CLAIRE MANN

Claire comes from Newcastle Upon Tyne in the north east of England and is currently residing in Edinburgh. She started playing the fiddle in school at the age of 8, and taught herself the tin whistle and flute at the ages of 10 and 12 respectively. Despite taking up the flute at a later date she excels on this instrument having won the All Ireland Flute Championships in the consecutive years of 1993 and 1994. She has also won All Irelands on the whistle and been finalist on fiddle and singing. In the past six years she has won over 80 medals in Fleadh Cheoils and was a finalist in the prestigious BBC Radio 2's Young Tradition Award in 1993. Also having performed for the renowned British Flute Society at the age of 15.

Claire is currently working on her solo album due for release next summer and has been performing widely throughout the British Isles, Europe and USA with Craobh Rua and Christy O'Leary. Now 22, Claire's innate musical ability and technical awareness of her instruments, have established her as one of the leading exponents in the traditional music scene.