The Irish musician was a well-known figure in the music world, appearing on radio and TV and serving for four years as concertmaster of the RTÉ Symphony Orchestra
The Irish violinist Geraldine O’Grady died on 11 November at the age of 93. She performed as a soloist with orchestras including the Boston Pops, the Kansas City Philharmonic, and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra.
Born in 1932, O’Grady studied with Jean Fournier at the Conservatoire de Paris, graduating in 1955. Four years later, in 1959 she was appointed concertmaster of the RTÉ Symphony Orchestra (now the National Symphony Orchestra Ireland), where she stayed until 1963.
She recorded albums of Irish airs with her sister, pianist Eily O’Grady, with whom she toured the US several times alongside Eily’s husband, the tenor Frank Patterson. She also collaborated with her other sisters, the cellist Moya and fellow violinist Sheila O’Grady, and made several solo recordings for the Philips label. Composers such as Philip Martin, Brian Boydell, Gerard Victory, John Kinsella and James Wilson wrote works for her.
In later years O’Grady performed in a violin duo with her daughter Oonagh Keogh. In the 1980s she hosted her own TV programme, Strings in the Air, and appeared regularly on both TV and radio throughout her career. In 1977 the New York Times referred to her as an ‘artist of the first rank’ after a recital at Carnegie Hall.
Dublin’s National Concert Hall paid tribute to O’Grady on Facebook: ‘As a former leader of the RTÉ Symphony Orchestra (1959–1963), she maintained close ties with the National Concert Hall and the National Symphony Orchestra Ireland,’ it said. ‘One of Ireland’s most celebrated violinists, Geraldine’s warmth, kindness and remarkable contributions to the arts will always be remembered.’
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