Meet the teachers
Our instructors are available for private and group lessons, both for children and adults. If you would like to inquire about private lessons from any of our teachers, please contact us. If you would like to inquire about private lessons for an instrument not listed here, we are also happy to make recommendations for teachers outside of this list, both in person and online, and are happy to connect you with great teachers free of charge.
Current Group and Private Teachers
Catherine Marafino Brice
Old Style Dance, Group Instructor
Catherine Marafino Brice is an Irish step dancer living in Annapolis, MD. She specializes in sean nós dance, old-style Irish step dancing, and has studied American tap dance and flatfooting. Fusing these influences together, she has created her own style of improvised percussive dance that is lively and unique.
Catherine began Irish step dancing and tap dancing as a child. During college, she built a small repertoire of American flat-footing and clogging steps, and learned a handful of Cape Breton and Prince Edward Island patterns from Helen Bergeron. She also learned many of Dan Furey's set dances from Michael Tubridy. Among dancers in Washington and Baltimore, she is highly regarded for her aptness to devise new dances that are musically and choreographically entertaining.
Catherine enjoys ceili dancing and has started calling dances in the Annapolis, Baltimore, and DC region. She is a regular caller at the monthly Baltimore Family Ceili and the Annapolis Crabtown Ceili. She founded the Annapolis Ceili Club in 2023, which is a club for people to learn basic ceili dances and popular set dances in a fun and stress-free environment.
Catrióna Fee
Concertina, Group instructor, Ceili Bands
Catrióna Fee is a concertina player from Cold Spring, New York, who is currently based in Washington, D.C. Raised in a family of set and step dancers, including her two sisters, Angela and Mairead Fee, playing in groups and for dancers was always a central part of of Catrióna’s musical upbringing. She grew up playing ceilis alongside her father, Michael Fee, in the Catskills and other parts of the New York area. Catrióna is a multiple Mid Atlantic Fleadh champion on the concertina and has competed several times in the All Ireland Fleadh. As a youth she played in ceili band and grupa cheoil competitions in the US and Ireland with the Pearl River School of Irish Music.
Catrióna has taught concertina at the Catskills Irish Arts Week, the Baltimore Trad Fest, and and to individuals of all ages. She also had the privilege of teaching the concertina to and recording with Steve Martin for the first season of the hit TV show 'Only Murders in the Building.'
Cushla Srour
Tin Whistle, Group Instructor
Cushla Srour is originally from Southland, New Zealand, where she trained and worked as a school teacher specializing in traditional and folk music. After moving to the USA, Cushla studied under one of Ireland’s premier whistle players, Mary Bergin.
Cushla’s focus as a whistle teacher is on teaching her students the Mary Bergin method, and her private students regularly qualify for the All-Ireland and on the tin whistle. She performs with several groups, including her long-time band Irish Blessing and her trio Cas Ceol. Cushla has also been involved in the organization of many local Irish music festivals.
Donna Long
Piano, Fiddle
Donna Long was born in Los Angeles, California. In 1978, she moved to the Baltimore area and heard fiddler Brendan Mulvihill playing Irish music. He inspired her to pick up the fiddle and gave her a solid foundation in style and playing. She then began to accompany him on the piano, and is now considered one of the finest pianists playing Irish music today. Along with Brendan Mulvihill, she has recorded two duet albums, The Steeplechase and The Morning Dew. A former member of the internationally acclaimed Irish group Cherish the Ladies, she has recorded five CDs with them.
Donna currently teaches Suzuki piano, Irish piano, and Irish fiddle in the Baltimore/Washington, DC area. Her first solo CD, Handprints, was released in June 2003.
Evie Lynch
Tin Whistle, Group Instructor
Evie Lynch is a tin whistle player and sean nós dancer from Olney, MD. Growing up doing sean nós, Evie was encouraged to pick up an Irish instrument at a young age, and she has now been playing the tin whistle for over 10 years. She studied whistle with Lexie Boatright and with many great international players. She is also an alumni of The Baltimore Irish Music School, having also played in the ceili band (drums) and grupa cheoil. Evie is a multiple Mid Atlantic Fleadh champion in both sean nós dance and ladies set dance and she has competed several times at the All Ireland Fleadh (rince ar an sean nós, ladies full set dancing, grupa cheoil, and rogha ghléas). She is also a classical saxophonist currently studying music education at Towson University where she is a member of multiple ensembles.
