Presto Project Team

Mairéad Déiseach: Music Director

Mairéad Déiseach is a mezzo-soprano who studied singing to Diploma level with Jody Beggan in the DIT Conservatory of Music. She is a Feis Ceoil prize winner for both solo and duet singing. She has sung with RTÉ Cór na nÓg, DIT Chamber Choir, DIT Choral Society, New Dublin Voices and is a regular soloist and conductor of her local church choir.  A classically trained violinist, she also enjoys playing traditional music and likewise has long loved singing traditional Irish songs. Mairéad is also co-director of the National Children's Choir along with Anne Purcell and Órla Gillan.

Mairéad has enjoyed the privilege of singing at many couples’ weddings over the past 20 years. She recognizes the significance of the day and endeavors to make the music personal and unique to the happy pair. She specializes in classical and Irish hymns but is always open to singing new repertoire! 

Michelle Woods: Programme Administrator

Hello all, my name is Michelle Woods. I attended Sandymount High School and then on to the Ballyfermot College for Further Education. Before I took up my role at St. Ultans in 2016 I was an office administrator.

My role as Programme Administrator for the Presto Project is to support the music director with the day to day running of the programme. This includes supporting children to engage in the programme by liaising with their parents and teachers in order to address any barriers to attendance.

I also work with The School Completion Programme at St. Ultans as a project worker. In this role just as it is with Presto Project I support children referred to the programme to attend, participate and complete school so that they have every advantage going forward in life.

I have been very lucky to have had the opportunity to partake in continuous professional development in the areas of youth mental health, motivational interviewing and the Botvins Lifeskills Programme all of which I have brought back to St.Ultans and applied while working with Presto Project.

I sincerely believe that if a child attends school every day and partakes in extra-curricular activities such as music tuition they will learn the skills they need to get through life not only from their teachers but from their peer groups too.

EDUCATION IS OUR PASSPORT TO THE FUTURE!

Danny Roe: Percussion Tutor

A hard working individual with a wealth of experience in group projects and working as part of a team. I am the percussion teacher in the Knocklyon School of Music and St. Ultans School, Cherry Orchard. In the past I have worked as percussion teacher at the Herbert Lodge Arts Centre in the Curragh Kildare. For several years I have been a visiting teacher at the St Agnes Community Music Project in Crumlin. For several years I have been balancing a career in music performance and education. This has meant playing with a large variety of groups including performing at musicals, as a solo classical performer, in orchestral situations and with small groups from percussion ensembles to brass and rock bands. Alongside private teaching and individual teaching in schools, I have conducted many group percussion workshops for schools as well as for summer projects and festivals. I have taught students for Associate Board Exams, Leaving Certificate exams and at Diploma Level. Having taught large and small groups and individuals from the age of 4 to adults of all ages, I feel comfortable teaching in all situations.

Peter Mullen: Project Facilitator, Brass & Piano Tutor

Peter Mullen completed his Bachelor in Business and Economics at Trinity College Dublin 2019. Wanting to focus on his passion for music, he moved to the Netherlands where in 2021 he completed his Bachelor in French Horn Performance at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam after an extremely rewarding period with Cormac O'hAodain at the Royal Irish Academy of Music. He is presently in regular contact with Jonathan Lipton who has recently left the London Symphony Orchestra after a 32-year tenure. 

As a french horn player he performs in Ireland and the Netherlands and has regular involvement with the Ulster Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra, RTE Concert Orchestra, Irish National Opera and Northern Ireland Opera. He has also worked with Irish Chamber Orchestra, The Belfast Ensemble, Camerata Ireland and The Metropole Orkest. 

Peter also has a great involvement in the musical community on the island of Ireland and regularly teaches and staffs in music schools and on courses for young people including the Royal Irish Academy of Music, Dublin Youth Orchestra, National Youth Orchestra of Ireland and Ulster Youth Orchestra. He currently holds the position of Project Facilitator with Presto Project in St Ultans primary school. 

Also to note is his involvement with the St Agnes Music Project in Crumlin for 10 years now where he currently directs the musical society and provides arrangements for the Late Starter Orchestra

Robert Campbell: Cello Tutor

Through his teens and early twenties, Rob played electric bass in a number of Irish bands, appearing at venues and festivals around the country and abroad. Personal highlights from this period included a concert at the Paradiso in Amsterdam, and featuring on Dave Fanning’s ‘The Last Broadcast’ recorded at the O2 Arena (3 Arena) and broadcast on RTE television in 2012.

In 2010 he commenced classical music studies at the DIT Conservatory of Music and Drama (TU Dublin) studying double bass under Waldemar Kozak and Maeve Shiel, and cello under Arun Rao. He has since performed with the DIT Symphony Orchestra, Dublin Orchestral Players, the Humanitarian Symphony Orchestra and Sinfonua.

Rob teaches cello, double bass, guitar and bass guitar at a number of other music schools around Dublin. He is a permanent member of Irish acts Lowli and Pine the Pilcrow and has featured as cellist, bassist and guitarist on a number of recordings with other Irish artists.