Celebrated Irish composer Maccana to play in Tullamore on all-island tour

On his debut tour, The Unseen Growth of Winter, acclaimed Irish composer and pianist Caomhán Maccana, will play at two midlands towns, Tullamore and Mullingar. The native of the Cavan-Fermanagh borderlands, Maccana will play at the Esker Arts Centre in Tullamore on Friday, October 16.

The 70-minute live performance will feature original melodies from Maccana, including scores such as Tras el Invierno, Athrú, Ven a Mí and Tonnta Dé, alongside new music developed during a residency at the Tyrone Guthrie Centre, including the title piece ‘The Unseen Growth of Winter’ and Éan, written in memory of Moya Brennan of Clannad.

While he has to his credit more than two decades of working as a producer (BBC RTÉ and Newstalk), writer and composer across radio, television and film, this tour is the first time he will share his music with the audience in a live performance. The 52-year-old was prompted to take the 'live' route after the passing of his father in 2024.

Recently he released ‘Maccana, Live in Lady Guthrie’s Drawing Room’, an album presenting compositions in an intimate recital setting, performed on an early 20th-century grand piano.

Maccana’s cinematic contemporary piano music draws on Celtic, Eastern and classical traditions, and has found supporters and fans in artists like Patrick Cassidy, and his work has drawn parallels with composers like Hania Rani, Arvo Pärt and Erik Satie.

The Unseen Growth of Winter tour will begin from Listowel (Co Kerry) on October 14, and culminate on January 30, 2027, in Derry. Maccana will play in Tullamore on October 16, at Esker Arts Centre, 8pm. Tickets priced between €18 and €20 can be purchased on www.eskerarts.ie. More information on the tour can be sought on www.maccana.ie/tour.