Martin Hayes

We’re delighted to welcome back master fiddler Martin Hayes to open this year’s festival.

Praised by the Irish Times as a musician with an “insatiable appetite for adventure”, Martin Hayes is regarded as one of the most significant talents to emerge in the world of Irish traditional music. He is the founder of the musical supergroup The Gloaming, The Common Ground Ensemble, and The Martin Hayes Quartet. He has created collaborations in the classical, folk and contemporary music worlds with the likes of Bill Frisell, Ricky Skaggs, Jordi Savall, Brooklyn Rider and the RTE Concert Orchestra. He has performed on stage with musicians such as Sting and Paul Simon and has recorded with Yo-Yo Ma's Silk Road Project.

Martin has played at our festival many times, with artists such as Steve Cooney, Kevin Crawford & John Doyle, and of course the late great Dennis Cahill, but this will be his first solo show here in Baltimore. We’re sure it will be very special.