Founder member and Cathaoirleach/Chairperson 2016-22
Mary is an internationally renowned musician – a performer, mentor and teacher. While her composition and style is founded on Irish traditional music, she is a true musical explorer who has participated in many international projects and performed from Asia, Scandinavia, Ireland and UK, as well as the Caribbean and North and South America. She performs regularly (piano and accordion) with the saxophonist Richard Ingham and has issued six CDs.
Mary is one of the world’s leading Suzuki method experts and has studied directly with Dr Shinichi Suzuki, whose teaching methods continue to revolutionise music education. From its inception in 1996 until recently, Mary was Principal Piano Tutor, BA Scottish Music at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in Glasgow. She is Director of National Suzuki Piano Teacher Training Courses in Ireland, Scotland, Latvia and Spain.
With such a rich artistic life already in place, it was an Irish community language ‘Ciorcal Comhrá’ that inspired Mary to focus and connect with other Irish artists in Edinburgh. She says:
“It was so important to begin the Little Ireland Arts Collective in 2016, the centenary of the 1916 Rising. The Collective set out to be a nurturing environment in which we could speak our native language, share our rich cultural heritage and encourage the next generation to warmly embrace their Irish identity, right here in Scotland”.
Mary McCarthy