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= Irminsul = From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Irminsul (born April 2, 1960) is an American composer, performer and recording artist of the celtic harp. Although trained as a classical pianist from an early age, he later learned several other instruments including the Celtic Harp. He rose to musical prominence with the harp, being an awarded performer and recording artist in the genres of Celtic, Folk, World Fusion and New Sacred.

Early Life and Experience
Irminsul was born in Salt Lake City, Utah. Raised in a highly musical Mormon family, he was exposed to many diverse cultures and regions due to his father's profession. He showed early signs of prodigal ability on the piano, able to listen to a piece and immediately reproduce it by age 6. When he was 8 years old, he continued the study of classical piano through listening to stacks of recordings, provided him by his great aunt who obtained them from the library. By age 14 he began the study of the pipe organ, and having his talent recognized by the local bishopric, became the youngest church organist in the region. He also was the youngest to submit a full original choral piece to that church, an Easter Cantata, in 1975.

Career and Pivotal Transformation
Irminsul began a professional music career by age 16, as a hired pianist for events and nightspots. He performed in venues in and around Northern Virginia, Washington DC and New England, eventually spreading his wings to the rock industry by picking up the guitar at age 18. He played with bands White Noise and Malfunction in the late 70s, while continuing to gain accolades for solo piano and picking up an award in the Oakton Piano Competition 1978. Moving back to his native Utah in 1981, his musical experience expanded as he became a bass player for two heavy metal acts - Oracle and Steel. In 1985 he was signed as keyboardist with traveling act The Villians, a popular rock and New Wave act which had a regular circuit on the West Coast and Mountain West. He continued to expand into the realms of electronica and the burgeoning movement of Rave and dance hall, with the band On Beyond Zebra.

In 1994, a fellow member of his Pagan community introduced him to the Celtic Harp. He obtained one and, completely self taught, was soon performing with nationally known Celtic acts Idlewild, Dalriada, and the award winning Celtic fusion act Stonecircle.

His portfolio of compositions grew quickly. He currently has four volumes of original piano work including Etudes, Scherzos, Interludes and other works for the instrument. He also has penned several works for other ensembles, notably string quartet. His String Quartet No.1 was debuted by the Stradavarius Quartet in 2007, at the courtesy of Utah Salty Cricket Composers Collective.

By then the celtic harp had marked him for life. Currently he lives and works on the Big Island of Hawai'i, where he writes and performs with the renowned Kona Harp Ensemble. He continues to compose for solo harp and other ensembles, and produces arrangements and transcriptions for a number of operating acts.

Compositions and Discography

 * 12 Etudes for piano
 * 3 Etudes for Woodwinds
 * 5 String Quartets (String Quartet No.1 (Em), String Quartet No.2 "The Conjunction", String Quartet No.3 (A minor), String Quartet No.4 (C) and No.5 (C minor)
 * 7 Quintets for strings, brass and mixed ensemble
 * 2 Concertos for Concert Band (The Oath of The Watchtower and Rainmaker)
 * 2 Symphonies - Symphony No.1 (3 mvmts) "Red, Green and Gold", Symphony No.2 E Minor
 * 3 Choral works - "Song of The World" (Carmina Secularae), "Fracture" and "Magnificat"
 * Various ensemble works for brass
 * Toccata for Organ and Synthesizer

Discography
 * Fervid Torpor (1995, out of print)
 * Blarney Pilgrim (with Idlewild)
 * Black Oak (with Idlewild)
 * Dalriada (with David Sharp of Idlewild)
 * The Glory Circuit
 * Winter Night
 * Our Wild Voices (Pagan a capella pieces)
 * The Dragon's Tongue
 * Tales of The Stone Bear (with Gypsy Johns)
 * Evil King Knote (with Gypsy Johns)
 * Archangel
 * The Seven Rays
 * Cante Lemuria
 * Trinity
 * Heaven's Realm (The Kona Harp Ensemble)
 * Cherish The Child