Dennis Varley earned his D.M.A. in piano performance from the University of Colorado. A native of Nebraska, he earned both B.Mus and M.Mus. degrees at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. Before receiving his doctorate, he studied, worked, and taught in New York City for five years. A choral conductor and Catholic liturgist as well, he was director of music at St. Jerome Catholic Church in Largo, Florida for six years and is currently the music director at the Church of the Assumption in Colesville, Pennsylvania. He and his wife, soprano Kate Haggerty, have performed as a duo in concert series venues in Florida, the Midwest, the East coast and Ireland. Together, they released a critically acclaimed CD recording, "Irish Country Airs." The CD features his arrangements of traditional Irish tunes for voice, piano, harp, and cello which were praised by the American Record Guide as "the kind of music one needs to hear at the end of a hard day." In preparation for an upcoming CD of Irish harp music arranged for piano, he studied with Irish pianist and musicologist, Michael O'Suilleabhain at the University of Limerick. Dennis has taught at DeSales University since 1989 where his responsibilities have included directing the DeSales Choral and campus music ministry program and teaching courses in music history, Irish music, and Irish culture.

Mass for Saints Patrick and Brigid premiered in June of 2008 at the Cathedral of Our Lady Assumed into Heaven and St. Nicholas, Galway and was subsequently performed at the Cathedral of the Assumption in Tuam and St. Mary's Church in Headford, Ireland.