BIO
One of the most compelling figures in Irish music today, Ryan Molloy has spent over two decades forging a singular creative space where traditional Irish music and contemporary composition meet. Born in Pomeroy, County Tyrone, he draws on a lifetime as a traditional fiddler and pianist to create work that is unmistakably his own.
The recipient of the TG4 Gradam Ceoil Composer of the Year 2024, Molloy has been commissioned by many renowned musicians and ensembles, including RTÉ, the BBC, Danish String Quartet, the Ulster Orchestra, and the Irish Chamber Orchestra, and he has represented Ireland at the ISCM World New Music Days festivals in Hong Kong, Vancouver, and Auckland. His solo recording pianophony — hailed as a milestone in traditional piano performance — announced him as a major artistic voice, and his recent works casúir 's cnaipí and PIANOBOXING confirm an artist who continues to reinvent the role of the piano in Irish music.
As a performer, Molloy is a captivating presence: technically masterful, deeply rooted in tradition, and always surprising. With over thirty albums to his name, he has collaborated with some of Irish music's finest, among them Fergal Scahill, Bríd Harper, Séamus & Caoimhe Uí Fhlatharta, Paddy Glackin, Seán Óg Graham, Edwina Guckian, Barry Kerr, Iarla Ó Lionáird, Neil Martin, Pádraig McGovern, NxNW, North Cregg, Téada, and We Banjo 3.
2026 sees the completion of roscáth, a new work for violin and orchestra for German violinist Katharina Uhde, a 25th Anniversary concert with Téada and the RTÉ Concert Orchestra, and the release of foinse, a new album with Bríd Harper. Ryan is Associate Professor of Composition at the National University of Ireland, Maynooth, and is represented by the Contemporary Music Centre (www.cmc.ie).
2026 sees the completion of roscáth, a new work for violin and orchestra for German violinist Katharina Uhde, a 25th Anniversary concert with Téada and the RTÉ Concert Orchestra, and the release of foinse, a new album with Bríd Harper. Ryan is Associate Professor of Composition at the National University of Ireland, Maynooth, and is represented by the Contemporary Music Centre (www.cmc.ie).
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© Maurice Gunning