Joanna Clare
Fiddle, Group Instructor
Joanna Clare is a well-respected Irish fiddler and violinist who began with the Suzuki method of learning the violin before studying with Sligo fiddle master, Brian Conway. She is certified to teach violin with the Suzuki Association of the Americas after training with David Strom. Joanna has taught roughly 20 private students since 2020. She teaches Suzuki violin and Irish fiddle lessons both in person and virtually to children and adults ages 3+. She also assists in teaching The Great Groove Band, a children’s pick-up band at the Philadelphia Folk Festival.
As a teacher, Joanna prioritizes physical technique to direct her students’ playing and emphasizes “what to do,” but more importantly, “how to do it.” She encourages beginning children who are interested in fiddle to start with Suzuki and ease into the Irish fiddling style.
Matthew Mulqueen
B/C Button Accordion, Piano
Matt Mulqueen was born in Baltimore, Maryland, into a musical family. His older brothers played button accordion and fiddle, and his sister became a champion step-dancer. This environment instilled in Matt an irresistible desire to learn and play Irish traditional music. His first music instruction came in the second grade when he joined the boys choir at his elementary school. At age nine, Matt asked his parents if he could learn to play the piano. He began with group piano lessons at a local community college. From there, he progressed to private lessons in Irish and Classical music with Donna Long, who has been the greatest influence on Matt's playing.
Listening to the host of traditional musicians who haunt Irish pubs and to innumerable recordings allowed Matt to forge his own compelling style of accompanying Irish music.
Marty Frye
Flute, Group Instructor
Marty Frye is a DC/Baltimore-based musician who brings soul, reverence, and curiosity to Irish traditional music. A multi-instrumentalist, Marty’s primary focus is the Irish flute and whistle. He can be found on stages, sessions, kitchens, and teaching lessons across the DC / Baltimore region and sometimes further afield. Marty values deep listening and celebrates the spirit of community and mentorship in his musical journey.
Marty performs regularly in a trio with Sarah Collins and David McKindley-Ward, and has also been on the teaching staff of the Baltimore Irish Trad Fest.
Richard Osban
Guitar, Tenor Banjo, Group Instructor
Richard Osban is a driving and dynamic guitarist based in Baltimore, Maryland. He cut his teeth on Irish music while living in Europe, and toured internationally with several Irish and Scottish music projects before returning to the US. Most recently, he has performed with Scottish trad duo Jocelyn Pettit and Ellen Gira, and also tours actively with his trio the East Coasters.
Richard has instructed at several international workshops, including Folksounds Elmstein, Celtic Folk Weekend Regensburg, and the annual Irish weekend in Ismaning. He is also director of the Baltimore Irish Music School and, organizer of the Baltimore Irish Tenor Banjo Summit, and assistant director of the Baltimore Irish Trad Fest.
Sarah Collins
Fiddle
Sarah is, among many things, a fiddle player based in the Baltimore/DC area, with deep ties to the Boston traditional music community. She plays mostly Irish music these days but grew up steeped in the Scottish music community, having lived in Edinburgh as a kid. You can find her on staff at various fiddle camps throughout the year (Pure Dead Brilliant Fiddle Weekend, Boston States) or at regular Irish sessions in DC and Baltimore.
Sarah is a co-founder of the pandemic project, Ministry of Folk, and is a passionate community member and builder within the folk music scene. She is currently working with Richard Osban to co-produce monthly concerts for the Baltimore Folk Club.
Sarah has collaborated with many talented musicians over the years, including Jonathan Vocke, David McKindley Ward, Eamon Sefton, Marty Frye, Conor Hearn, Maura Shawn Scanlin, and Kate Gregory.
Tess Hartis
Fiddle, Group instructor
Tess Hartis is an Irish fiddler and classical violinist originally from South Carolina. She began her musical training at the age of eight and discovered her love of Irish traditional music in college. She has performed extensively with the South Carolina Philharmonic, Hup! Traditional Irish Band, Istanpitta Early Music Ensemble, and has made guest appearances with musical groups in various genres including Irish, Scottish, classical, old time, and more.
Tess received her degrees in Violin Performance and Music Education from the University of South Carolina, where she studied with Dr. William Terwilliger and taught at the USC String Project under the direction of Dr. Gail Barnes. From 2019-2022, Tess was the head director in a prestigious public school orchestra program in Houston, Texas, where she also maintained a private studio of fiddle and violin students. She has taught workshops in various styles of playing, and was most recently on the faculty of the 2023 O’Flaherty Irish Music Retreat in Midlothian, Texas. Now living in Baltimore, Maryland, she is enjoying teaching and performing around the DMV area.
