Austin McManus M.A. (contab) was born and raised in Manchester, England. Having started his musical education on the viola, he soon took up violin, recorder, voice and keyboard studies. As a straight “A’s” student he went on to study Music at Cambridge. He was also an Instrumental Exhibition holder at Cambridge, specialising in baroque violin and attending classes at the Royal College of Music in London.
Austin has performed on four continents notably Japan where he resided for several years and learned to speak read and writes fluent Japanese. He has appeared on television in countries as varied as Japan, Greece, Australia and Ireland including an appearance on the Late Late show in 2005. In 1996 he had the honour of singing for His Holiness Pope John Paul 11 in the Vatican in Rome.
Austin is currently Musical Director of Sligo Orpheus Choir and Director of Music of St. Clare’s Church Manorhamilton. He is Leader of Sligo Early Music Ensemble, and leader of the Bazzini String Quartet and a member of the Innisfree String Quartet. Austin also values teaching and has students of viola and violin in Sligo Donegal Leitrim and Cavan.
