Lara Garner, the founding member of Celtic Sands, is versatile as both a folk and classical musician. She plays celtic harp, recorder, tin whistle, Irish flute and bodhran and is a classically-trained pianist. She has performed in pubs, restaurants, concert halls, churches, castles, cathedrals, gardens, and stately homes. She has lived and performed in both Paris and Rome. As a pianist, Lara has played the major piano chamber music repertoire and is the founding member of the Amethyst Trio, Trio Con Spirito & Klezmerama. She has also played many stage shows both locally and in Europe. She also writes her own original music. She taught herself to play the harp after a series of persistant dreams in which she was playing the harp. Lara has a degree in music from U.C. Berkeley and a Master's Degree in International Relations from San Francisco State University.
Since making his Carnegie Hall debut at age 20, Jon Mendle is both a classical guitarist and has a deep interest in world music. Jon's interest in world music recently had him touring in a 10-concert series with reknowned cellist Yo Yo Ma. Jon is also a member of the San Francisco Guitar Quartet. Besides the many styles of steel and 6-string nylon guitar, Jon's primary instrument is an 11-string archguitar built in 2007 by Alan Perlman of San Francisco. The archguitar is a hybrid of the Renaissance and Baroque lutes, 19th century guitar, and modern guitar, making it ideal for a large cross section of early music. He received his Masters Degree from the San Francisco Conservatory under the tutelage of Sergio Assad. Besides the world of classical guitar and performing with Celtic Sands, Jon enjoys playing the occasional punk rock show.
Anna Washburn is the newest member of Celtic Sands. She started playing with the group in june 2010. Originally from Maine and from a family of fiddlers, Anna's childhood was filled with all styles of fiddling - from Celtic to American to Cape Breton. Anna is also an accomplished classical violinist with a graduate degree in violin performance from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and plays with such groups as the Philharmonia Baroque.
Tricia has a pure and ethereal voice, uniquely suited for celtic music. She is an actress as well as a celtic singer and has been performing for the last 10 years with the Spindrift Performing Arts School in Pacifica. Her last role last December was in Camelot. She has been the Miss Pacifica for several years in a row at the Pacifica FogFest, when she dons her striking mermaid costume. Tricia first sang with Celtic Sands in 2006 at "The Castle" in Pacifica.
