Our Team
Instructors and Staff
Suzanne Harner
AJCB Teacher
Suzanne is
an Irish fiddle player from Atlanta, Georgia. She is a former champion Irish step dancer
from Cregan O’Brien school of Irish dance and has earned her Irish music
teacher certificate (TTCT) from Dublin, Ireland with Comhaltas in 2013. Falling in love with Irish fiddle in her
middle school years, Suzanne has studied different
styles of Irish fiddle with a myriad of master fiddlers in the Southeast and
Ireland. She was also a founding member of
the Atlanta Junior Ceili Band. She was the Concert Master of the
Milton High School Orchestra and has won several Feisanna fiddle competitions.
She has also mastered playing the Bodhran and is interested in teaching those wanting to learn this Irish drum. Working with younger students has become a passion of hers due in part to her natural ability to connect with children as a strong advocate and leader. Suzanne thoroughly enjoys teaching and playing fiddle with young inspired students who love making Irish music!
She has also mastered playing the Bodhran and is interested in teaching those wanting to learn this Irish drum. Working with younger students has become a passion of hers due in part to her natural ability to connect with children as a strong advocate and leader. Suzanne thoroughly enjoys teaching and playing fiddle with young inspired students who love making Irish music!
Katherine Irwin Thomas
School Director/ AJCB Teacher
Katherine is an Irish fiddler and string educator in Atlanta, Georgia USA. She is the director and founder of The Atlanta Irish Music School as well as school orchestra teacher and an advocate for world string music.
She opened her private fiddle studio in 2006, since that time several of her students gone on to win the The Midwest Fleadh Cheoil and The Mid-Atlantic Fleadh Cheoil in fiddle, concertina, piano, duets, trio and ceili band qualifying for the Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann. Katherine holds a bachelor of music education degree cum laude from Tennessee Tech University, a master of education degree from Kennesaw State University and a Teastas i dTeagasc Ceolta Tire (traditional music teaching certificate or TTCT) from Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann in Dublin, Ireland. As an advocate for quality world string styles in the orchestra classroom, she has taught at several music camps across the Southeast.
Additionally, she was recently published in STRINGS magazine, "How to Make Irish Music Sound Irish" (2010) and "How to Join an Irish Session Gracefully" (2012). Katherine has been a featured speaker at The American String Teacher's Association National Conference, The Georgia Music Educator's Conference and she has been named A Star of The South by Irish America Magazine. Currently, teaches Irish music from her home studio and enjoying being mother two little girls in Alpharetta, Georgia.
Claire Shirey
AJCB Teacher
Claire Shirey is a multi instrumentalist and champion Irish dancer, currently living in Athens, Georgia. Over the years, she added the Irish Flute and
Concertina to her instrumental resume.
In 2012 she became a student teacher for the Atlanta Irish Music School,
teaching not only fiddle but tin whistle, Irish flute, bodhran and the
concertina. During her time with the Atlanta Irish Music School, she has
performed at numerous venues to include The Fox Theater, Chamber of Commerce, Spivey
Hall, and Emory Celtic Christmas.
In addition to an Irish Musician, she is also an Irish step dancer with The Drake School of Irish Dance. Claire has participated in the Fleadh numerous years placing in the concertina and flute. In attending the Mid-west Fleadh, she participated in the Grupai Ceoil. Currently she is a student at University of Georgia pursuing a degree in Public Relations and a certificate in Music Business. She offers group lessons in Norcross on Mondays and Private Lessons throughout the wee
In addition to an Irish Musician, she is also an Irish step dancer with The Drake School of Irish Dance. Claire has participated in the Fleadh numerous years placing in the concertina and flute. In attending the Mid-west Fleadh, she participated in the Grupai Ceoil. Currently she is a student at University of Georgia pursuing a degree in Public Relations and a certificate in Music Business. She offers group lessons in Norcross on Mondays and Private Lessons throughout the wee
Eileen MacCallum
AJCB Teacher
Eileen is a local Irish
musician and button accordion player
originally from New York-- her parents moved to America from Ireland in
the 1950's. She passes on the Irish tradition in her
family to her two sons who attend The Marist School and The University
of Texas A&M. She is available for private lessons in Sandy
Springs and in Roswell -- to children and adults.
Theresa Tronolone
Business Director
Theresa is a PR & Marketing director as well as a concertina player in the Atlanta Irish Music Community.
Madeleine Ling
Student Intern
Madeleine is our student intern working with social media and event planning.