eileen ivers

Eileen came into the world in 1965. She is the daughter of John and Annie, who both came originally to the Woodlawn Heights section of Bronx, New York (238th Street) from County Mayo, Ireland. Eileen also has a sister, Maureen, who along with Eileen was originally targeted by her parents to become Irish dancers. However after six dancing lessons, Eileen realized that she was destined to focus her attention on another Irish art form, and so it was that with-in one-year, Eileen had picked up the bow, and has been wowing the world with her magical fiddle playing for the past 23 years.

A person can never know when and where a significant event will occur that will inspire them to greatness. If anyone asks virtuoso fiddler player Eileen Ivers where her original inspiration to learn to play the violin came from, she will probably show her beautiful smile and quickly reply, "Hee Haw." (A country and Western comedy/music television show that was filmed in the United States) While Eileen has said that it was Hee Haw that was her inspiration to learn to play the fiddle, it was while the family was in Ireland that Eileen asked her mother if she could take violin lessens. Her mother tried to convince her to take piano. However Eileen already knew that it was the violin that she wanted to master.

Eileen's first fiddle was a rented one. She practiced for one-hour everyday before hitting her schoolbooks, however it was not long before she showed to everyone her dedicated commitment, (including her neighbors) that she was attached to the violin. In-fact it was not long after that, that Eileen would awake after retiring for the evening when suddenly a new idea would pop into her mind; she would than have to get back up, and play the new thought so she would not forget the new sound.

Up to this point Eileen had as her musical inspirations a country and western television show, her family and the magic of Ireland. It must be understood that for any successful artist, there are always people behind the scenes that are paramount in the development of that artist. And this was the case too with Eileen Ivers. Born in Limerick, Ireland, Martin Mulvihill had never competed in music competitions, or played before a paying crowd. However he traveled between Philadelphia, Washington and New York teaching to his kids a piece of his own magic, by searching for and than bringing out in their playing their own styles and skills in such a way that was his special magic to give.

Eileen would probably be the first to admit that it was Martin Mulvihill who was her biggest influence in her success as a musician. In fact it was with Mulvihill that Eileen recorded her first recording. One morning when twelve-year old Eileen and other children were playing tag outside of Mulvihill's home; he called them into his basement where they recorded together. She was also with her first group at that time, a Ceilidh band called Erin Og. Sadly Martin Mulvihill is no longer living, having died about a decade ago.

Eileen and her family continued to spend a lot of time in Ireland. And It was at nine years old, in Buncrana, Donegal that Eileen earned her first all-Ireland medal, (Banjo) and through the years has accumulated an incredible total of 35- all-Ireland titles, combining eight solo all-Irelands titles on her fiddle, 6 for slow air playing, and the remaining medals for duets, banjo and trios playing.

After Eileen graduated from high school, her parents nudged Eileen to attend college. Eileen grudgingly obliged them and soon agreed that it was a fantastic idea, and so she graduated from Iona with a degree in Math. Where she has said that she came to learn that mathematics have specific related patterns with music and so both have a connection with the other. Soon after graduation, Eileen began to play her magical music in Irish bars and then began to perform in the festival scene. It was during this time that Eileen played with the great musician Mick Maloney, Seamus Egan, and many others whom she accredits with attributing to her growth as a musician. Green Fields of America was formed soon after by Mick Moloney, in which Eileen was a member

Next for Eileen was work with Luka Bloom, before being recognized by Daryl Hall and John Oates producer, T-bone Wolk who recommended Eileen to record some music with the rock duo. Eileen did so and three-months later began a year long tour with the Hall & Oates band that would take Eileen to Europe, Australia and Japan. But moreover it widened her musical experience and cemented her commitment to her own ideals and personal goals for her growth as a musician.

It was back to New York for Eileen Ivers, where she began to play with such notable musicians as John Doyle, Seamus Egan and Kimati Dinizulu, whose African-American musical history melded quite nicely with Eileen's traditional Irish training. Which combined to make a wonderful mixed sound of Irish/African music which Eileen Ivers and Kimati Dinizula experimented with at Paddy Reilly's bar every Monday night in Manhattan. Eileen's next experience was with the band, Paddy A Go Go begun by Black47’s , Chris Byrne, and included, former Speir Mor lead singer, Pat Maguire.

Bill Whelan is arguably the most famous composer in Irish music history. He is also a successful record producer, who has worked with such famous acts as, U2 and Kate Bush, and has contributed his magic to many of the most memorable motion picture soundtracks in recent memory. A Room With A view, Rob Roy, and his most recent film work, the fantastic, yet sad film, Some Mothers Son, that revisits the tragedy of the Irish Republican hunger strikers of the early 1980's. Yet to date, what he is most recognized around the world for is his composition of the soundtrack, Riverdance. Eileen Ivers met Bill Whelan for the first time when he needed a fiddle player to play the score he was writing for Leon Uris's best-selling book, Trinity. And so it was that when Maire Bhreathnach left Riverdance, Eileen Ivers was chosen to step in and put her own style and mark upon the show.

Eileen has participated in more than 75 recordings, contemporanous and traditional music, and also soundtracks. "She has collaborated with artists like Pula Cole and the Boston Pops Orchestra. Eileen wrote some of the music featured in Back to Titanic, that included original music composed for “Titanic”, new versions and compositions based on the films themes. After this came Crossing the Bridge, her last album to date . In this album she mixed traditional tunes with her own compositions, and there are collaborations from John Doyle and Seamus Egan from Solás, Bakithi Kumalo (who had already played in Graceland by Paul Simon), Joanie Madden from Cherish The Ladies, and the jazz musicians Eddie Gomez and Randy Brecker.