Annmarie Acosta Williams
Honored June 16, 2018
Annmarie studied traditional Irish dance and music in New York, learning from some of the best teachers, including Jerry Mulvihill, Donny Golden, and the late Maureen Glynn Connolly.
In 1998 Annmarie became the senior all-Ireland champion in the accompaniment category at the fleadh cheoil. During this same year, Annmarie achieved her T.C.R.G. and was honored by Irish America Magazine as one of the top 100 Irish Americans of the year. Annmarie has placed third in the senior piano accordion competition at the fleadh cheoil on three occasions.
After opening the Acosta School of Irish Music and Dance in September 1998, Annmarie has gone on to teach many young musicians and dancers in the New York area. Her students have achieved many awards, both at the national and international level, and have performed at festivals, concerts, on radio, and at the 2008 Papal youth rally in honor of Pope Benedict’s visit to NYC. She has adjudicated fleadhanna at county, provincial, and all-Ireland level. She has released two recordings of Irish step dancing music, Over the Bridge & Rince Ceol. Annmarie has taught at summer programs specializing in Irish Traditional Music including Irish Arts Week in NY, and Scoil Eigse in Ireland.
In 2007, Annmarie graduated with a Masters Degree in Irish Traditional Music from the University of Limerick, Ireland. While there, she studied piano, piano accordion, harp, concertina, and fiddle. After returning to NY, Annmarie taught as an adjunct professor at Fordham University offering a course on Traditional Irish Music and Dance. Today, Annmarie
continues as the director of the Acosta School of Irish Music and Dance, now celebrating it’s twentieth year. Annmarie will be inducted into the Mid- Atlantic Hall of Fame in June 2018, joining a long list of wonderful musicians that she greatly respects and admires.
Annmarie lives in Rockaway Beach, NY with her husband Jimmy, and children, Aoibhinn, Eirnan, and Mallaidh.