Laois School of Music Tutors

Andreas Balke - Piano

Andreas joins the teaching staff of the School of Music having spent the past number of years teaching in France. A native of The Netherlands, he began playing piano at a young age and later graduated with a Music Degree from The School for the Arts in Arnhem.  Andreas is also a composer of note for film and musical theatre and has played with various Jazz ensembles over the years.

Kevin Connolly - Drums
Kevin ia a professional drummer for session recordings and live gigs, playing with various bands throughout the Midlands. He has a very methodical approach to his teaching and remains very popular with all his students.

Maurice Daly - Guitar
Maurice Daly specialises in guitar and bass tuition. He is currently teaching all grades up to diploma level at the Laois School of Music. His performing experiences includes Westend shows such as Evita and Cats and Motown artists including the American Drifters and Jimmy Ruffin.

John Davidson - Strings
John has extensive experience as a performer and teacher all across the globe. A native of Aberdeen, Scotland, he combines a variation of musical styles, encompassing classical, folk and traditional. He is much in demand as a session musician and has a keen interest in composition and recording.

Ann-Marie Dwan - Strings
A graduate of NUI Maynooth, Ann-Marie comes from a very musical background that was nurtured in her native Thurles. She teaches Violin and Viola.

Ed Dwan - Strings

Ed has many years teaching experience and is also an accomplished performer, playing in several ensembles and orchestras. He teaches Violin with the Laois School of Music and is on the faculty of the Limerick Municipal School of Music. 

Vincent Hunt - Orchestra/Cello
Vincent is from a well known musical family and has many years experience as a soloist and orchestral player and director. He has great enthusiasm for his work and has developed the orchestra to a very high standard in a short space of time. He is equally at ease teaching individual cello, his specialised instrument.

Dianne Marshall - Piano
Dianne currently teaches piano in the Laois School of Music. A native of Portlaoise Dianne studied in Dublin and London and is also a renowned harpist.

Kimberly Melia - Flute/Kindermusic
Kimberly joined the staff of LSM having re-located to Ireland in September 2005 from the USA. She brought with her a wealth of experience working with all age groups and currently teaches Flute and Kindermusic and is Assistant Orchestra Director.

Vicky Murphy - Kindermusic
A graduate of WIT, Vicky plays Piano, Guitar and sings. She has been actively involved in music in her native Durrow for many years and is director of several school and community choirs. She currently teaches Piano, Keyboards and Kindermusic with the Laois School of Music Durrow.

Patricia Newell - Singing
Patricia Newell began her vocal and operatic studies in the Dublin College of Music under the guidance of Dr. Veronica Dunne and Deirdre Grier Delaney. In 1990 she won a two-year scholarship to the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester (one of only two available). Upon returning to Ireland, Patricia continued her studies in the DIT Conservatory of Music from which she graduated with both a teaching diploma and honours performance degrees. She has appeared as guest soloist on a number of occasions in the National Concert Hall and she has worked both educationally and professionally with a number of international names.

Edward Newell - Piano
Edward Newell graduated from the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester where he specialised in composition and orchestration and from the DIT conservatory of Music in Dublin where he studied pianoforte and music teaching. As a pianist he has performed publicly and on radio and in 1998 he was awarded both the Heneghan Conarto cup and the DIT gold medal for piano performance. As a composer he has written a substantial body of music including songs, symphonies, and chamber works, a number of which have been publicly performed in England, Spain and Germany. Presently Edward teaches piano in the Laois School of Music.

Conal Rae - Guitar
Conal teaches Classical, Popular, Electric and Flamenco guitar and also plays Piano, Bass Guitar and Banjo. Having worked at Primary, Secondary and Third Level, his teaching incorporates traditional and contemporary methods, required for various styles of guitar playing.

Tatyana Vykhodtseva - Piano

Tatyana is a native of Russia and is qualified as a teacher and accompanist from the Ural State Conservatory of Musorgskiy. She is very methodical in her teaching and strives for the best from every pupil, whatever level they are at. Tatyana is very much in demand as an accompanist. 

Mary Wisely - Piano
Mary studied for five years in Waterford Institute of Technology and obtained her BA in Music, Grade VIII Associated Board and her teacher’s diploma in pianoforte from Trinity College of Music, London. She has been teaching music for eighteen years and prides herself in the good results of her students. Mary is also respected for her pleasant demeanour and for the professional relationship she forms with all her students.