Orla McGarrity

Orla McGarrity is an Irish violinist based in Manchester where she graduated from the RNCM with First-Class Honours Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees studying with James Clark, Cecily Ward and Pavel Fischer. During her studies she has performed in masterclasses for Arabella Steinbacher, Barbara Doll and Vera Vaidman. During 24/25 Orla was one of the Hard Rain Soloist Ensemble’s Young Artists, receiving coaching on and performing contemporary repertoire. She has since gone on to freelance with the ensemble as well as NI Opera and the Hallé. 

Orla’s big passion as a musician is chamber music and she was a Young Artist at this year’s Chamber Music on Valentia in County Kerry. She is the second violinist of the Talland Quartet who were String Quartet in Residence at South Downs Summer Music Festival this July. The Quartet has been chosen to attend the Danish String Quartet Academy in October and will be one of RNCM’s Studio Quartets for 25/26. They have been involved in various programmes through Chamber Studio UK such as the Hans Keller Forum and have been fortunate to study with esteemed musicians such as the Elias Quartet, Alice Neary, the Piatti Quartet and Peter Prause.  

Orla’s love for curating chamber events led her to working as the Programming Assistant at the RNCM in 2022/23 and co-directing Enys Chamber Music Festival in Cornwall. She also enjoyed interning at Weesp Chamber Music Festival in the Netherlands and working as an ad hoc chamber music tutor at RNCM’s Junior Department. In 2024 Orla set up the Mourne Chamber Music Festival in Newcastle County Down, which aims to increase engagement with classical music in Northern Ireland and provide performance opportunities for young professionals.  

Orla plays on a 1920 Carlo Carletti violin, generously loaned to her by the Harrison Frank Family Foundation.
 
What are you most looking forward to on the scheme? 

“I love that this scheme is so comprehensive and involves all the different aspects of what being a musician can mean. Camerata is such an innovative organisation so I’m looking forward to playing alongside their creative and skilled musicians, whilst also having opportunities to work in the community and learn from the organisational team.” 
 
What music have you been listening to recently that you’d recommend? 
 
At the moment I’m listening to a lot of Christy Moore, old and new, so would recommend any of his music! On his new album he has a track which is a poem he wrote about outgoing Irish President Michael D Higgins called Music to Our Ears. It’s such a beautiful tribute, I find it really moving and like that he included a spoken word track.