The Séamus Ennis Arts Centre are proud to present a new monthly series ‘More than Music’.

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Presented by celebrated piper Ronan Browne, this series will immerse the audience in the culture-rich world of Irish Music and allow us to delve into the meaning behind the music through captivating talks between Ronan and his monthly special guest live on the TSEAC stage.

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Each month Ronan will invite a special guest to join him on the stage to play and discuss their musical journey in a relaxed, intimate atmosphere. You can enjoy shared stories, melodic moments, and easy-going conversations that offer insights into the essence of their artistry and the profound impact of music on their lives.

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This month Ronan welcomes special guest Siobhán Armstrong.

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Siobhán Armstrong is a performer, academic, passionate educator, and one of Europe’s rare harpists playing pre-1800 repertory on reconstructions of medieval to baroque harps. She feels very fortunate to perform and record with prestigious vocal soloists and instrumentalists, period-instrument ensembles, orchestras and baroque opera companies in the UK, Ireland, and further afield, mainly in Europe. As founding director of The Historical Harp Society of Ireland, she is spearheading the international rediscovery of Ireland's ancient harp, strung in brass wires. With this instrument she also performs with prominent Irish singing and piping colleagues. In 2014, Siobhán located a lost historic Irish harp and, in 2016, commissioned the first ever 3D-laser scan of a music instrument at The National Museum of Ireland. Her PhD (Middlesex, London) has unlocked new information about Irish harp performance practice in the pre-1800 indigenous tradition. The debut CD of her ensemble, The Irish Consort—Music, Ireland and the Sixteenth Century—has shed light on a neglected century in Irish music, and was an Irish Times international classical-music recordings top-five pick of 2021. Siobhán would like to acknowledge the kind support of The Arts Council of Ireland for her work.