From http://www.herald.ie/lifestyle/femme/body-and-soul-fionnuala-sherry-27961953.htmlEMMA BLAIN – 14 SEPTEMBER 2010 10:05 AM

Fionnuala Sherry won the Eurovision Song Contest in 1995 with Norway's Secret Garden. After 10 years with the RTE Concert Orchestra, she has just released her debut solo album My parents are . . . Bernard and Breeda Sherry. My father grew up in Monaghan and my mother comes from West Cork. They met and married in Dublin and settled in Naas in Co Kildare.The house I grew up in . . . was in Naas and I loved it there. We lived in a small, private cul de sac of 11 bungalows. We all got along and shared our lives with each other.

When I was a child I wanted to be . . . a violinist. From the moment I first heard the instrument I wanted one and begged my parents until they eventually bought me a violin for my eighth birthday. I have never considered anything else.

If I could change one thing about myself I would . . . like to be more patient. I always want everything done yesterday, so I drive everybody around me crazy.

You wouldn't know it but I'm very good at . . . golf. I recently began to play and discovered I can really drive a ball. Maybe all the years of fiddling have given me great upper strength.

You may not know it but I'm no good at . . . singing. Even though I use my voice as part of the production, you would not wish to hear me sing a whole song. I did record a full vocal years ago on a Secret Garden CD. It stressed producer Rolf Lovland so much that he began to smoke during the session after years of being nicotine-free.

At night I dream of . . . having a good night's sleep. It's the ultimate luxury.

When I look in the mirror I see . . . mostly a contented face. I always try to be grateful for being healthy and well.

My favourite item of clothing is . . . my skinny leather jeans I wore for the Eurovision in 1995. I even wore them for the photo shoot for my new CD Songs From Before. Thank God fashion is cyclical. Pat Gartland, who is a genius with leather, has mended and patched them many times, but I can't bear to throw them away.

I wish I'd never worn . . . any of the outfits I wore for RTE series Tune In. They seem hideous to me now. I can't bear to watch any of the shows as they seem so dated.

I drive . . . . a BMW.

My house is . . . in Dalkey and I love it there.

My favourite work of art . . . is a painting by Addis, an artist from Bosnia who mainly works in classical sculpture. I bought the painting in Sydney on the day of our sell-out concert in the Opera House, which was a momentous occasion for all of the band. The painting hangs in my bedroom as a constant reminder of that magical night.

A book that changed me . . . was The Scale System for Violin by Carl Flesch. Every day as I struggle to work through these scales I realise how much more I have to learn, so this book constantly pushes me to try and be a better player and musician.

My greatest regret is . . . not taking up golf years ago, as I see the amount of enjoyment everybody gets from it.

My real-life villains are . . . parking wardens hovering around Dalkey. They should give us some more leeway so our local shops and businesses can survive.

The last time I cried . . . was when our lovely dog had to go for major leg surgery.

My five-year plan is . . . I don't have one, nor have I ever had one. In this business you are as good as your last gig and the easiest way to keep going is just to stay focused on the creative side and, hopefully, other things fall into place.

Fionnuala Sherry's debut solo album Songs From Before is out now

http://www.stampnews.com/stamps/stamps_2010/stamp_1274773263_944047.html
This year’s stamps in the Norwegian Popular Music series are devoted to the Eurovision Song Contest, held in Oslo between 25 and 29 May.

The stamps feature the three Norwegian winning acts – Bobbysocks (1985), Secret Garden (1995), Alexander Rybak (2009) and Jahn Teigen. The latter was selected through a public vote.

This release not only marks the Eurovision Song Contest in Oslo, but also the 50th anniversary of the Norwegian national selections, better known as Melodi Grand Prix.

The Eurovision Song Contest is one of the longest running television programmes in the world and recent years’ audience figures have been around 100 million.

http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/news/ireland/Business/Money/article386267.ece#page-2
Fame & Fortune:
Fionnuala SherryI’ve busked for the bus fare home and my dog has helped pay the bills, says the violinist and former Eurovision winner as she looks back on lean times

http://www.sundayworld.com/entertainment/music/songwriter-sherry-is-a-real-winter-warmerSecret Garden

IRISH music star Fionnuala Sherry reveals that she lost out on the chance to earn a fortune from hit song, You Raise Me Up, which has been recorded by everyone from Westlife to Il Divo. Violinist Sherry, who comes from Naas, Co Kildare, played a central role in the creation of the song that has sold millions around the world.

Fionnuala, who performs with Norwegian musician Rolf Lovland as the duo, Secret Garden - they won the 1995 Eurovision Song Contest for Norway - worked on the first version of You Raise Me Up.

"When Rolf and I started working on the melody, I recorded the very first version with just the air itself," Sherry tells the Sunday World.

Sherry then suggested that they should approach Irish songwriter and author Brendan Graham. "I said to Rolf that I thought Brendan
was the person who could actually write lyrics big enough and spiritual enough," she recalls.

"I could feel and hear what the lyrics would be. I came back to Ireland, contacted Brendan and put the whole thing together."

As it turned out, the song has earned a fortune for for Rolf Lovland and Brendan Graham, while Fionnuala gets modest royalties for her own recording of the song.

Sherry insists she's not bitter over the deal. "Everybody who knows me knows that I'm not driven by money," she adds.

"Rolf and I are 17 years together and there is nobody I know who can write a tune like him."

