Kirsten Allstaff is one of the founders and directors of The Online Academy of Irish Music. She is an acclaimed flute and tin- whistle player and has played music throughout Ireland, Europe, North America and Asia with various Irish dance shows and groups.
Upon graduating from the University of Glasgow with an M.A.Honours degree in Celtic Civilisations and Scottish History, she went on to study traditional Irish music at Ballyfermot College, Dublin. Shortly after it's completion she began teaching and lecturing on The Northern Rhythms Program of Music in Falcarragh, Co. Donegal. In 2002, she graduated with a First-Class Honours Masters Degree in Traditional Irish Music Performance from the University of Limerick (U.L) and subsequently began tutoring flute and whistle at The Irish World Academy of Music and Dance. She taught there for 10 years before moving to Co. Clare where she currently resides, playing sessions and teaching online and locally.
Since graduating from U.L, she has toured extensively with various internationally acclaimed bands and dance shows - Gaelforce Dance, Celtic Legends, Rhythm of the Dance and most recently Clare based bands The Fiddle Case and Los Paddys De Las Pampas.
Gallowglass is her debut solo album which blends the music of her Scottish and Irish homeland . FOUR / 4, the follow up album, as the name may imply, is dedicated to reels.