Gerard McChrystal comes from Derry, N.Ireland. To date he has performed in over 30 countries including London's Wigmore Hall, San Francisco Opera House and Suttgart Stattshalle. He has performed with Philip Glass, Soweto String Quartet, guitarist Craig Ogden, The Syzmanowski String Quartet, The Smith Quartet, tenorist Tommy Smith, Irish choir Anuna, Ensemble Bash as well as many orchestras including The Philharmonia, San Francisco Ballet Orchestra, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, BBC NOW, BBC Concert Orchestra, National Symphony of Ireland and Stuttgart Statsorchestre. Gerard is a gold endorsee for RICO and an ambassador for Derry-Londonderry UK City of Culture 2013. See Gerard's biography to read more!

News 2013

Gerard's new projects for 2013 are contained in the publication below.

http://issuu.com/saxsaxsax1/docs/gerard-mcchrystal

In March Gerard was invited to the House of Commons to meet the Prime Minister David Cameron and Irish Taoiseach Enda Kenny as part of his ambassadorial role for Derry-Londonderry UK City of Culture 2013.

Gerard began 2013 with a gala concert at the new Venue in Derry-Londonderry to open UK City of Culture 2013 for BBC Television. He performed with orchestra, choir, piano and rhythm section to a live audience of 2500. Over 11,000 applied for tickets! 

 The concert was broadcast on BBC1 on Jan 20th. Gerard will perform as soloist in two performances of Shaun Davey's epic Relief Of Derry Symphony. In March he performs with The National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland in The National Concert Hall, Dublin and in December back in Derry for the final event of City of Culture 2013 with The Ulster Orchestra. Other highlights in 2013 include concerts with guitarist Craig Ogden in UK and France, premiere of a new work for his Stand Up show by Ciaran Farrell and the Bach Double Concerto with Spanish saxo star Antonio Filipe Belijar in The Royal Naval Chapel, Greenwich. Gerard will also give a series of workshops, masterclasses and lectures in Stamford, Swansea, Benslow, Royal Scottish Academy of Music and The Royal College of Music, London. 

Aria

Gerard's new album Aria was released on First Hand Records in October 2011.

Featuring soprano and alto saxophone with a colourful array of different ensemble accompaniments — string orchestra, choir, guitar, piano, solo, string quartet and electronics. Baroque music blends seamlessly with contemporary; Handel resolves into Michael Nyman, Debussy’s Syrinx morphs into Ravel's Piece en forme de habanera. All the tracks lead to the next by key or by starting and ending on the same note. Other works include Philip Glass Façades, Faure Les Berceaux, Bozza Aria, as well as original works by Billy Cowie, Karen Tanaka, Andy Scott and Michael McGlynn (from the vocal group Anúna who featured in Riverdance). Accompanying Gerard on this album are some of the UK's finest classical musicians including the Smith Quartet and guitarist Craig Ogden.

You can hear samples and buy your copy of Aria now!

Download from Amazon or iTunes. 

Aria news

• Aria was named as one of the best classical cds of 2011 by Classic FM. 
•  Aria is featured as InFlight Entertainment for Quantas Airlines in June 2012
• KPFK 90.7FM in Los Angeles USA picked Aria as one of the best of 2011. 
•  Aria was CD of the Week on Ireland's national classical station RTE LyricFM Nov 14-18th at 1030am.
•  Aria was David Mellor's Connoisseurs Choice on Classic FM, Saturday Oct 15th 6-7pm. He said of the album a real unexpected joy…wonderfully well played with extraordinary tone…I love the way Gerard McChrystal sounds…I absolutely love it…well done Gerard McChrystal
• 4 star review of Aria in March's BBC Music Magazine “McChrystal excels in these mainly slow, reflective pieces ” (Terry Blain).

• Read below a four star review of the CD in the Independent by Andy Gill

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/classical/reviews/album-gerard-mcchrystal-aria-first-hand-recordings-2366477.html 

Legenderry

Gerard is an ambassador for Derry-Londonderry City of Culture 2013. Click below for details of this year's Culture Night.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/DerryLondonderry-Culture-Night/237908046259725?sk=app_106171216118819