Hannah O’Dwyer is a musician and primary school teacher from North County Dublin. During her teacher training in Saint Patrick’s College, DCU, she completed a specialism in music alongside her degree. Hannah’s passion for music started from a young age, when she joined the Artane School of Music in 2002 as part of the school’s first intake of female students into the Artane Band. She studied in ASM for the following 10 years, eventually becoming the principal clarinettist of the Artane Band under the baton of Ronan O’Reilly. She achieved Grade 8 music performance with the Associated Boards of the Royal School of Music by the age of 16, after which she completed her teaching diploma with the London College of Music. Hannah has played with a wide range of other ensembles including the Dublin Youth Orchestra, the Irish Youth Wind Ensemble, the Artane Senior Band and the Music Educator’s Orchestra. She has performed in The National Concert Hall, Croke Park and the Aviva Stadium, as well as being a featured musician on many RTE broadcasts such as The Late Late Show and Up For the Match.
Having always had a love of singing, it was during her time in university that Hannah developed her vocal and choral skills under the guidance of Dr. John O’Flynn and Dr. John Buckley in Saint Patrick’s College, DCU. Hannah began singing with the Saint Patrick’s College Choir and in various concerts organised by the Music Department. She was an active member of the Music & Drama society in Saint Pat’s, singing in various stage productions and serving as the musical director of the society during her final year.
Hannah has previously worked as a music theory teacher and clarinet teacher in the Artane School of Music and a singing teacher in Show Time Theatre School and Star Camp Performing Arts summer camp. Post-university, Hannah has performed with the Teachers’ Musical Society and the Pioneers’ Musical Society in multiple AIMS award winning shows. Presently, Hannah sings with the Belle Harmonics – an all female pop-rock choir, of which she is the alto line captain. Throughout her career as a primary school teacher, Hannah has been an active promoter of music education in each school she has worked in – both conducting and arranging music for school choir and band.
