Hannah Miller

Welcome to Bittersweet Symphony, a podcast about the bitter, sweet and bittersweet memories and experiences of classical musicians during the pandemic. Hosted and produced by me, Cliodhna Ryan, a violinist, it’s an intimate and heart-warming exploration of the human spirit.

My guest in episode ten is french horn player Hannah Miller. She shares the bitter experience of a chamber ensemble trial in Paris thwarted by endless lockdowns, and her sweet experience of restoring her great-grandmother’s chicken coop which had fallen into disrepair. Her family worked on the project together and it became the first of many building efforts they embarked on collectively. Her bittersweet memory is of her graduation from Julliard. This milestone didn’t happen in New York with her classmates but online, which meant she could celebrate this moment with her entire clan.

Hannah Miller attained her Bachelor degree at Finland’s Sibelius Academy and graduated with a Master’s degree from New York’s Juilliard School in 2021, where she was awarded with the William Schuman Prize for outstanding achievement in Music and leadership.

During her time in Finland, Hannah won the position of Associate Principal Horn with the Kuopio Symphony Orchestra, and has since gone from strength to strength as an orchestral musician, performing with the Irish National Opera, Tapiola Sinfonietta, Irish Chamber Orchestra and joining the Verbier Festival Orchestra in 2019.

As a member of the Irish contemporary music group Kirkos Ensemble, she has been featured in solo and chamber music concerts performing a wide range of new works. She has performed with Crash Ensemble, Le Concert Impromptu and Ulysses Ensemble.

Hannah is the Festival Director and founder of ‘FuddleFest’, a music festival based at her home in Fuddletown, Wexford which first took place in August 2021. She spends any free time there minding her goats, chickens and ducks on the family farm.

This conversation was recorded in September 2021.

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CREDITS

Thumbnail Art || Colm MacAthlaoith

Writers || Mick Jagger, Richard Ashcroft, Keith Richards

Violin || Cliodhna Ryan

Production || Cliodhna Ryan

Mastering || Patrick Stefan Groenland