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Nuala Kennedy is someone who takes chances. Not content with being one of the most celebrated Irish flautists of her generation and widely acclaimed for her knowledge and interpretation of Celtic music, she keeps pushing at the boundaries of the tradition and has astonished the music world with a series of collaborations with such luminaries as Will Oldham (Bonnie Prince Billy), the late Oliver Schroer and Norman Blake of Teenage Fanclub. Nuala's new album, 'Tune In' released on Compass Records this coming spring, will feature guest appearances by many big name artists.

"Kennedy doesn't so much imbibe or inhale as swallow, whole and unadulterated, melodic and rhythmic influences from beyond her kith and kin. She is not only an exceptional interpreter of the tradition: her own tunes glisten with freshness." The Irish Times

"Breathtaking" UK Herald

"Upbeat, lightfilled.. sung in pure clear tones utterly beguiling" Songlines

"Immense talent and experience... outstanding and highly recommended" Irish Music

"Kennedy's voice is iridescent; her flute and whistle performances, unearthly" Philadelphia Daily News

"Nuala Kennedy is an all-round musician par excellence her voice is as luminous as her flute and whistle playing" Rhythms Magazine, Australia

"Joyfilled an artist and musician who's not afraid to take risks 'The New Shoes' keeps tradition close at hand but tosses convention to the wind" Boston Irish Herald

"An excellent composer, but also a highly skilled and sympathetic interpreter of contemporary and traditional Celtic material" All Music Review

Based in her adopted homeland of Scotland, Irish traditional singer and flautist Nuala Kennedy performs a range of material from across the Irish and Scottish traditional music repertoires. She also composes her own idiosyncratic brand of traditional music and tours in a variety of lineups from duo and quartet to a nine-piece festival band.

Her debut solo album 'The New Shoes' released on Compass Records was warmly received around the world. It was voted traditional album of the week by The Irish Times, and traditional highlightof 2008 by Hotpress. In July 2009, in collaboration with guitarist Philippe Guidat and the Scottish Arts Council, she touring a successful new world music project entitled 'VOYAGE DE NUIT', showcasing songs and compositions inspired by flamenco, jazz and traditional music. In October 2009, she tours Ireland with MISLAID, a collaboration with Norman Blake (Teenage Fanclub), Euros Childs (Gorky's Zygotic Mynci) and Irish fiddler Caoimhin O'Raghaillaigh.

She has performed and recorded with American hipster and indie-poet Will Oldham (Domino Records 2008), French guitarist Philippe Guidat, Scotland's Norman Blake and cutting-edge Canadian composer Oliver Schroer, with whom she recorded 'Enthralled' a duo album of entirely original compositions. Her own second solo album also due out on Compass Records (2010) will feature guest appearances by these stars, as well as some of her long-time musical accomplices.

Nuala grew up playing traditional music in an award-winning ceilidh band 'Ceoltoiri Oga Oghrialla'. She also studied classical piano under Professor John O'Connor at the Royal Academy of Music in Dublin. During this formative time she was heavily influenced by the local musicians of her native home of Dundalk in the North-East of Ireland. Kennedy then moved to Scotland where she co-founded the highly recognized trio Fine Friday. As a member of Fine Friday Kennedy toured extensively to promote the bands two critically acclaimed albums Gone Dancing (2002) and Mowing the Machair (2004), released on the Scottish 'Footstomping' label. Her 2007 commission 'Astar:Journey' composed for Celtic Connections International Festival in Glasgow was heralded as 'breathtaking' and a 'triumph' by Scotland's national press. It featured an international line-up of musicians from Scotland, the States and Canada.

She is a known cross-genre collaborator and has taken part in the Scottish music residencies Burnsong and Distil. In August 2007, Kennedy was musician-in-residence at OMI International World Arts Center in New York. Out of this she formed 'Voyage De Nuit' a new-music quintet with French flamenco-jazz guitarist Philippe Guidat. They toured Scotland in the Summer of 2009 for eighteen concerts as part of Tune-Up, a Scottish Arts Council touring initiative. She also occasionally performs traditional music and song with the acclaimed Troy MacGillivray from Nova Scotia. Nuala is also part of the group ORIEL: the Music and Song of South-East Ulster, which features Gerry 'fiddle' Connor, Giles le Bigot and Martin Quinn.