Arts Council / UCC Traditional Artist in Residence 2025/26 - Aoife Ní Bhriain

The Music Department at UCC, in association with the Arts Council, the College of Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Sciences (CACSSS), and the School of Film, Music and Theatre at UCC, are delighted to announce the appointment of Dublin fiddler, Aoife Ní Bhriain as the 2026 Arts Council / University College Cork Traditional Artist in Residence.

As part of the role, Aoife will deliver a series of concerts, workshops, and events throughout the UCC campus community during the course of her one-year residency, beginning in January 2026.

Aoife will be hosted by The Department of Music at UCC, where the study of Irish traditional music and dance has been championed for over a century. Irish Traditional Music is a key part of the Music Department’s identity, occupying a prominent place in its uniquely diverse music curriculum.

About Aoife Ní Bhriain

Born in Dublin, to a family of musicians, Aoife Ní Bhriain has established herself as one of the most versatile musicians of her generation. Thanks to her musical heritage combined with her classical studies she has collaborated and performed with musicians such as pianist Eliso Virsaladze, fiddle player Martin Hayes, violinist Mariana Sirbu, Welsh harpist Catrin Finch, jazz guitarist Wolfgang Muthspiel and Oscar winning actor Tim Robbins. She has been guest co-leader of the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland, Guest Leader of Crash Ensemble, Stargaze Ensemble, Concorde Ensemble and has also co-led the Scottish Chamber Orchestra.

She is a member of the avant garde string quintet Wooden Elephant as well as the Goodman Trio with whom she has explored the manuscripts of the music collected around Ireland in the1800’s by Canon James Goodman. Since 2021 Aoife has joined forces with Welsh harpist Catrin Finch and in October 2023 they released their debut album “Double You”. More recently she has released a new duo album “Cosán Casta” with pianist Cormac McCarthy in November 2025 to critical acclaim.

Winner of the RTÉ Best Folk Instrumentalist of the Year, the Camerata Ireland Young Musician Award and the prestigious Bonn Óir Sean Uí Riada in 2010, Aoife has also won seven All Ireland titles as well as prizes in international violin and chamber music competitions. Most recently Aoife has qualified for the semi finals of the International Bach Competition 2022 in Leipzig and was awarded the Next Generation Award from the Arts Council of Ireland. In 2024 Aoife was shortlisted for Best Folk Album for her album with Catrin Finch in the RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards. Recent performances include Shostakovich Violin Concerto no.1 with the Sudwestdeutsche Philharmonie Konstanz and the Bach Double Concerto for Violin and Oboe with the Orlando Philharmonic alongside some of her own arrangements and compositions.

In 2025 Aoife is the Kaleidoscope Series Artist in Residence in Dublin as well as the commissioned composer in Stuideo Cuan and recipient of the Charlie Lennon Commission award.

Aoife has a particular interest in solo violin works and curated a performance on the solo violin works of J.S. Bach and the improvisations of acclaimed Dublin fiddle player Tommie Potts on whom she has published a book of transcriptions “the Unbroken Music of Heaven” published by the Irish Traditional Music Archives

She graduated with first class honours from the Hochschule fur Musik und Theater Leipzig in 2018 and plays on a violin by J.B. Vuillaume on generous loan as well as a Jurgen Manthey violin purchased through the Music Network Music Capital Scheme.

Previous artists in residence:

2024/25: Eithne Ní Chatháin

2023/24: Niamh Dunne

2022/23: Barry Kerr

2021/22: Caitlín Nic Gabhann

2020/21: Nollaig Casey

2019/20: Danny O’Mahony

2018/19: Jack Talty

2017/18: Colin Dunne

2016/17: Karan Casey

2015/16: Desi Wilkinson

2014/15: Niall Vallely

2013/14: Iarla Ó Lionáird