Leah O’Brien Bernini profile picture

Leah O’Brien Bernini

About Me


“I know there is something truly magical about the music and dance of Ireland – it is that same breathtaking, thrilling, relaxing, chilling, riveting, haunting, toe-tapping, contagious thing that grips anyone and everyone who is privileged enough to possess even a smidgen of Irish blood in their veins, and most who don’t. It is something that I call audible, tangible life.” - Me
Hm, what can I say? I’m an Irish fiddler, novelist, and an audio-book enthusiast. I’m an Irish dancer, have a very un-Chihuahua-like Chihuahua and the best friends in the entire world. I like to escape into the country when the city gets claustrophobic, and I love to bake and cook for people and host parties, meaning my home is something of a halfway house for my ever-vagrant friends.
I’ve just finished with my Commercial Violin, Performance Emphasis and Music Business Emphasis degree at Belmont University, and now that I've graduated, I’m preparing for both grad school and life as a professional Irish fiddler – which means lots of practice, groundwork, and patience – but what’s awesome is it never seems to feel like work.
Life right now is pretty special, and I’m drinking in every breath with delight.
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My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 6/17/2006
Band Website: youtube.com/user/LeahOBrienBernini
Influences:
Irish Trad Individuals: Junior Crehan, Martin Hayes, Eileen Ivers, Liz Carroll, Natalie MacMaster, Doug Cameron, John Carty, Kevin Burke, Brian Conway, Andy McGann, John Doyle, Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh, Nial Keegan, Tommy and Siobahn Peoples, Brian Conway, Dennis Murphy, Michael Coleman, Tommy Potts, Paddy Canny, Paddy Reynolds, and Padraig O'Keefe, Michael Coleman.
Irish Trad or Rock Bands: Flook, Téada, Altan, Solas, Begoa, Cherish the Ladies, Joanie Madden, Mick McAuley & Winifred Horan, Lúnasa, the Bothy Band, Different Drums of Ireland, Gráda, Wolfstone, Flogging Molly, Gaelic Storm, Patrick Street, The Chieftains.
Commercial: Ozomatli, The Beatles, U2, Bob Marley and the Wailers, Santana, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Jack Johnson, Cake, 90s alt. rock (Counting Crows, Goo Goo Dolls, Third Eye Blind, etc) My Morning Jacket, Jack Johnson, The Decembrists, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Rodrigo Y Gabriela, Acoustic Junction, Bela Fleck, BT, Tiesto, Burning Spear, REM, NRBQ, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Wilco.
Authors: Philip Pullman, John Milton, Ian Flemming, Tamora Pierce, JK Rowling, Nicholas Sparks, Ian McEwan, Tich Nhat Hanh.
Sounds Like: I’m an Irish Trad (Traditional Irish music) fiddler with almost entirely my own style. I consciously take what I like from the different regional styles of Irish Trad and I incorporate other non-Irish influences that I’ve picked up along the way. Being an Irish dancer helps too, I think, in creating the pulse and lilt that is vital to Irish music.
The music I listen to all the time also helps to shape my sound; I grew up listening to “new school” Irish music, like Eileen Ivers, Liz Carroll, Doug Cameron, and Natalie MacMaster, and right now I’m listening more to the “old school” fiddlers, like Martin Hayes, Tommy Peoples, and Junior Crehan, and bands, like Flook, Solas, Gráda, Altan, Beoga, and Lúnasa.
Type of Label: Unsigned

My Blog

Official Bio

So I was told I ought to post my official bio. . . Though it's a tad convoluted for the front of my page, so here we are! :)"I know there is something truly magical about the native music and dance of...
Posted by on Sat, 27 Sep 2008 02:16:00 GMT

To Play

Hey all! Let's see - so much has happened lately, and so much still has to happen before the end of school is here! I've decided not to get stressed out. As JK Rowling had Hagrid say once, "What will ...
Posted by on Thu, 03 Apr 2008 23:35:00 GMT

New in 2008: recordings, competitions, and performances!

It's been quite a busy and thrilling new year so far, so I thought I'd update you with what's been going on! Most recently, we (that is to say, myself and members of a band I put together this fall wi...
Posted by on Sun, 03 Feb 2008 17:55:00 GMT

Blas and Willie Week, looking back to look ahead

BLAS and WILLIE CLANCY WEEK 2007:Adapted from an improptu e-mail that turned into a soul-searching freewrite:I could not have been more pleased with my Blas and Willie Clancy experience, I learned so ...
Posted by on Sat, 25 Aug 2007 16:42:00 GMT