MartinHayes

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 is the artistic director of Masters of Tradition, an annual festival in Cork, Ireland, and a co-curator for the Marble Sessions at the Kilkenny Arts Festival, Ireland.

Martin has performed in venues such as the Barbican, Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, Philharmonie Cologne, Philharmonie de Paris, Muziekgebouw Amsterdam, and Usher Hall, Edinburgh. He has created collaborations in the classical, folk and contemporary music worlds such as Bill Frisell, Ricky Skaggs, Jordi Savall, Brooklyn Rider, the Irish Chamber Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra, Dublin. He has performed on stage with musicians such as Sting and Paul Simon and has recorded with Yo-Yo Ma's Silk Road Project.

Recent and upcoming highlights include a UK trio tour with performances in London, Manchester, Bristol, and at the Nevill Holt Festival, as well as appearances at the Norfolk & Norwich Festival and London’s iconic Union Chapel. In 2023, Martin released his debut album Peggy’s Dream with the Common Ground Ensemble to critical acclaim, earning a 5-star review in The Irish Times. Commissioned by the National Symphony Orchestra, the album was reimagined for fiddle, Concertina and orchestra, culminating in three sold-out performances at the National Concert Hall in Dublin in 2025.

Growing up in a musical family in rural county Clare, Ireland, in a remote mountainous locality with a rich music tradition, instilled in him a deep love, understanding and connection to traditional music.