“There is truly a mystical quality to their playing. They create a lyrical sound that is at once unique as well as seamless.” – Lori Lander Murphy, Irish Philadelphia

RUNA draws on the diverse musical backgrounds of its band members and offers a contemporary and refreshing approach to traditional and more recently composed Celtic material. Through their repertoire of both highly

energetic and graceful, acoustic melodies, along with their fusion of music from Ireland, Scotland, Canada, and the United States, this vocal and instrumental ensemble gives its arrangements of traditional songs and tunes a fresh sound.

“Best of all, RUNA sounds like no one else.” – Travis Rogers, Jr., Music Life and Times

Members of RUNA have played with Solas, Riverdance, Slide, Clannad, Fiddlers’ Bid, Moya Brennan, Eileen Ivers, Hazel O’Conner, Full Frontal Folk, Keith & Kristyn Getty, Barcó, Téada, and the Guy Mendilow Band.

RUNA consists of vocalist and step-dancer, Shannon Lambert-Ryan of Philadelphia, Dublin-born guitarist, Fionán de Barra, Cheryl Prashker of Canada on percussion, Dave Curley on mandolin, vocals, bodhrán, and stepdancing, and Maggie Estes of Louisville on the fiddle. The band often performs with world-renowned, guest musicians, including Isaac Alderson on the uilleann pipes, flutes, and whistles.

The band won several awards at the 2010 Montgomery Buck Music Awards, including Best Entertaining Band, Best Folk Artist, Best Female Vocalist, and Best Album – “Jealousy”. They were recently recognized on an international level in the 12th Annual Independent Music Awards for Best Song in the World Traditional Category for “Amhrán Mhuighinse” (Somewhere Along the Road) and in the Irish Music Awards with a nomination for Best Female Vocalist for 2012. Jim Allford of PA Music Scene writes, “The band is going to be reckoned with and I really feel they are Grammy bound within time.”

RUNA recently released their third album, “Somewhere Along the Road”. Hailed by Irish Philadelphia as “an inspired group that has found its voice, and its place, in the world of Irish music.”

“For contemporary Celtic music at its very best – do yourself a favor and check out RUNA… brilliant!” – Gene Shay, co-founder of the Philadelphia Folk Festival; WXPN-FM

Shannon Lambert-Ryan – vocals, bodrhán, step-dancing

Coming from a variety of musical backgrounds including Celtic, folk, classical, and musical theatre, Shannon Lambert-Ryan, of Philadelphia, fronts RUNA with rich, vibrant vocals. She studied Music, Theatre, and History at Muhlenberg College in Allentown, PA. For several years Shannon worked as an actor in theatre and film productions, including the Arden Theatre Company’s “Sweeny Todd”, Bran Friel’s “translations” with the Irish Repertory Theatre of Philadelphia, and M. Night Shyamalan’s “The Village”. In 2004, her theatrical work took her to Italy, where she performed as Ermia in the world premiere of “Il Sogno di una Notte di Mezza Estate” (Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream) with the International Opera Theatre Company. She spent three years as the lead female vocalist in Boston-based, world music ensemble, the Guy Mendilow Band, before forming, RUNA, with husband and co-founder, Fionan de Barra. Shannon now acts as RUNA’s manager, as well as the band’s lead singer. Additionally she has performed as a vocalist (singing in Irish and English) and step dancer with a number of artists, including Moya Brennan, Keith and Kristyn Getty, Téada, John Flynn, and Joe Jencks. She was recently honored by the Irish Music Awards with a nomination for Best Female Vocalist for 2012.

Fionán de Barra- guitar, vocals, bodrhán

Fionán started playing the guitar professionally with Riverdance in the USA in 1999. Since then he has worked as musical director for Moya Brennan (of Clannad) and her band. He performed, co-wrote, arranged and recorded songs for albums, Two Horizons (2003, nominated for Grammy), An Irish Christmas (2005) and Signature (2006, which he also co-produced). He also co-wrote music with her for the film To End All Wars (2001). He has performed with Solas, SLIDE, Eileen Ivers, Camille O’Sullivan, Zoe Conway, Catriona McKay, Tommy Fleming, Francis Black, Damien Dempsey, Rodrigo y Gabriella, and Galldubh. He now tours regularly with the internationally-renowned Fiddlers Bid, Clannad, Keith and Kristyn Getty. Fionán is also currently, working with dancer Colin Dunne on his new show “Out of Time” as a designer and live-sound processing.

