Winifred Horan is a legendary Irish-American fiddler, composer, champion dancer, celebrated recording artist, and renowned instructor. After extensive classical training, she played with the all-female Celtic music ensemble Cherish the Ladies before co-founding the award winning group Solas, which will be celebrating their momentous 30th year anniversary in 2025.

Horan was born and raised in New York City to Irish parents and studied piano (taught by her father, a carpenter and musician) and Irish fiddle playing at a young age. As a teenager in NY she won a full scholarship from General Mills  to attend the Mannes College of Music Preparatory School for 5 years. She attended and graduated from the New England Conservatory in Boston, Massachusetts, where she studied classical violin, with renowned Japanese violinist Masuko Ushioda and the Aspen Music School. She played with multiple orchestras, including the Boston Pops Orchestra, and string quartets, before joining the all-female Celtic music ensemble Cherish the Ladies in 1990.

Horan was a member of and toured and recorded with The Sharon Shannon Band, and also performed with Irish singer-songwriter Pierce Turner. She is also a nine-time champion National Irish step dancer and an All-Ireland fiddle champion.

To date, Winifred has released three award-winning solo records, and a multitude of acclaimed albums with her various projects. One of Horan's compositions was featured during the third season of the American reality television competitive dance series So You Think You Can Dance. In 2022, she co-founded the band Reverie Road, which has toured extensively over the last two years and received the "Debut Album of the Year" title by Ireland Tonight in 2024.

Horan is also an in-demand fiddle instructor and teaches fiddle to all ages and levels throughout the country from her private studio and at camps nationwide, encouraging the next generation of Irish fiddlers and leading students to qualify to compete at the All-Ireland fleadh.