ONE OF IRELAND’S top concert violinists is set to play at the inauguration of US president-elect Joe Biden.
Patricia Treacy, from Blackrock in Co Louth said she felt both “honoured and privileged” to have been invited to play at the event.
The invitation came directly to her from the Biden family yesterday, after Treacy played for the then vice president when he visited his ancestral home in Louth in 2016.
She also revealed that one of America’s most famous jewellers will dress her in diamonds for the event.
“It always brings me a great sense of pride to be able to represent Ireland,” Treacy said.
“My first thought was to share the news with my mother, who I owe my talent to, as she was my inspiration with an amazing singing voice and musical talents of her own.”
Treacy has performed for Biden on a number of occasions, including in March 2016 when she played at his official residence.
“President-elect Biden, because of his Irish roots, is very much into celebrating St Patrick’s Day, and I had the honour of performing for his invited dignitaries during his annual Irish celebration gathering which included our then Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, and his wife,” she recalled.
She has also performed at Biden rallies in Chicago and other cities.
Treacy shared the news with friends including the former chairwoman of the Kennedy Centre Board to the performing arts in Washington Kelly Katz, who along with her husband are famous jewellers in Hollywood.
The couple have a long history of providing the stars with diamonds and luxury jewels for the Oscars, the Grammys and other high profile events.
Treacy expressed her delight that the couple have already offered to cover her in diamonds for her performance at Biden’s inauguration.
Treacy has won many prestigious music awards including the String final of the RTE Musician of the future competition and has performed in premier venues including Carnegie Hall New York where she made her début as soloist in 2009, and again in 2014 as a soloist with Cross Border Orchestra of Ireland.
She played at the Royal Albert Hall London, The Oriental Arts Centre Shanghai, and as a soloist at all major venues in Ireland.
She played a specially commissioned piece written by Patrick Cassidy for the 1916 Centenary which was broadcast on RTE news.
In 2018, MacGillivray Freeman Films asked her to play a lead role in the production of a Giant Screen/Imax Film Documentary called Ireland.
The documentary, with an emphasis on music and culture is scheduled to be launched in March 2021, in Washington DC, to coincide with the annual Irish Diplomatic delegation from Dublin for the annual visit to the White House to celebrate St Patrick’s Day.
Treacy will become the official Ambassador of the film, and will play the violin at the launch of each major film premiers throughout the US and the world.
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