Champion fiddler and singer Seán Heely is one of the most creatively versatile and
captivating young artists of his generation. He is a U.S National Scottish Fiddle
Champion as well as an award-winning Irish Fiddler, singer, and harpist in the folk and
Gaelic traditions of Scotland and Ireland.
Irish fiddle legend Liz Carroll calls Seán: “One powerhouse of a fiddler”.
Seán holds a degree from University of South Carolina in Classical Violin Performance
and was a 2019 Artist in Residence at Strathmore Music Center in Maryland. He has
performed in Scotland, Ireland, South America, Germany and at prestigious venues in
the U.S such as the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C, Hylton Performing Arts center,
and Strathmore Music Center.
Seán has shared the stage with traditional music icons such as Bonnie Rideout, Liz
Carroll, Natalie Haas, Cathy Jordan, Eamon O’Leary, Zan McLeod, Maeve Gilchrist.
Along with his accolades in Traditional Music, Seán made his Classical solo debut with
the Virginia Symphony in 2012 performing Mozart’s 5th Violin Concerto.
In April 2023, Seán was honored to win the prestigious Dan R. MacDonald Memorial
Prize from the Clan Donald Trust from the Gaelic Performing Arts.
Seán has been a featured soloist with the Virginia International Tattoo in Norfolk, VA
and the Washington Tattoo.
Sean has recorded three full length internationally acclaimed albums: the latest of
which (“Dramagical”) has been featured on BBC Radio nan Gàidheal, RTÉ Raidio na
Gaeltachta in Ireland, and NPR’s Thistle and Shamrock. Currently based in
Washington DC, Seán performs locally and abroad with the Seán Heely Celtic Band,
The Glencoe Lads and Jennifer Cutting’s Ocean Orchestra. He is a musical ambassador
for the British Embassy Scottish Affairs Office and the St. Andrew’s Society of
Washington. He also frequently travels abroad as a solo artist and maintains a private
teaching studio in Falls Church, VA.