Our Tutors

Galway Music Academy has been teaching for over 10 years in the local community and we are proud of the long term learning relationships we have between our tutors and students. Our tutors are not only experienced, professional mentors, they are also established, respected and active performers who are committed to passing on their love of music to the next generation.

meet Our Team

Steph Geremia

Flute

Steph is an internationally distinguished flautist with over 20 years international performing, touring and teaching experience.

Steph has been highly influenced by the great Sligo style of flute playing. She holds a Bachelor of Arts with Honor’s and major in Music from the distinguished American university, Wesleyan University, where she studied classical and traditional flute along with other world music traditions, working with people such as the legendary experimental jazz hero, Anthony Braxton.

She also hold’s a Masters Degree in Traditional Irish Music Performance with First Class Honors from the University of Limerick and has spent time in India studying the Bonsuri (North Indian Flute) under PT Ginde, disciple of the legendary Panal al Gosh.

'Irish flautist and singer, highly regarded as one of the top musicians of her generation and perhaps best known as a mainstay member of the critically acclaimed Irish group, Alan Kelly Gang, Steph Geremia brings a wealth of musical scholarship to her love for Ireland’s North Connaught tradition, as displayed on her sparkling 2018 release Up She Flew. “Exceptional skill and musicality. . . a masterclass in Irish flute” (Folkworld) ★★★★ RnR ★★★★ Songlines.

Brendan Jones

Drums

After studying in Galway as a teenager with Mike Arrigan, Brendan moved to London to study drums full time and gained a Diploma from Europe's number one drum college Drum-Tech as well as gaining a Cert H.E in popular music practice from Thames Valley University.

As a professional drummer Brendan has toured the UK and Ireland extensively and now plays with some of Ireland’s premier events groups. Brendan passes on his knowledge he acquired from the 20 drum teachers he studied with and the experience of over 15 year of playing live. His mission is to teach the individual by understanding their personality and help them develop their own expression on the drum kit.

Aengus Hackett

Guitar

From Galway city, Aengus is a musician and teacher with immense experience in the area of jazz.

He graduated in June 2013 with a Bachelor in Jazz Performance from the prestigious Conservatory of Amsterdam. Here he studied with the cream of the fertile Dutch jazz guitar scene, such as world-famous Jesse Van Ruller. As well as this he received tutelage from one of the Netherlands’ most in-demand pop session guitarists, Arnold Van Dongen, studying blues, folk, funk and pop. During his time in Holland, Aengus also studied pedagogy, composition, arranging, technology and World Music, such as West-African Kora and the rhythmic theory of South-Indian Carnatic music.

With more than 15 years teaching experience Aengus is passionate about his students’ learning. As well as giving his students a solid grounding in technical and theoretical aspects of the guitar, Aengus adds as much enjoyment into his lessons as possible and transmits his love of music to the student.

Ronan O'Flaherty

Fiddle

Ronan is a graduate of the UL World Academy in Irish Traditional Music and completed all grades in Classical Violin through the Royal Irish Academy of Music.

A multiple winner of All-Ireland medals on the fiddle with over 25 years live performance and 14 years teaching experience, Ronan has been immersed in the best of Galway's world famous Irish music tradition for most of his life and is committed to passing on the tradition to the next generation of players.

A fluent Irish speaker, Ronan is a highly skilled and experienced teacher with a great track record of helping students achieve their full potential. He believes the best way to pass on his talent is by motivating, encouraging and rewarding students toward the ultimate goal of playing in sessions.

Gregory Prendergast

Guitar and Drums

Gregory has over 13 years of experience helping students, in both Ireland and the USA, turn their dreams into goals and actions.

Each lesson plan is tailored to the student’s unique strengths and abilities. His lessons, for all levels from beginner to advanced students, emphasise the foundation and traditional techniques in modern guitar playing with chords, scales, rhythms, and musical notation.

His goal is to develop a well rounded performer that can adapt to a variety of musical situations. Gregory has ample experience working with students that have special needs and enjoys his work immensely.

Melanie Higgins

Violin, Fiddle, Piano and Cello

Mélanie

Is an accomplished multi-instrumentalist and music teacher from Annaghdown, County Galway. She has many years of performance experience in classical, traditional music and world music, excelling in ear training , musical interpretation and performance.

Melanie is graduate of Cork School of Music (bmus ) and has also benefited from many years of traditional music session experience, which has given her an advanced comprehension and love of musical expression and individual musicality.

As a classical performer Melanie has preformed in a number of orchestras in venues such as the National concert hall (Ireland), National concert hall (Glasgow ,Scotland )

and throughout Europe as a soloist.

Niamh O'Meara

Piano and Guitar

A native of County Longford Niamh is a graduate of the Cork School of Music at University College Cork. where she trained specifically in the fields
of composition and music performance. She is also certified by the Victoria College of
London with a diploma in teaching, and has been working as a music teacher for the past four years.

A multi-instrumentalist and composer, Niamh is a bubbly personality with a passion for music education. She believes that learning an instrument at any age is highly beneficial, bringing a new source of fun and enjoyment to life and a lifelong source of happiness and fulfillment.

Camila Maia

Piano and Classical Flute

Camila is a multi-instrumentalist and music tutor born in São Paulo - Brazil, now living in
Galway. She has been teaching flute and piano for over a decade, covering a wide
variety of genres and styles including Classical, Trad and World Music.

She has contributed to the Irish traditional music scene in South America with her band
“Oran” hosting sessions, teaching and collaborating with the Irish Consulate of
São Paulo.

As a performer, she played the flute and piccolo in the Orquestra Filarmônica Santo Amaro, and toured in festivals around Brazil and European countries like France (Brittany), Spain (Galicia), Italy and Ireland. She is currently is a member of projects like Galway Choro Ensemble, Al Andar Flamenco, Duo Maia Benzoni and Sin a Deir Si.