Claire O’ Donnell with support from Traidcheoil Tara

Harpist

Claire O’Donnell is an accomplished performer on both the Irish harp and Concert harp. She holds a First Class Honours Master of Music Performance Degree (2017) and First Class Honours Bachelor of Music Performance. Claire O’Donnell is one of Ireland’s foremost harpists. She performs regularly as harpist with the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, RTÉ Concert Orchestra, and the BBC Ulster Orchestra and is the only harpist of her generation in Ireland to be invited to perform as principal harpist with the European Union Youth Orchestra under the baton of Vladamir Ashkanazy, a position she held for 4 consecutive years. 

A highly sought after soloist and recording artist, Claire has recorded with The National Symphony Orchestra for the international classical Naxos Label and in 2017 and as a soloist for the Irish traditional Music archives Bunting Collection. She has performed for such distinguished guests as the former president of Ireland Mary Mac Aleese, at the World Harp Congress, and with musical legends the Horslips, Wolf Tones, Liam O’Flynn, Dame Evelyn Glennie and Katherine Jenkins to name but a few. In 2020 during the pandemic, Claire recorded regular live performances for Kids Classics, an organisation dedicated to providing musical performances in Community and Health care settings. 

Claire has performed in some of Ireland’s biggest and most exclusive venues including Aras an Uachtarain, The O2 Dublin, The 3 Arena Belfast, The National Concert Hall, Cork and Wexford Opera House, Shelbourne Hotel, Castle Leslie Monaghan, Adare Manor Limerick and Ballyfin Castle, to name but a few.

Born into a musical family, Claire was offered scholarships at a young age to study harp at The Royal Irish Academy of Music, Dublin and later to the Conservatoire National De Music Reims, France and the Guildhall School of music, London UK. Claire holds a first class Honours Degree and first class Masters Degree in Music from DIT Conservatory of Music and Drama, Dublin. A passionate educator, Claire was appointed Head of Harp in Cork School of Music 2014-2018 and in 2022, as Assistant Lecturer of Harp in TU Dublin Conservatoire of Music and Drama. Claire is currently teaching harp at Kylemore College Music Centre, Dublin.