(headline image: Cormac McCarthy – Photo by Anna McGrane)
Cormac McCarthy is an Irish pianist, composer, arranger, and conductor from Cork. His work includes jazz, Irish traditional music, and western classical practice. Notably, Cormac McCarthy’s compositions and arrangements have reached major Irish and international stages through performances and recordings by ensembles and artists. These include the RTÉ Concert Orchestra, the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland, the Irish Chamber Orchestra, the Ulster Orchestra, the Carducci Quartet, the New Irish Jazz Orchestra, Phil Woods, Jeff Hamilton, and the DePaul Jazz Ensemble.
As a pianist, McCarthy has performed at venues, clubs, and festivals throughout Europe and the United States. That performance life has produced collaborations with artists such as Iarla Ó Lionáird, Peter Washington, Liz Carroll, and Dana Masters. In addition, he performs as a member of Martin Hayes’ Common Ground Ensemble.
McCarthy’s activity as a conductor parallels his writing and performance. He has led ensembles that include the RTÉ Concert Orchestra, the Irish Chamber Orchestra, and the Cork Opera House Concert Orchestra. Meanwhile, his solo piano album On The Other Hand received notable critical recognition.
Academic work remains central to his career. He lectures in piano, composition, and arranging at MTU Cork School of Music, where he also directs the Jazz Big Band. He holds a first-class honors degree from the DePaul School of Music in Chicago and MTU Cork School of Music.
In 2025, he released Cosán Casta with fiddler Aoife Ní Bhriain. The album features original compositions and reinterpretations of archival tunes. The two artists weave Irish traditional material with western classical and jazz influences. The title translates as “twisted path.”
Discography:
Cottage Evolution (2015)
On The Other Hand (2022)
Cosán Casta (self-released, 2025)
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.