Derry welcomes Ruth McGinley home for mesmerising piano concert

Derry-born pianist Ruth McGinley returns home for a very special concert in New Gate Arts and Cultural Centre.

During the concert on Thursday, February 12, Ms McGinley will present a "bold and beautiful new programme that reflects her unique musical voice and adventurous spirit".

Titled 'Glass and Beyond' the programme weaves together music by Philip Glass, Arvo Pärt and Bill Evans with original compositions by McGinley herself, created 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, Ruth McGinley rose to national prominence at just 16, winning the piano final of BBC Young Musician of the Year.

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Goretti Horgan (70) of Westland Avenue, Davina Pulis (36) of Knoxhill Park, Robert Paul Maxwell (60) of Rathlin Drive and Jude Coffey (27) of Gartan Square and local councillor Shaun Harkin (52) of Beechwood Avenue all in Derry are charged with taking part in an illegal procession on February 14 2024 and in Harkin's case February 17 in support of Palestine.

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 carving out 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, Ms McGinley has appeared as a soloist at the 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 live – 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 in Derry offers audiences a rare chance to experience Ruth McGinley at her most personal and expressive – a powerful and poetic evening from one of Ireland’s most compelling musical voices.