Ronan Hardiman is one of Ireland's premier composers of traditional music, responsible for the score to Lord of the Dance as well as many Irish films and television series. Born in Dublin to a father highly placed in Irish broadcasting, Hardiman listened to rock & roll and pop as a child (while his siblings preferred traditional Irish music). He worked as a clerk at the Bank of Ireland for twelve years, and occasionally playing in pop bands during the 1980s. After quitting his job, though, he composed material based more on Irish traditions than pop music, specifically for radio and television; months later wrote the theme music to the documentary My Riviera, which became quite well-known in Ireland.nnDuring the next few years, Hardiman composed for Coca-Cola and Guinness and gained his reputation as Ireland's best contemporary composer. He was approached by Michael Flatley, creator of Riverdance, to compose the score to the new production Lord of the Dance. Thanks in large part to the success of the production, Hardiman gained a recording contract through Philips and released his debut album, Solas, in early 1998. ~ John Bush