Beth McNinch
She/Her
Beth McNinch is based in Blackwater, Co. Wexford and plays the Viola, Violin, Viola D'Amore. Beth is one of Ireland’s leading musicians, enjoying a busy and varied freelance career as a violist, educator, artistic director, and producer. She has recently been elected Associate of the Royal Academy of Music (ARAM), awarded in recognition to those who have distinguished themselves in the music profession and made a significant contribution in their particular field.
Beth began her freelance career in London after completing her viola studies at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and the Royal Academy of Music, where she performed regularly with the London Symphony Orchestra, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. As a principal violist, Beth has appeared with Irish National Opera, English National Ballet, London Sinfonietta, National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland, Ulster Symphony Orchestra and RTE Concert Orchestra. She has been principal violist of the Wexford Festival Opera Orchestra since 2008.
A prolific chamber musician, Beth has performed at the Wigmore Hall, Purcell Room, and Queen Elizabeth Hall in London, alongside musicians including Clio Gould and Colin Carr. She founded and is Artistic Director of Internationally acclaimed chamber collective Musici Ireland, known for their socially impactful multidisciplinary works.
As a soloist, Beth has performed the Telemann Viola Concerto many times at St Martin in the Fields, London, as part of the 2019 Ardee Baroque Festival and as a live concert broadcast for RTE Lyric FM in 2021, the broadcast subsequently played in 12 Countries worldwide. In 2015, she was soloist for the Mozart Sinfonia Concertante with violinist Ioana Petcu-Colan in the National Opera House of Ireland with Wexford Sinfonia, conducted by Fergus Sheil.
In 2021, Beth became the inaugural recipient of the SEVN artists bursary, allowing her time to research and record works for solo viola by women composers in arts venues across the southeast of Ireland. Following this, she commissioned 4 pieces for solo viola composers Libby Croad, Deborah Pritchard, Ailbhe McDonagh and Deirdre Mackay. In 2022 she commissioned a new concerto for viola and chamber ensemble from Irish composer Liam Bates, which premiered with Musici Ireland in 2023. “Earthrise” features on Musici Ireland’s upcoming debut album.
In April 2023 Beth was music advisor and performer for a piece of Dance Theatre by choreographer Vivian Brodie-Hayes at the National Opera House, creating a soundscape for a work examining the 5th amendment. In June 2203, Beth travelled to Iceland to perform as part of the Improv Cohort “Icelandic Sessions” 5 part improvised performance at Við Djúpið Music Festival, Ísafjörður June 2023. Beth is currently developing a solo performance “Elemental”, for pre-recorded viola d’amore, improvised viola, dancer and aerial artist, exploring our relationship to mother nature and the meaning of “roots”, both environmentally and as humans- finding the place that feels like home.