Fionnuala describes Secret Garden's new album, Winter Poem, as: "An album to chill out to by the fire with a big glass of wine."

http://www.newagemusicworld.com/fionnuala-sherry-of-secret-garden-interview/
The most current artist to be featured by a musician interview at New Age Music World. While Fionnuala’s fame and success as a music partner with Norwegian composer and pianist Rolf Løvland of Secret Garden has earned them both admiration by millions as a team, Fionnuala Sherry who resides in Ireland, can claim a brilliant success of her own by the release of her first solo album entitled Songs From Before. Songs From Before is Fionnuala Sherry’s unique and personal revision on some of the most beloved melodies of Irish heritage. In addition, her contemporary instrumental album with 10 songs total also includes some unreleased original compositions that beautifully highlight her expertise as a violinist and vocalist. Her instrumental CD in entirety is a moving experience and inspirational beacon showing her in a new light, yet her solo release continues the true to character tradition, in regards to the fine violin melodies for which she is famous. Fionnuala Sherry’s solo album Songs From Before also happens to be a very popular album that had risen to the number 2 position of the Top 25 for June on Echoes radio program within days of the release. Her solo release was also awarded Echoes CD of the Month for July on Echoes radio, a popular online radio program that is broadcast on 130 radio stations in North America. Review publicist, and New Age Music World host John Olsen recently had the opportunity to interview the internationally renowned violinist Fionnuala Sherry, so today we are pleased to present their conversation to her fans and to our site visitors. 

http://newage-music.blogspot.com/2007/06/secret-garden.html
Fionnuala Sherry and Rolf Lovland make a striking couple. She is a petite Irish beauty and classically trained violinist whose flowing golden locks dance while tearing up her violin like Paganini. He is a soft-spoken and clean-cut handsome Norwegian keyboardist and composer, with a sharp sense of humor and a light Nordic accent to his perfect English. Though she resides in Dublin and he in Oslo, they look straight out of a glamorous Hollywood movie. Together they make up Secret Garden, one of today’s most interesting and captivating musical success stories. Their four studio albums and Best of compilation have sold an impressive 3 million copies worldwide, and their music takes listeners on magical musical adventures to the mysterious parts of Norway and Ireland that most of us have only dreamed about. Their success lies in their lyrical songs and passionate instrumental arrangements that blend zesty doses of traditional Irish and Norwegian sounds with classical styles.

The duo met back in 1994 at the Eurovision Songwriting Contest held that year in Ireland, where both were competing. When they met by chance, they discovered a huge musical connection, and slowly began to work together. Over a period of 9 months from their respective homes, they developed their first album Songs from a Secret Garden. As a result, they were signed to Polygram in Norway, and then represented Norway in the Eurovision contest in ’95. Incidentally, they won—and their careers were launched.

http://www.newagemusicworld.com/new-secret-garden-album-winter-poem/#sthash.49ghb4IM.dpuf
The new Winter Poem album by Secret Garden was released with much fanfare in November of 2011. It was during my interview with Fionnuala Sherry about her solo release Songs From Before, when Secret Garden fans heard news about Rolf and Fionnuala’s new Winter Poem release. Secret Garden’s new Winter Poem album has all original arrangements from Rolf Lovland, along with the award-winning Expo Suite that he composed for the World Expo 2010 in Shanghai China. If you haven’t purchased their newest album yet and you want to sample, you can listen to Secret Garden’s newest release at Valley Entertainment or Amazon using the links below. On Winter Poem, Rolf and Fionnuala remain close to their signature sound that has made them an international success, but they have also taken on a fresh approach on their newest composition which guarantees their fans something special. Once again the outstanding Irish violinist Fionnuala Sherry is happily the centerpiece artist on Winter Poem, plus Secret Garden has enlisted several exceptional Norwegian and Irish musicians for their vibrant new release. One guest is dynamic vocalist Moya Brennan from Celtic group Clannad, who sings on The Dream, which is one of many new songs you can listen to right now. Another guest vocalist is Fionnuala Gill who sings on song Mary’s Lament. Tracey Campbell and Espen Grjotheim perform on song Powered By Nature. Secret Garden’s Winter Poem was scored, arranged and produced by Rolf Lovland, and in addition to fine instrumentals by Secret Garden, the special guest vocalists, their new album features the Czech National Symphony Orchestra. A Secret Garden concert tour in Norway recently gave fans a chance to hear songs from Winter Poem, and songs covering 16 years as an acclaimed music duo with millions of fans worldwide. Secret Garden fans and new visitors have a chance to win an autographed 8 CD collection of Secret Garden albums including the new Winter Poem album. Simply visit Secret Garden’s site, click on the top banner and enter your email address for current news and information on Secret Garden.  

http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/secretgarden-once/
Secret Garden has danced on a thin line between authentic Celtic and Scandinavian-inspired music and flaccid, new age claptrap for their entire existence. Thanks to a film, A Night with Secret Garden, shown on PBS in 1999, the group was able to offer an equally attractive visual component to their recorded mix of light classical, Celtic melancholy, and new age frippery. Not only could the group appeal to fans of Celtic popsters like Clannad and Enya, they could also pull in audiences entranced by the likes of Yanni and Sarah Brightman. Their first recording,Songs from a Secret Garden skirted this line very convincingly, while the follow-ups, White Stones and Dawn of a New Century, were less convincing. Once in a Red Moon, their latest effort, is something of a return to form, though if you like your Celtic sounds a bit on the less mannered side, you might steer clear of this group altogether.