Musician In Residence

In 2007, the Waterford Healing Arts Trust appointed Kevin O’Shanahan as its first Musician in Residence. Kevin first worked with the Trust through the European exchange programme, Music in Hospitals in 2006. Kevin has a vast range of experience of music in community and health settings and is a qualified Psychiatric Nurse. During this 20 week residency, he engaged clients of the HSE Mental Health Services in Waterford Regional Hospital and in the community in live music sessions on a weekly basis. Kevin has linked with Healing Sounds musicians in delivering these.

In the 1990’s Kevin O’Shanahan was the drummer for Waterford-based bands the Freudian Slips and King Kong Company. He featured on a number of recordings and performed around the county. As Director of SPRAOI Drums he performed and collaborated with Musicians throughout Ireland and abroad including the famous Notting Hill Carnival.

Kevin has received a number of Arts Council Awards. He is currently based in Cork, and featured on John Carters album “Candyfloss Girl”. As Artist in Residence in Muscaraí Gaeltacht in Co. Cork, he recorded a combination of the rhythms of the Irish Language and music from around the world. Other recent collaborations include a recording project with the Welsh poet Ifor Ap Glyn and Clarinettist Ros Hawley.