Gary Beecher is one of Ireland’s most versatile pianists, with a varied career as a soloist, chamber musician, accompanist, vocal coach, orchestral pianist, musical director and educator.

 

As a soloist, Gary was a past winner of the Irish Freemasons Young Musician of the Year as well as numerous other national awards. He has recorded and performed as a soloist with both the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland and RTÉ Concert Orchestra and has also performed with Camerata Ireland & Southbank Sinfonia London as an orchestral pianist. Venues he has performed in include the Barbican Centre and Wigmore Hall, London; all major venues across Ireland as well as several venues across Europe.

 

Gary is passionate about collaborating with singers and has had several international competition successes in recent years including 1st Prize at the International Nadia and Lili Boulanger Voice-Piano Competition (France), the Rudolf Jansen Pianist Prize at the 53rd International Vocal Competition LiedDuo (Netherlands), and 2nd Pianist Prize at the International Helmut Deutsch Lied Competition (Austria).

Gary is a Samling Artist, a Britten-Pears Young Artist and a winner of the Oxford Lieder Young Artist Platform. Additionally, Gary enjoys working occasionally as a répétiteur and has worked with Irish National Opera and Blackwater Valley Opera Festival among other opera companies. 

 

Festivals he has performed at include Oxford Lieder, Britten Pears Aldeburgh Festival, Journeés Musicales Marcel Proust Cabourg, West Wicklow Chamber Music Festival, Music for Galway, Ortús Chamber Music Festival, Drogheda Classical Music, National Concert Hall Summer Lunchtime Series and Chamber Music Series, and Music Network Resonate Series.

 

Radio broadcasts include both live and recorded performances on BBC Radio Three and RTÉ Lyric FM.

 

He completed his studies at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London where he was a Fellow and later a staff coach accompanist. He also holds a BMus and MA from the MTU Cork School of Music and was awarded 1st class honours degrees and top overall performer awards from both Guildhall and CSM institutions. Gary has studied with pianists such as Dr John O’Conor, Jacques Rouvier, Julius Drake, Eugene Asti, Charles Owen, Susan and Jan Cáp, Michael McHale and Dr Gabriela Mayer.

 

Gary is now based in Cork and continues to perform regularly both across Ireland and internationally. He is also currently a faculty member at the MTU Cork School of Music.

 

Upcoming engagements include BBC Radio 3 recordings and performances with BBC New Generation Artist Niamh O’Sullivan (Mezzo-soprano) at Wigmore Hall London, Elgar Concert Hall Birmingham, and an Irish ‘Winterreise’ tour with Tenor Gavan Ring.