Tess Hartis

Tess Hartis is a Houston-based fiddler whose technical mastery of the violin shines in the worlds of traditional Irish music, classical music, and beyond. Tess began studying the violin at the age of 8, and earned degrees in Violin Performance and Music Education from the University of South Carolina. She spent her university years learning Irish fiddling through countless hours of transcribing recordings, studying videos, and attending workshops.

She has performed throughout the U.S., as well as Germany, Italy, and the Bahamas. Her versatility shines as a vielle player for Istanpitta, a medieval music ensemble. Occasionally active in the Scottish music scene, she won first prize in Scottish fiddling at the 2018 Charleston Highland Games. She also enjoys singing, and for five years was a paid chorister at Saint Peter’s Basilica in Columbia, SC. With a passion for sharing the joy of music, Tess has taught in a variety of settings, including public school orchestra and private violin and fiddle lessons.

She considers her biggest musical influences to be Martin Hayes and her fiddle teacher, Randal Bays. The beauty, joy, and unifying sense of community that Irish music brings to all that partake is the reason she began learning Irish fiddle and what she hopes to share with others.