Donna Harkin – Button Accordion
Donna Harkin is an accordion player and teacher of traditional Irish music from Letterkenny, Co. Donegal. A well travelled veteran of traditional music, has been teaching almost as long as she has been playing. Her primary instrument is the B/C button accordion and she has played and can teach a wide variety of instruments.
Donna spends her time between her new home in Germany and her native Donegal.
She is an influential part of the Donegal music scene and has been recently honoured for her contribution to traditional Irish music and music education at the Cup of Tae festival in Ardara, following in the footsteps of greats such as Mairead Mooney and Dermot Byrne. She has travelled far and wide and is known and respected for her musicianship and teaching skills around the globe. Donna’s approach to teaching is one part learning to two parts fun, infusing enthusiasm and compassion into tackling the theory, practicality and expression of music on an instrument that can sometimes feel a bit like wrestling an octopus. Her classes are practical, insightful and thoroughly enjoyable so blow the dust off that box under the bed and sign up now!
Catriona Gribben – Piano Accordion
Catriona is a piano accordionist and singer from Gaoth Dobhair. Having grown up among fantastic local musicians she has a distinctive Donegal influence in her playing. Catriona is an experienced performer having competed in Fleadh Ceoil competitions from a young age and touring Ireland Scotland Germany and New York State with An Crann Óg. Catriona now lives in Belfast where she has studied music and gigged for the past 5 years. Catriona has recently spent time collecting and documenting ‘at-risk’ repertoire from the northwest of Donegal during her Masters in Research at Queens University. She recently released an album on BandCamp containing some of this important song collection.