

Veronica McSwiney
Veronica McSwiney is one of Ireland’s finest concert pianists. She was born in Dublin and started lessons at the age of seven at the Municipal School of Music with Dr J.J. O’Reilly and later with Bruno Seidlhofer in Salzburg and with Ilona Kabos in London. Her first appearance with the RTESO was at the tender age of 14 playing Beethoven’s concerto No.1 in C Major. She made her Recital debut in Dublin at the age of 16 but following her Wigmore Hall debut in London her reputation spread far beyond her native Ireland. She toured on a number occasions in the U.S.A under Columbia Artists. She has played with many of the world’s finest orchestra and was the first Irish Artist to be invited to tour in the USSR in 1975. Following her first recital there she was invited back on a number of occasions both as a recitalist and as soloist with Orchestras in Russia, Lithuania ,Estonia, Latvia and Ukraine. She has broadcast frequently in her native Ireland and for BBC in U.K.
Veronica always had great interest in Chamber Music and was Music Director for Irish National Opera for 12 years, rehearsing, performing and directing the entire Orchestral Scores of the Operas throughout Ireland with the Company. She played many recitals with other Irish Instrumentalists and Vocalists. “I particularly love sharing music with other musicians” she often said. She based herself in Cheshire in the UK for 18 years where she performed with many of their famous Orchestras including the London Symphony Orchestra, the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra and the Birmingham Symphony Orchestra on many occasions. She formed a partnership with Richard Baker in recitals based on the Life and Music of Chopin and Grieg which they performed at many festivals in Britain with these programmes. Despite her busy schedule she still found time to get married and rear three children, Karl, Judy and Aisling. She has played many recitals with her violinist daughter, Aisling, who is a member of the famous Scottish Chamber Orchestra and living in Edinburgh . In 2015 she and her long term friend, John O Conor, got together for a much acclaimed Two Piano Recital at the National Concert Hall. They performed together again when Veronica celebrated her 80th Birthday Concert, along with many of her musician friends in a wonderful evening of music making. She always enjoys adjudicating and has sat on the panel of a number of International piano competitions. “ Nothing gives me greater joy than listening to and watching the rising young talent in this country.”