Cheryl Prashker – percussion

Cheryl Prashker studied classical percussion at McGill University in Montreal, Canada, where she was born and raised. She has toured Canada, U.S., Europe, and Russia. She spent many years in New York City where she honed her skills playing anything from Rock and Roll and Klezmer to Celtic and Middle Eastern Music. She, now, uses her special style of percussion to enhance the music of such artists as Jonathan Edwards, Pat Wictor, Tracy Grammer, Full Frontal Folk, and RUNA. Cheryl is, also, a songwriter and President of NERFA (Northeast Regional Folk Alliance).

Maggie Estes – fiddle

Maggie, a champion fiddle and mandolin player from Louisville KY, is emerging as one of the most talented young fiddle players in her new home – Nashville, TN.

With bluegrass and classical training, Maggie brings a truly unique flavor to the RUNA sound. She has toured extensively with the Peter Mayer Group and with Keith & Kristyn Getty and has performed at The Grand Ole Opry on several occasions. She studied classical violin at Belmont College, winning the 2011 Concerto Competition. She also, won the Georgia State Fiddle Championship in 2006. She has released two albums, My Turn in 2006 and another album with legendary fiddler, Buddy Spicher.

David Curley - mandolin, vocals, bodrhán, step-dancing

Galway’s Dave Curley heralds as a sensational multi-instrumentalist, playing guitar, banjo, mandolin, and bodrhán, among other instruments, as well as a singer, and dancer with his velvet vocals and quick feet. Dave studied at the University of Limerick, earning his BA in Irish Music and Dance. He has spent the past number of years performing in Ireland, Europe and the USA with the prolific Trad band “SLIDE Ireland” as the lead vocalist, multi-instrumentalist and dancer. Dave joins forces with RUNA on their tours in the United States, adding to the energy and textures of their music with his many talents.

Discography

Stretched on Your Grave (2011)

Jealousy (2009)

Press Quotes for RUNA

“For contemporary Celtic music at its very best—do yourself a favor and check out RUNA. RUNA… brilliant!”

-Gene Shay, co-founder of the Philadelphia Folk Festival; WXPN-FM

“Stretched on Your Grave is an inspired album from a group that has found its voice, and its place, in the world of Irish music… it is a joyful gem that deserves its own place in the annals of Celtic music.”

“There is truly a mystical quality to their playing. Prashker’s percussion, de Barra’s guitar and Lambert-Ryan’s vocals create a lyrical sound that is at once unique as well as seamless.”

· Lori Lander Murphy, Irish Philadelphia

“The band is going to be reckoned with and I really feel they are Grammy bound within time.”

· Jim Allford, PA Music Scene

“The distinctive sound of the Philadelphia-based Celtic trio RUNA grows out of the fascinating way Fionán de Barra’s inventive and highly rhythmic guitar work interweaves with Cheryl Prashker’s playful and ever-so-tasteful hand drumming. With that foundation, Shannon Lambert-Ryan’s delightful and enchanting vocals, sometimes in harmony with Fionan, carry story after story, some from olden times, some from nowadays. At its core, RUNA is a fine Celtic band with influences and sensibilities that extend well beyond folk traditions to World and Jazz and Pop sounds.”

· Walt Haake, Celtic Sunday Brunch, WDVR-FM, Sergeantsville, NJ

“There’s a bit of the folksy innocence of seventies’ Clannad, a touch of the frenzied energy of Wolfstone (but only in the right places), and the sturdy professionalism or Runrig Keeping it all together. RUNA’s all true, and all there – bringing out the heart and soul of these old songs and at the same time making them feel new and relevant, as if they had been thought up yesterday to capture all the stuff of life that never goes away – all the happiness, sadness, the time for dance and rejoice, or the time for being still with just your own yearning.”

· Christopher Marcus, Journalist, Denmark