Home for Christmas'' (October 2012) *'' Celtic Woman: Emerald - Musical Gems'' (February 2014) *'' Celtic Woman: Destiny'' (October 2015) *'' Celtic Woman: The Best of Christmas'' (November 2017) ; With The Dhol Foundation *''Drum-Believable'' (2005) ; Other contributions *'' Lord of the Dance'' (March 1997) *'' Feet of Flames'' (February 1999) *''

Tinker Bell Tinker Bell is a fictional character from J. M. Barrie's 1904 play '' Peter Pan'' and its 1911 novelisation '' Peter and Wendy''. She has appeared in a variety of film and television adaptations of the Peter Pan stories, in particular the 1953 ...

'' (soundtrack) (October 2008) *'' Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure'' (soundtrack) (September 2009) *'' Devil's Bit Sessions'' (June 2017) * ''Harmonious'' (soundtrack) (October 2021)

Filmography

*'' Lord of the Dance'' (November 1999) *'' Celtic Woman'' (March 2005) *'' Celtic Woman: A New Journey'' (January 2007) *'' Celtic Woman: A Christmas Celebration'' (October 2007) *'' Celtic Woman: The Greatest Journey'' (October 2008) *'' Celtic Woman: Songs from the Heart'' (January 2010) *'' Celtic Woman: Believe'' (January 2012) *'' Celtic Woman: Home for Christmas'' (October 2013) *'' Celtic Woman: Emerald - Musical Gems'' (February 2014) *'' Celtic Woman: Destiny'' (October 2015)

References

* * *

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Nesbitt, Mairead Celtic Woman members 20th-century Irish fiddlers Irish women fiddlers 1979 births Living people Musicians from County Tipperary Alumni of Trinity College of Music Alumni of the Royal Academy of Music Alumni of Waterford Institute of Technology Alumni of Cork Institute of Technology 21st-century Irish fiddlers 20th-century Irish women musicians 21st-century Irish women musicians Vertical Records artists