The Celtic Tenors

The Celtic Tenors have established themselves as the most successful Classical Crossover artists ever to have come out of Ireland. Signed on the spot to an international record deal in London in 2000, their first album went on to achieve double platinum status in their homeland, Number 1 in Ireland and Germany Number 2 in the UK, and won them the “Echo Award” for ‘Best Classical Crossover Act’ in Germany.

 A full-length TV Special “Ein Grosser Irischer Abend” was broadcast to millions on German television, and then released as a coast-to-coast TV Special on PBS in the USA – “Celebrate with the Celtic Tenors”.  There swiftly followed a second album – “So Strong” – recorded at Abbey Road Studios, produced by the legendary Mike Moran, of Queen and Freddie Mercury fame. Their third album – “The Irish Album” – was recorded at home with those legends of Irish folk – The Dubliners.

The Celtic Tenors have all had classical training, sung leading roles with top opera companies, performed in oratorio and concerts worldwide, and continue to show great flexibility in melding their voices to suit the appropriate Classical, folk, Irish and pop genres. Matthew Gilsenan, James Nelson and Daryl Simpson combine their unique voices, character and wit to provide a show overflowing with vitality and variety from start to finish.

The Celtic Tenors are privileged to have as their Musical Director the incredibly talented David Munro from Glasgow. Having worked on the music staff for some of the world’s leading ballet companies, and later as Musical Director for Scottish Opera-Go-Round, as well as several West End shows, David’s varied experience and virtuosic piano skills have helped raise The Celtic Tenors to another level, as they continue to re-invent the whole tenor idiom.

Their latest album, produced by David Munro and Calum Malcolm (Blue Nile), features such guests as Samantha Mumba, Brian Kennedy and the 80s super-group Air Supply, and has already reached Number 4 in the Canadian Charts, and the Top Ten in the US Billboard Charts. This album was released on the Dara label in Ireland under the title “We are not islands,” and on the Telarc label worldwide as “Remember Me.”

Another exciting guest on this album is one of the brightest new talents to emerge on the Classical Crossover scene, the versatile soprano Deirdre Shannon. Deirdre was chosen by Michael Flatley to perform the lead soprano role in his phenomenal show “Lord of the Dance,” which toured North and South America for four years. She went on to perform with such names as The Chieftains, Dionne Warwick, Elvis Costello, Anuna and many others. Most recently, Deirdre has been touring the US as a soloist in the hit-show “Celtic Woman.”   Deirdre is delighted to be back again as special guest with The Celtic Tenors.

The Celtic Tenors were invited to sing for former US President Bill Clinton during a visit to Dublin Castle, and later in a private audience for Secretary General of the United Nations – Kofi Annan, and his wife Nanne - at the request of U2’s front-man Bono. With total album sales worldwide, including compilations, of over one million, and a full international touring schedule, The Celtic Tenors continue to move from strength to strength.

Matthew Gilsenan was born into a hard-working farming family in North Meath. Steeped in the local musical traditions and raised by parents who shared a great love for music, from the great composers to obscure Irish folk, Matthew (along with all his siblings) was born to sing. His classical training started in the Sisters of Mercy convent in Kells, Co.Meath, aged 10, and progressed to some of the great Irish and Scottish teachers. Although he ventured into opera and classical singing, Matthew never lost his love for the music of his youth, in particular the vibrant contemporary Irish music which is his great source of inspiration.  Matthew’s busy singing life ran in parallel with his engineering career, but his desire to sing was too strong, and six years ago he turned to singing professionally.

James Nelson, from Sligo, is a BA.,B.Mus graduate from University College Dublin, and a student of David Harper (London). From an oratorio repertoire of more than 60 works, highlights include Golgotha (Martin) in Bern and Zürich, and the Narrator in L’Enfance du Christ (Berlioz) alongside Katia Ricciarelli in Rome and Florence. James has performed more than 50 operatic roles, including Pinkerton (Butterfly) in Kent, Lensky (Onegin), Alfredo (Traviata) in Italy, Tichon (Katya Kabanova) in Portugal, Snout/Wall (Midsummer Night’s Dream) in Singapore, Basilio (Figaro) under the baton of Raymond Leppard for Scottish Opera, and roles for Opera Ireland, Opera Theatre Co., and the Wexford and Buxton Festivals.  James also writes a column for the “Sligo Weekender”.

Daryl Simpson, from Omagh in Northern Ireland, studied singing with tenors Peter Alexander Wilson and Nicolai Gedda, and completed his Opera Masters Degree at the Alexander Gibson Opera School in Glasgow. Daryl joined Opera Theatre Company’s “Young Associate Artist Scheme”, performing in many recitals and broadcasts, and in Monteverdi’s Coronation of Poppea. Daryl furthered his studies at Zürich’s “Internationales Opern Studio”, where he sang Tamino (Die Zauberflöte), and roles in Les Mamelles deTirésias (Poulenc) for Oper Zürich. As well as performing worldwide on the concert platform, Daryl is also the Musical Director of the Omagh Community Youth Choir, which was set up in the wake of the Omagh atrocity to promote peace and reconciliation through music.

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