The Early Days:

Gráinne Kavanagh grew up in an extremely musical family, so it was inevitable that she too would be engrossed and fixated on learning an instrument from an early age. Her father, Willie Kavanagh, is a prominent figure throughout traditional Irish music circuits, and an 'All-Ireland Fleadh' champion. 

At age 7, Gráinne picked up the piano accordion for a very brief spell, moving swiftly onto violin lessons with Sr. Agnes Murray in her hometown of Ballymahon, Co Longford. Despite achieving outstanding grades through ‘The Leinster School of Music’, Gráinne still hadn’t found the instrument for her!

At age 11, Gráinne’s mother Kathleen began learning guitar and it wasn’t long before Gráinne developed an interest in the instrument too! Using chord diagrams that were drawn out, Gráinne built upon this knowledge and extended her understanding through self-teaching and a development of her ‘Musical ear’. She still has that same trusty Yamaha F340 beginner acoustic guitar, which sounds sweeter each time she plays it. Her collection has grown significantly however, and includes her most recent purchase of a prestigious George Lowden 35 Series guitar.

Aged 14, Gráinne expanded her instrument expertise to include drums – something she’d often considered learning, but never really acted upon. Thanks to her ever supportive parents, a drum kit was bought as her Christmas present and the rest is history! A love addiction was born, and Gráinne set about teaching herself to play drums through various methods which included a ‘Drumtime’ video on repeat, as well as utilising her ability to pick out various drum rhythms and patterns in songs to her advantage. By the following Christmas, Gráinne was performing drums and guitar in her school Carol Service.

In the years to come, Gráinne part-took in various productions and CD recordings which included a 4-track CD release with her sister Laura, in aid of ‘The Irish Hospice Foundation’ which raised over €4000. She also performed at the London 2012 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony to a mere 4 billion viewers around the world! "All in a days work" she jokes! 

Gráinne attributes her musical successes to her parents, Willie and Kathleen, who continually and categorically equipped Gráinne with the instruments, advice, finances and support that she needed. It is something Gráinne will be forever indebted to her parents for.

Teaching:

Gráinne embarked on the journey of music tuition back in 2004 as part of her attainment of a ‘Gaisce’ (The President’s Award) through community involvement. From there, her lessons grew in popularity through word of mouth and recommendation.

Up until June 2022, Gráinne based all her tuition from her base in Ballymahon, Co Longford. From September 2022, Gráinne will base all her tuition from Kilbeggan, Co Westmeath. The studio is equipped with superior acoustic drum kits and practice pads for stick work, as well as various guitars and effects pedals that all students are welcome to use during their lesson.

Gráinne tailors her lessons to each individual’s requirements, encompassing a well-rounded understanding of the instrument, as well as a deep understanding of the theory and application to the instrument. Personal enjoyment and accomplishment are imperative to any successful lesson, and so there is a large emphasis on input from the student – where possible Gráinne strives to facilitate the learning of a particular song/piece that the student may request.