IRISH MUSIC AND DANCE with EILEEN ESTES, AGI KOVACS, and MEGHAN METTE

Powerful instrumentals, haunting vocals and percussive dance collaborate in a wonderful display of innovative musicianship. Rooted in the beloved traditional music of Ireland, artists explore familiar tunes and ballads as well as original compositions with respect and intention that also welcomes fresh perspective and interpretation. Thoughtful phrasing, delightful ornamentation, and emotive yet powerful accompaniment bring audiences a truly unique and delightful sound with each collaboration.

Eileen Estes: Vocals & Guitar

Irish-American musician and singer Eileen Estes is a full time musician recently relocated back to the East cost from Chicago. Whether performing at home or touring, Estes has thrilled audiences for years with her extraordinary voice, which effortlessly combines vocal power with subtle emotional expressiveness. She also works as a studio musician and a vocal coach.

Eileen is a former faculty member at Blue Ridge Irish Music School, where she is still a visiting instructor, and Estes travels to teach Master Classes in the United States and abroad. She currently works as one of the directors of Irish Musical Arts and Dance Week in Bethesda MD, is a contributing artist for the Baltimore Washington Academy of Irish Culture and is the vocal instructor for the Irish Music School of Chicago. Estes also runs her own vocal studio, Lark Song Studios, where she works with singers around the world both remotely and in person.

Daughter of Nita (Conley) Korn, Celtic Thunder’s original lead singer, Eileen grew up immersed in the traditional music of Ireland and Scotland. She is a traditional singer as well as an arranger, songwriter and song collector who has collaborated with many bands over the years. In 2015, Nita and Eileen released an album of Irish and Scottish songs called The Apple Tree Project.

Agi Kovacs: Principal Dancer

Agi Kovacs was born and raised in Hungary where as a young child she was selected to study at the Hungarian National Ballet Institute in Budapest, where she was trained in classical ballet, Hungarian folk dance and historical dances. She moved to the USA 25 years ago and started her own family here in DC.

A few years later she started up her dance career again, performing and teaching Sean Nos (old style Irish) dance to all ages. She has been a principal dancer with Footworks Percussive Dance Ensemble for the past 9 years and continues to travel around the world performing, teaching and spreading the joy of different percussive dance styles. Agi has performed at venues throughout DC, Maryland, Virginia, and New York, as well as in Canada, Ireland, and England and Germany. She also has been teaching at schools in DC/MD/VA and at Knock On Wood Tap Studio.

Meghan Mette: Irish Fiddle

A life-long fiddler, Meghan began her musical career in the Irish Traditional, Cape Breton, and Appalachian Old Time styles, and has studied with some of the highest profile performers in these genres. Meghan studied Irish Traditional Music at the University College Cork, and engaged in a study of Bluegrass immersion in Nashville, TN. She is also proficient in Scottish traditional music and New England style fiddling, and is accomplished in Irish Step-Dancing and Appalachian Flatfooting. Additionally, she plays concertina, Cape Breton piano, claw hammer banjo, and loves to sing harmonies.