Richard O’Donnell was born in Newark, New Jersey in the USA, Richard received his B Mus from Indiana University and his M Mus from the City University of New York. He began his career with the National Symphony Orchestra of Colombia, and has also been a member of the Basque National Orchestra in San Sebastian, Spain and of the RTE Concert
Orchestra.
He is currently the Section Principal Percussionist in the RTE National Symphony Orchestra. In 1996 he joined the teaching staff of the Royal Irish Academy of Music, where he is also the Director of the Percussion Ensemble.