My parents knew singing would no doubt play a role in my life ever since I was a toddler and would hum along to mum playing the piano at home. Apparently I would stop if she played a wrong note, wait for a moment, and then continue humming in a different key to make her wrong note right!

Growing up in Rostrevor, Co. Down, I was very lucky to have my parents and teachers encouraging me to follow my passion for music. Fortunately, there is a vibrant arts scene in the Newry & Mourne area which is enthusiastically maintained, which means I was able to nurture and develop my musical abilities through performing at the local feiseanna, joining youth theatre groups, taking part in extra-curricular music ensembles, and more! Studying music at third level was a natural next step for me after finishing school, graduating from the Diploma in Music Teaching and Performance at the Royal Academy of Music, Dublin, before embarking upon a Bachelors in Music at the University of Manchester.

I consider myself lucky to have made a career from what I love ever since.

Harmony is my favourite facet of the wide world of music. The fact that a single note can be used in almost countless ways depending on its harmonic surroundings is something that fascinates me. It is just one example of how the possibilities in creating a piece of music are endless. For me, each single note in a harmonic structure is like each single voice in a vocal ensemble - they can come together to create something incredible. No two combinations of voices are ever the same, and yet ANÚNA, with its vast array of singers from all over the world, has the ability to create one unique, distinctly unified sound.

I had first heard of ANÚNA through my sister-in-law and former singing teacher Fiona Flynn who sang with ANÚNA when I was a child.

From then, I had heard bits of their music here and there, but hadn’t started listening to their music properly until years later. Between the harmonic depth and stillness of An Oíche to the pure energy of Dúlamán, I immediately knew what I had been missing out on.

The more I listened, the more I wanted to become part of the ensemble making those sounds. It has been exciting to have the opportunity to explore the Irish language through music, which is something I hadn’t done much of before joining ANÚNA. My appreciation for the beauty and value of the language has grown indescribably and continues to do so. It is also a real privilege to be able to perform with singers from many different countries and backgrounds. Something that struck me immediately during my first project with ANÚNA, performing at the Portico of Ards, Portaferry, was witnessing the rapport between everyone involved. It really made the whole thing even more special!

Often, I have said that I’m greedy in how much I want to keep doing all at once throughout my music career – musical directing, singing, teaching, composing, to name a few. ANÚNA has brought a unique aspect to my career that I love more and more with each project, and continues to remind me why singing, especially, holds a special place in my heart.