2021Nominee
Career Highlight
Riverdance: The Animated Adventure
Bill Whelan
Director
Limerick, Ireland
May 22, 1950
Biography
William Michael Joseph Whelan (born 22 May 1950) is an Irish composer and musician. He is best known for composing a piece for the interval of the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest. The result, "Riverdance", was a seven-minute piece of original music accompanying a new take on traditional Irish stepdance that became a full-length stage production and spawned a worldwide craze for Irish traditional music and dance. The corresponding soundtrack album earned him a Grammy. "Riverdance" was released as a single in 1994, credited to "Bill Whelan and Anúna featuring the RTÉ Concert Orchestra". It reached number one in Ireland for 18 weeks and number nine in the UK. The album of the same title reached number 31 in the album charts in 1995.
Photo
Representative Works
Awards and Honors
Critical Favorites
1998Nominee
Career Highlight
Dancing at Lughnasa
1997Winner
Career Highlight
Riverdance: Live From New York City
Career Highlights
1989Highlight
Career Highlight
Dick Francis: Twice Shy
2020Highlight
Career Highlight
Riverdance 25th Anniversary Show
Video
Riverdance: The Animated Adventure
Dancing at Lughnasa
Riverdance 25th Anniversary Show