Clíodhna Ní Aodáin is an Irish cellist, composer, conductor and educator based in Bern, Switzerland. Rooted in the traditions of Irish music and shaped by classical training in Dublin, Vienna, Manchester, Montréal and Zurich, she has developed a distinctive musical voice that blends lyrical cello playing, improvisation and storytelling.

As founder of The Celtic Cello, Clíodhna explores the meeting place of tradition, nature and contemporary expression. Drawing inspiration from the ornamentation of sean-nós singing, the rhythms of traditional Irish music and the practice of deep listening, she creates sound worlds that are both intimate and expansive. Her artistic path has been enriched by mentorship from Martin Hayes and the influence of visionary musicians including David Darling and Eugene Friesen.

Her recordings have received international radio play and critical acclaim. Reflecting on For the Love of Trees, four-time Grammy Award-winning cellist and composer Eugene Friesen wrote: “Clíodhna has created a tribute of great beauty, but also a kind of musical map toward grounding, love and unity.” Award-winning Irish fiddler Martin Hayes describes her work as “beautiful compositions played with the kind of lyricism I associate with the best air playing in the Irish tradition,” praising the music's thoughtful, cinematic arrangements and emotional depth.

Clíodhna’s latest release, For the Love of Trees, is a collaboration with Grammy Award-winning producer Mickey Houlihan and grows from a lifelong connection with the natural world and her environmental initiative Cellos for Trees, through which more than 8,000 trees have been planted in Ireland. 

Inspired by musical conversations with trees in Ireland, Switzerland and the United States, the album invites listeners into a space of wonder, reflection and belonging, where sound becomes a bridge between people, place and nature.