Irish violinist Patricia Treacy invited to perform at Biden inauguration mass

Patricia Treacy, one of Ireland's finest concert violinists, will play live during an inaugural mass for the United States president-elect on Wednesday.

Treacy will be playing 315-year-old Stradivarius violin from Bein & Company in Chicago, which is estimated to be worth $4 million (€3.3m). She will be playing 'The Proclamation', composed by Patrick Cassidy, and Ag Críost an Síol.

“I will also join Soprano Renée Fleming for ‘On Eagles Wings’," she said. "Schubert’s ‘Ave Maria' and the ‘Celtic Alleluia'. I have been told this will be the only live music event on the day."

She said that this was the 'opportunity of a lifetime' while practicing in Chicago. The invitation to play came from the Biden family themselves last year, and the news will put rest to earlier concerns that there wouldn't be any live music at the inaugruation due to the riots at the Capital a few weeks ago.

Treacy has been asked to play for Joe Biden rallies several times before, but to play the inauguration is special to her.

“I feel both honoured and privileged and obviously super excited," Treacy said.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be able to perform for the inaugural mass for the president-elect and his amazing family which I have become very close to. I am hugely honoured to be a part of this momentous historical occasion.”

Treacy is from County Louth, and played for the president-elect when he visited his ancestral home there in 2016.

Treacy has won many prestigious music awards, including the string final of the RTÉ Musician of the Future competition, and has performed in some of the world's greatest venues: including Carnegie Hall, New York, the Royal Albert Hall, London, and the Shanghai Oriental Art Centre.

She will wear jewellery designed by diamonds and sapphires from Martin Katz Jewels in Beverly Hills.