Hi, I’m Beth McNinch, Artistic Director of Musici Ireland. Since its inception in 2012, Musici Ireland has been dedicated to creating bold, original performances that blend chamber music with immersive, interdisciplinary storytelling. Alongside a fantastic team of musicians, composers, dancers, writers, and visual artists, we make work that centres women, disability, and lived experience. Everything we do is research-led and grounded in real experiences, so our storytelling is authentic, moving, and, hopefully, a little unforgettable.
One project I’m particularly proud of is A Mother’s Voice (2023). We set out to create a performance that honours the stories of women who survived Ireland’s mother-and-baby homes. With the help of historians and activists like Catherine Corless, Sinéad McCoole, and Máirín Johnston, and guided by the testimonies of survivors including Cait, Deirdre Wadding, and Sheila O’Byrne, we built a fully immersive world with original music by Irene and Linda Buckley, animations by Éabha Bortolozzo and Jack Kirwan, and a walk-through installation by Bridget Ní Dhuinn with lighting by Eoin McNinch. Seeing audiences connect with the work at CATF, Kilkenny Arts Festival, Luxembourg, and Frankfurt has been incredibly moving. Jo Mangan from The Performance Corporation called it “a deeply affecting and important work… it deserves to be experienced widely,” and that really sums it up.
Following that, we developed Chronically Hopeful (2025), a production about living with chronic illness, unseen disability, and neurodivergence. Our team of artists live these experiences every day, so the work is honest, raw, funny, and full of humanity. It’s not about cure or redemption—it’s about embracing the contradictions, the struggles, the absurdities, and the small moments of beauty that keep us going.
We’ve been lucky to present our work for Zeitgeist Irland 24, Contemporary American Theater Festival, Kilkenny Arts Festival, and release our debut album Earthrise on Divine Arts, which Jem Condliffe called “an excellent album, modern and edgy enough for people who want something new but traditional enough for those who like what they know.”
I’m also passionate about supporting young musicians through our “side-by-side” programme with Music Generation and Music for Wexford, giving them real-world experience performing alongside professionals. Being named a County Finalist in the 2025 National Lottery Good Causes Awards was such an honour and really reflects the impact of our work.
Looking ahead, we’re excited to establish a permanent studio hub, expand our touring, and build a community of supporters to help us create even more meaningful, socially-engaged music and theatre. For me, Musici Ireland is about making performances that resonate, challenge, and connect with pieces that leave you thinking, feeling, and maybe even laughing a little along the way.