Our Tutors
Sarah Ponsonby (Strings)Music and performing has always been at the epicentre of Sarah's life. Starting from a young age of 5 learning piano and violin, Sarah has always had a clear vision of a career in music performance, composition and teaching. She has performed in many different ensembles throughout her time at university studying Music at Queen's University Belfast and she taught at various music academia and summer schools, in both the western classical style and Irish traditional style. She has also recorded an album and EP of predominantly original music in 2020 and 2021. Sarah is an enthusiastic friendly teacher who strives to nurture each student for their uniqueness and individuality in every lesson. She aims to put the child's musical education and enjoyment of the instrument and subject at the forefront of her teaching.
Declan McClafferty (Teenage Kicks/Guitar)Declan is a multi-instrumentalist session musician and songwriter based in Ramelton. Declan works with a variety of artist and studios as a session guitarist and pedal steel guitarist - most recently seen touring with Ryan Mc Mullan and supporting the likes of Dermot Kennedy and Tom Jones. He’s just finished producing a solo record and is excited to begin that journey by releasing new music later this year!
Finbarr Doherty (Songwriting & Guitar) is a singer/songwriter and has released CDs of his own work. Finbarr’s latest CD has been nominated for a Hotpress award.
Seamus Devenny (Drums, Songwriting & Anything Orchestra) teaches drums and violin and plays in several bands, performing at festivals, on radio and on TV.
Sara Laughlin (Voice & Musical Theatre) completed a master's degree in music, specialising in vocal performance, and is a secondary school music teacher. She is also a voice tutor with the Donegal Music Education Partnership and conducts the Donegal Youth Choir.
Ríana Lynch(Voice)Ríana is a singer and performer from Letterkenny. She recently performed in the extraordinary premier of the new musical elegy The White Handkerchief which was written for the 50th Anniversary of Bloody Sunday. A documentary about the making of The White Handkerchief can be watched on BBC iPlayer. Ríana also works as a singing teacher, choir director and music educator.
Rita Demaria (Opera) Rita is originally from Bologna, Italy, and she's a spinto soprano. She's always loved singing, as she believes that's the best way to feel free and powerful in your own voice. She started studying opera singing when she was 18, under the mezzo-soprano Katja Lytting. She has sung in various concerts around Italy, and she has taken part in masterclasses to hone her voice (among others, she has taken part in a masterclass by Tamara Novichenko - Anna Netrebko's teacher - and Cheryl Studer). After moving to Ireland, she decided that this was the best time to go back to her passion for singing.
Linda Bennett (Dance) was trained at the Laban dance centre at Goldsmith College, London, taught Modern Dance, rock Jazz and Funky Disco at Pineapple Dance Studios from 1983 to 1987. Has worked with renowned choreographers Arlene Philips and Bruno Tonioli. She has also done TV work in Japan and has been a backing dancer with touring bands. Former choreographer to the Finesse gymnastics display team and currently with Zona dance studios teaching jazz and acrobatics for dancers.
Thomas Duffy (Music from the Amazon/Samba) is a percussionist and educator specialising in Brazilian popular folkloric music, onstage and on street for almost 30 years. He holds the musical directorship of Maracatu ilha Brilhante National Afro-Brazian Percussion ensemble and RhythmRiotMusic Samba Group and performs with The Absurdist Pipe Band. Usually, he can be found at festivals and carnival celebrations throughout Ireland, Europe and Brazil. Over his career Thomas has worked with numerous amazing musicians including: Jeremy Hickey (R.S.A.G); Kila & Emily Conway in Ireland; Jon Hardiman - (UK); Nana Vasconcelos and Luis Claudio Farias (Br.) as well as Brazilian Music Groups including: Afoxe Loni, (Berlin) Nação do Maracatu Leão da Campina (Brazil), Afon Sistema (UK) & Maracatu Europa (Paris). In 2021, he was awarded the title: 'Guerreiro de Fé' for his contributions to Brazilian culture and music in Europe.
Tracy Friel (Semibreves) Tracy is the National School Ukulele Tutor with DMEP reaching around 400 students a week. Tracy launched Sounds Music Camps for children in Galway City in 2017. Tracy's focus is on making a welcoming and fun environment in which children are introduced to the wonderful world of music and their innate creativity is encouraged. The semibreves will learn about beat, rhythm, pitch, tempo, and dynamics through singing, percussion, Ukulele, and games.
Natasha Yan (Piano) Natasha Yan, a dedicated piano teacher originally from Malaysia, holds a Diploma in Music from SEGi University & Colleges (Malaysia). With 20 years of teaching experience across Malaysia and Ireland, she tailors her approach to each student, ensuring their piano journey aligns with their unique learning style and goals. Passionate about continuous growth, she recently completed the Becoming a Better Music Teacher course from The Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music, (ABRSM), a global music education charity.
Kieran Devlin (Ukulele) An original member of Letterkenny’s Ukulele Orchestra, Kieran has been teaching ukulele to both children and adults for several years. With a focus on making learning fun and accessible, his classes highlight just how versatile and musically rich the ukulele can be. Whether you're picking up the instrument for the first time or looking to build on existing skills, these lessons provide a solid foundation in a relaxed and supportive environment.
Julie Griffiths (Art) Julie Griffiths is an award winning artist, activist and cultivator who has delivered collaborative projects in Ireland and internationally for over 10 years. Her background is in textile design and she uses many tactile processes in her projects, as well as horticultural and ecological approaches. The key driver for her practice is concern for the environment and how art can tilt peoples’ understanding and motivations in the challenging times that we are living through.
Cora Newman (Piano) Cora Newman, MA, GTCL, FTCL, has recently returned to Donegal via Dublin, London, and Norway. She began her studies with Dr. Veronica Dunne and, in conjunction, was a member of the National Chamber Choir at the age of seventeen and worked for many years with this wonderful group before moving to London. She studied voice and piano at Trinity College of Music, London, and won many awards for Lieder, Oratorio, and her outstanding contribution whilst at college. Cora has given solo recitals in St. Martin-in-the-Fields, St. John's Smith Square, St.James' Piccadilly, and has performed at The Royal Albert Hall and Royal Festival Hall. She has given many radio broadcasts for RTE, BBC Proms, and Swedish Radio. She has been fortunate to work with Roger Vignoles, Julius Drake, Fabio Biondi, and Zubin Mehta in London and Norway. She has a passion for helping students find their voice.
