THE CELTIC THUNDER BAND

In most shows, the musicians are anonymous figures in black playing behind stage or unseen in a pit. But the incredibly talented seven members of the Celtic Thunder Band are the backbone of any CT Show and are center stage throughout, championed for their talents and personalities, which is only fitting given the amazing legacy Irish music has given us all.

david
DAVID MUNRO

barry
BARRY KERR

charlie
CHARLIE FOLEY

cian
CIAN O’SWEENY

conley
CONAL EARLY

declan
DECLAN O’DONOGHUE

nicole
NICOLE HUDSON

seana
SEANA DAVEY

NICOLE HUDSON – VIOLA/BACKING VOCALS

A native of Dublin, Nicole has been playing Violin since the tender age of four. Throughout her childhood, Nicole performed as a member of the National Youth Orchestra of Ireland where she acquired a palatable taste for traveling as a musician. Under the direction of Ms. Maeve Broderick, Nicole received a Bachelor of Arts Honors degree from the Royal Irish Academy of Music in Performance and Music Teaching. Following graduation, Nicole became a highly sought after violinist regularly performing with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra and has had the opportunity to play alongside artists such as Andrea Botcelli, The Chieftains, Daniel O’Donnell, Tommy Flemming, Michael Bublè and many more.

In 2008, Nicole was invited to join Celtic Thunder on its first tour of North America and a few years later began touring Australia regularly. Nicole has been a key member of the Celtic Thunder band from the beginning. She has performed on every Celtic Thunder tour and on every Celtic Thunder CD and DVD to date.

In 2006, Nicole was asked to help set up the St. Agnes String Music Project in Crumlin, Dublin. Originally, the project started with Nicole teaching violin to over 400 children free of charge. It has since grown exponentially to include viola, cello, double bass and the opportunity for students to join an orchestra. In addition, Nicole co-conducts St. Agnes’ newly formed Adults Orchestra and is the Director of the St. Agnes Chamber Orchestra. Today, many of Nicole’s students are young members of the Dublin Youth Orchestra and the National Youth Orchestra of Ireland. Ten years later, St. Agnes is still very much a passion of Nicole’s and whenever she is not  on tour, Nicole can be found there hard at work.

Nicole also collaborates with Celtic Thunder colleagues, Neil Byrne and Ryan Kelly on their “Byrne and Kelly” tours and has co-written their third album Echoes. Following its release in early 2016, Echoes gained immediate chart success and hit the #1 spot on iTunes World Music, Amazon Traditional Folk, Amazon British and Folk, Amazon Top 100 Albums, Google Play Top World Album and Billboard Top 5 World Album.

In the future, Nicole plans to continue writing music, touring alongside Celtic Thunder and Byrne and Kelly and to continue sharing the beauty that music has to offer with the children and community of St. Agnes, Crumlin.