The Celtic Tenors were signed on the spot to an international record deal, following an impromptu audition in London in 2000, an event so unprecedented that it soon became the talk of the music industry.

Their eponymously titled debut album went immediately to No 2 in the UK classical charts, only to be held off the top by Russell Watson. It went to No 1 in Ireland and Germany—where it is two times platinum—and won the Echo Award (The German Grammy) for Best Classical Crossover Album in 2002. The boys' full length TV Special Ein Grosse Irischer Abend (A Great Irish Evening) filmed in front of a capacity crowd in Hamburg, was shown to millions of viewers on Network TV in Germany regularly for over two years. It was then released as a Coast-to-Coast TV Special on PBS, showing on over 260 channels from Hawaii to Alaska and everywhere in between. Overnight, The Celtic Tenors became one of the most successful Classical Crossover acts in 2002, with a top ten Billboard album in the US.

Their second album, So Strong, was recorded at Abbey Road Studios and produced by the legendary Mike Moran.

The Celtic Tenors will make their their Telarc debut with Remember Me set for release on February 28, 2006. The new recording finds the dynamic young vocal trio of Matthew Gilsenan, Niall Morris and James Nelson delivering a brilliantly balanced mix of classical, traditional and pop compositions—all filtered through the Celtic Tenors’ unique vocal perspective. The recording features guests such as Samantha Mumba ("You Raise Me Up"), Brian Kennedy ("We Are Not Islands") and an epic version of "All Out of Love", featuring Air Supply, recorded at their private studios in Utah, USA.

The Celtic Tenors were invited to sing for ex-President Bill Clinton during his recent visit to Dublin Castle, funding-raising for the Northern Ireland Peace Fund. He now says their version of his favourite song, "Danny Boy", is the best he has ever heard. More recently, they had the special honour of singing in a private audience for Secretary General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan, during a trip to Ireland. The surprise recital was a very personal gift to the couple from the front man of U2, Bono.

The Celtic Tenors have appeared on numerous compilation albums, including the Official Rugby World Cup Album 2003, True Colours, The Official Classical Album for the Olympic Games 2004, Harmony and the huge selling debut album by Liam Lawton, Another World. Total album sales worldwide, including compilations, are now at over one million, making them the biggest Classical Crossover artists ever to come out of Ireland.

Matthew Gilsenan
Matthew Gilsenan is one of Ireland’s most accomplished young tenors and has achieved considerable success singing in competitions the length & breadth of Ireland. His oratorio performances include Beethoven’s Mass in C, Symphony No. 9, Mendlessohn’s Walpurgesnacht, Saint-Saens’ Christmas Oratorio, Handel’s Messiah, Dvorak’s Mass in D and Mozart Masses.

Niall Morris
Niall Morris was born in Dublin. Upon entering the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, he won the Wolfson Prize, the highest attainable scholarship. He completed his studies at the National Opera Studio. Niall’s first role in the professional world of opera was Nemorino (l’Elisir d’Amore) with English Touring Opera which brought him to Sadlers Wells in London and through out the UK. He then created the role of Davey in Jonathan Dove’s Siren Song to great acclaim at the Almeida Theatre in London. After a year-long tour with the d’Oyly Carte Opera Company as Ralph Rackstraw (HMS Pinafore) he was chosen by the immensely gifted composer Thomas Ades to create the tenor roles in his debut opera Powder her Face again at the Almeida.

James Nelson
From Sligo, James Nelson is a B.A., B.Mus(Hons) graduate from University College Dublin. His busy opera and concert schedule has taken him throughout the UK and Ireland, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, Russia, Israel, Singapore and the USA. From an oratorio repertoire of more than 60 works, highlights include Frank Martin’s "Golgotha" in Bern and Zurich cathedrals and "L’Enfance du Christ" alongside Katia Ricciarelli in Rome and Florence. James has performed more than 50 roles in opera and operetta including Pinkerton ("Butterfly"), Lensky ("Onegin")in Russia, Alfredo ("Traviata") in Como, Italy, Tichon ("Katya") in Lisbon and Porto, and Basilio ("Figaro") under the baton of Raymond Leppard for Scottish Opera. James is now writing a weekly column in the Sligo Weekender.