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

 

With a passion for working with singers, Gary has had several international competition successes 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). Previous to this, he was a Samling Artist, a Britten-Pears Young Artist and a winner of the Oxford Lieder Young Artist Platform. Additionally, Gary enjoys working as a répétiteur and has worked with Irish National Opera and Blackwater Valley Opera Festival among other opera companies. Other awards include the Franz Schubert Institute Lieder Prize, Britten-Pears Young Artist, Samling Young Artist and Oxford Lieder Young Artist awards.

 

As a soloist, Gary was winner of the Irish Freemasons Young Musician of the Year (2014) and has recorded and performed as soloist and orchestral pianist with the RTÉ NSO, RTÉ CO, Camerata Ireland, & Southbank Sinfonia London. Venues he has performed in include the Barbican Centre and Wigmore Hall (London); National Concert Hall, RDS, Bord Gáis Energy Theatre (Dublin), University Concert Hall, (Limerick), Cork Opera House, Triskel & Cork City Hall among others. Radio broadcasts include live and recorded performances on BBC Radio Three and RTÉ Lyric FM.

 

He completed his MA at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London where he was a Fellow and staff coach accompanist. He holds a BMus and MA from the Cork School of Music (Munster Technological University) and was awarded 1st class honours degrees and top overall performer awards from both Guildhall and CSM institutions.

 

Gary currently lives in Cork and is a Lecturer of Piano and Contemporary Keyboards at MTU CSM.

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Please email garybeecherpiano@gmail.com for an updated biography before reproducing for concert programmes and all other publicity