Biography

Colette O'Leary was born in the highly musical area of Sliabh Luachra in Co. Kerry in the south west of Ireland. Her musical career began at the age of five when she took her first piano accordion lesson. By the age of eighteen, she had won two All-Ireland titles. From 1996-2002, Colette released two albums and performed worldwide with highly acclaimed all girl Irish group The Bumblebees.

Colette's solo album release "The Attic Room" "weaves an intriguing tapestry of music from Ireland, Scotland, Italy, France and Eastern Europe, with zest, vitality and cosmopolitan taste" (The Living Tradition)

Hire Colette as :

Soloist Accordion
Duo (Accordion + guitar/vocals)
Trio (As Duo + violin)
Quartet (As Trio + bass/uilleann pipes/ceili caller if required)

Colette's Quartet are England's premier band for weddings, ceili's, parties and corporate events. One of the most respected bands on the circuit for the past six years, they have performed for Sting, Her Excellence President Mary McAleese at Dublin Castle, Princess Anne at the Guildhalll, Antonio Carluccio, Jasper Conran as well as at countless Scottish, Irish and Italian weddings and corporate events.

Their diverse repertoire ranges from enthralling reels, jigs, hornpipes and marches to meltingly beautiful airs and songs from Scotland and Ireland. In addition, they weave a rich tapestry of melodies from France, Galicia, Italy, Canada, Cape Breton, Eastern Europe, Argentina and Louisiana with style and cosmopolitan taste. This year they performed at numerous festivals including Glastonbury, Celtic Connections, Tate Modern, Wychwood, Wimborne, Lovebox, Blas and Return to Camden. They have toured extensively throughout Austria, Germany, Italy, France, Scotland, Ireland and Wales. Past international festivals include L'Orient Interceltique Brittany, Milwaukee US and Celtic Colours, Canada.

With their driving energy and exuberance, they are guaranteed to bring any festival, concert, conference, wedding, ceili, ceilidh, barndance, event or celebration to life!

Musical Repertoire

Irish :

The Irish Washerwoman
Pinch of Snuff
The Silver Spear
Mna na hEireann
Carolan's Concerto
Magic Slipper, Johnny Leary's Polkas
Ar Eireann Ni Nosfainn Ce Hi (Air)

Scottish :

Miss McLeod's
Atholl Highlanders
Highland Strathspey Set
Margaret's Waltz
Coilsfield House
Highland Laddie
Ay Fond Kiss

French :

La Mer
Under the Bridges of Paris
La Vie en Rose
The Last Time I Saw Paris
Breton Wedding March
Nurse's Waltz

Italian :

Carmela
Ah Mari
That's Amore
Funiculi Funicula
Mambo Italiano
Come Prima
Carnival of Venice

Eastern European/Russian :

Tantz Tantz Yiddelekh
Macedonian Horo
Khosid Wedding Dances
Bandura Waltz
Shifting Sands
Kozachok
Moscow Nights

Argentinian :

Libertango
Winter in Buenos Aires (Invierno Porteno)

World/General/Film :

Tune for a Found Harmonium
Can-Can
The Godfather Waltz
El Mercado Testaccio (Chile)
Goodbye Eddy Street (American)
Never Going Back Again (Fleetwood Mac)
Le Petit Cheval Rouge (French-Canadian)

Songs :

Flower of Scotland
Auld Lang Syne
Fields of Athenry
Galway Girl
Ring of Fire
I Walk the Line
Blackbird
Norwegian Wood
Dirty Old Town
Brown-Eyed Girl plus many more..

Ceili/Ceilidh/Barndance Repertoire :

Gay Gordons
Dashing White Sargant
Circassian Circle
Siege of Ennis
Strip The Willow
Haymakers Jig
Walls of Limerick
Virginia Reel
Canadian Barndance
Waltzes

"Colette is a highly respected piano accordionist and her solo album "The Attic Room" combines breath-taking virtuosity with a genuine love and feeling for the music she plays" (Hot Press)

"Colette is one of the best at coaxing genuine sounds from the stomach Steinway, a sterling musician" (Irish Voice New York).

Testimonials :

re Ceili in The Brewery, Chiswell St. London EC1 4SD

"We were delighted with our choice of Colette and her band for our recent
charity céilí in central London. Their energetic caller was amazing in the number
of dances she knew and the ability she had to persuade the crowd to get on
their feet and dance. The music was exactly what we were looking for, the
musicians very accomplished and always ready to take suggestions, and they played a mix of old favourites and some new dances to ensure that novices and experienced céilí goers had great fun. We will certainly be contacting them next time around!"

Thanks
Judith Ni Bhreaslain

re Wedding at Candid Arts Trust, 3 Torrens St. London EC1V 1NQ

"Thank you thank you for playing at our wedding! We had a truly fabulous
evening, the music was excellent, the atmosphere was high and the dance
floor was packed all night. Everyone commented on what talented musicians
Colette's band were and the whole ambience of the evening including the sensitivity of the caller, helped our two families get to know each other. Thanks again."

Bríd Scanlon

re Three Crowns Pub, Stoke Newington, London,

"Thank you so much for playing the Three Crowns, the evening was enjoyed
tremendously by both customers and staff alike and the feed back was amazing
about the event .Its a rarity to see such passion for the music and such pure talent outside of Ireland. A truly captivating experience. Go raibh mile maith agat."

Neala Marie McPhail

TV Appearances :

UTV : Kelly Show
RTE : Late Late Show, Mary Kennedy Show
TG4 : Sult with Donal Lunny
TG4 : Ionad Cois Locha

Discography :

Bumblebees (Bumblebees)
Buzzin' (Bumblebees)
The Attic Room (Solo Colette O'Leary)
The Long Notes (debut album The Long Notes)
Freezing Summer (Maire Breatnach)
Seven (Wolfstone)