Annmarie Acosta studied traditional Irish dance and music in New York, learning from some of the best teachers, including Jerry Mulvihill, Donny Golden, and the late Maureen Glynn Connolly. In 1998 Annmarie became the senior All-Ireland champion in the accompaniment category at the fleadh cheoil. During this same year, Annmarie achieved her T.C.R.G. and was honored by Irish America … [Read more...] about Annmarie Acosta
Accordion-Piano
Mirella Murray
Mirella Murray grew up in Claddaghduff on the northwest coast of Connemara in County Galway. Her father John Joe, a notable sean nós dancer, came from Inishark Island and had a deep understanding and love for traditional music. Mirella studied the piano accordion with Mary Finn, and it was at music classes that she met up with fiddler Liz Kane from Letterfrack. Mirella won the … [Read more...] about Mirella Murray
Kendall Rogers
Kendall Rogers has been playing traditional dance tunes since he started picking them out on the piano at about age 4 or 5. He has been performing on piano in public at American folk dance events since about age 15, adding other related dance events over the next 25 years. Steeped in the rich Appalachian folk heritage of his native Kentucky, alongside the … [Read more...] about Kendall Rogers
Karen Tweed
Born in London in the early 1960s to an Irish mother and an English father who both loved dance music of any kind, it was no surprise that Karen took up the accordion at the age of 11. Having been voted the All Ireland Accordion champion on five occasions Karen finally turned professional in the late 1980s and has risen to become one of the leading lights on both the UK and International folk … [Read more...] about Karen Tweed
Ian Varley
Ian Varley is a native of New York, and has made Austin TX his home for the last 14 years. His day job is writing software, but he's been a professional touring and studio musician on and off since childhood. A recent convert to both Piano Accordion and traditional Irish music, he now holds down a weekly session in Austin, and he can always name a tune. Ian's given well-received talks at … [Read more...] about Ian Varley