By 
DERRY-born pianist Ruth McGinley returns home for a very special concert in the city next week (Thursday February 12), performing at the New Gate Arts and Cultural Centre with a bold and beautiful new programme that reflects her distinctive musical voice and adventurous spirit.
Entitled ‘Glass and Beyond,’ the programme weaves together music by Philip Glass, Arvo Pärt and Bill Evans, alongside original compositions by Ruth McGinley herself, written in response to an artistic residency in Iceland. Atmospheric, intimate and deeply personal, the concert promises an immersive journey through sound, space and stillness.
One of Ireland’s most distinctive and celebrated pianists, McGinley rose to national prominence at just 16 when she won the piano final of BBC Young Musician of the Year. Since then, she has forged a wide-ranging career that defies convention, performing with leading orchestras including the BBC Philharmonic, National Symphony Orchestra, RTÉ Concert Orchestra and Ulster Orchestra, while also earning a reputation as a fearless collaborator across classical, jazz, folk, electronic and film music.
A familiar and much-loved presence on BBC Radio 3, Classic FM, BBC Radio Ulster and Lyric FM, Ruth McGinley has appeared as a soloist at BBC Proms in the Park and performed to critical acclaim at London’s Southbank Centre. Yet it is in the spaces between genres – where reflection, atmosphere and emotional resonance meet – that her music truly flourishes.
Her recordings have drawn widespread praise, with critics describing her playing as “exquisite”, “healing” and “soothing in the truest sense”. In 2024, she was awarded the Arts Council of Northern Ireland’s Major Individual Artist Award, recognising both her artistic excellence and her singular musical vision.
This homecoming concert offers audiences a rare chance to experience Ruth McGinley at her most personal and expressive.
l
‘Glass and Beyond’ takes place on Thursday February 12 at 7.30pm (doors open 7pm) in the New Gate Arts and Cultural Centre, Kennedy Street, Derry, with tickets priced £15
£10 available from TicketSource.co.uk
walled-city-music. It promises a powerful and poetic evening from one of Ireland’s most compelling artists.
