Concert: Dr Martin O'Leary presents a celebration of contemporary Irish piano music

Thursday, October 19, 2017 - 13:00
Riverstown Hall

A recital of Irish piano music celebrating the centenary of Brian Boydell and featuring the music of other contemporary Irish composers.

Public welcome to attend.

This event is part of Maynooth University Research Week 2017. In June 2017 Maynooth University celebrated the 20th anniversary of its founding as an independent university. Research Week 2017 is part of a year-long series of programmes and activities marking this milestone.

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Biography

Born in Dublin, Martin O’Leary began composing at the age of fourteen. He studied music at Trinity College, from where he holds a PhD for an extended study of three orchestral works of the English composer Havergal Brian. Since 1991 he has lectured at Maynooth University, where he became a full time member of staff in the Department of Music in 1993. 

He has written an extensive series of works covering most genres, and his compositions have been heard throughout Europe, as well as in Israel and the USA. “Glory to His Name”, a CD of arrangements for a capella choir, was released on Ceol Records in 2003. His more recent works include “Bluescape” (2007) for piano trio, written for the Fidelio Trio, two solo guitar works, “6 Preludes” (2005) and “Fantasia Elegiaca” (2007), written for Leslie Cassidy and Christian Fergo, “Blue Toccata” (2011), commissioned for the 2012 AXA Dublin International Piano Competition, “Avanti” (2012), written for the Muzika Piano Trio of Kenosha, Wisconsin, and “Luireach Phadraig” (2015), written for the Maynooth Chamber Choir and director Michael Dawson. 

Martin O’Leary performs regularly in solo repertoire and chamber works as a pianist, and has premiered works by John Buckley, John Casken, Rhona Clarke, John McLachlan, Peter Michael Hamel, Paul Hayes and Kevin O’Connell. He is a committee member of the Association of Irish Composers and a director of the Irish Composition Summer School.