County Mayo native, Alannah Thornburgh, is an award-winning multi-instrumentalist and composer with a focus on traditional Irish harp. Alannah’s music explores her family’s musical heritage, reimagining ancient airs and tunes from the Irish harping and American Appalachian and Jazz traditions. This cross-genre interaction and juxtaposition of old melodies with contemporary harmonies and technique, carries through her original compositions, creating an innovative style described as ‘mind-blowing magic’ by The Bluegrass Situation.

Alannah’s debut solo single “The Front”, a homage to the late composer Conor Walsh, was debuted by Seattle’s legendary KEXP. She is also a multi-award winning musician, both in a solo and group setting, including the 2021 Arts Council Ireland Next Generation Artists Award, multiple All-Ireland Fleadh Championships, The Freshgrass Bluegrass Competition (USA), and more. Alannah’s playing has brought her on tour in Ireland, America, and parts of Europe with an array of ensembles and she is often invited to host masterclasses on the Irish harp at academic institutions and international festivals. 

Alannah is a founding member of the band Alfi, a trio who combine Irish traditional and Appalachian music and song to produce a unique sound and “beautiful, tear-jerking musicianship” (Bristol in Stereo). Alfi were the winners of the 2020 US Embassy Creative Minds Award, the 2019 Caoimhin O Dochartaigh stage at Imbolc International Festival and the 2018 “Molloy Award” at the Trip to Birmingham Tradfest. They were also nominated as ‘Best Emerging Artist’ at the 2019 RTÉ Folk Awards. Alfi released their debut EP “Wolves in the Woods” in May of 2019. Alannah has also collaborated and recorded with an array of artists including David Keenan, Grammy-nominee Tristan Scroggins, Lemoncello, Brigid Mae Power, Varo and Gareth Quinn Redmond.