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Fiona

Fiona Gryson is a harpist from Skryne, Tara, County Meath.

Fiona recently completed a Master Degree in Music Performance at the DIT Conservatory of Music and Drama with Denise Kelly-McDonnell and graduated with a First Class Honours BMus degree in Performance and Pedagogy from the DIT Conservatory of Music and Drama where she was awarded the Nuala Levins Perpetual Award for Pedagogy. She is a Nissan Generation Next Ambassador.

Over the years, Fiona has been a multiple prizewinner in National competitions. In 2014, Fiona was awarded the John Vallery Memorial prize for 'the best performance by a string player' at the Irish Freemasons Young Musician of the Year competition as well as the RTE Lyric FM Instrumental Bursary at Sligo Feis Ceoil.

Fiona is an active orchestral and chamber musician. She has performed as Principal harpist with the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra and the Ulster Orchestra. She has performed as soloist with orchestras on numerous occasions, including performances of, Danses Sacrée et Profane by Debussy and ‘Handel’s Harp Concerto in B-flat major’ as well as Marbhna Requiem for 1916 composed by Odhrán Ó Casaide. With clarinettist Berginald Rash, Fiona has performed at the Boyne Music Festival 2018 as well as the Tara Summer Festival 2018.

As a soloist and member of the DIT Harp Ensemble she has performed at the Wales International Harp Festival and An Chúirt Chruitireachta Annual International Harp Festival as well as the RDS Rising Stars series, the Edinburgh International Harp Festival and the Boyle Music Festival.

She is a member of the Aurora Flute and Harp duo with Katie Hyland. Most recently they participated in ‘Tuning Up’, a schools education project and performed in concerts and masterclasses at the 2017 West Cork Chamber Music Festival and Fringe Festival. The duo has availed of many of the Apprentice training programmes available in Ireland such as The Galway Music Residency Apprentice Ensemble Programme, the KBC Great Music in Irish Houses Support Act Residency and the Boyne Music Festival Young Associated Artists Programme.

Fiona is currently ​continuing her studies at the DIT as well as studying for a Masters in Harp at the Civica Scuola di Musica Claudio Abbado, Milan with Irina Zingg while pursuing a busy career as a freelance harpist and teacher.