The noted classical violinist Geraldine O’Grady has died at the age of 93. A former leader of the RTÉ Symphony Orchestra, O’Grady performed as recitalist and soloist with the Boston Pops, the Kansas City Philharmonic, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, the Buffalo Philharmonic and the Scottsdale Symphony Orchestra, among others.
O’Grady, whom the New York Times referred to as an “artist of the first rank” after a performance at Carnegie Recital Hall in 1977, frequently played in a violin duo with her daughter, Oonagh Keogh, and as a recitalist with pianists such as Veronica McSwiney, Philip Martin and Charles Lynch.
She also performed with her sister Eily O’Grady, the pianist. As well as recording albums of Irish airs, they toured the United States many times with Eily’s husband, the tenor Frank Patterson.
Born in 1932, O’Grady was awarded a government scholarship to study in France. She graduated from the Paris Conservatory in 1955, winning three prizes from an international jury headed by the Belgian virtuoso violinist Arthur Grumiaux. She led the RTÉ Symphony Orchestra – now National Symphony Orchestra Ireland – from 1959 to 1963.
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O’Grady had many works written for her by composers such as Martin, Brian Boydell, Gerard Victory, John Kinsella and James Wilson. She played these in her recital programmes along with the Irish airs she so valued, many of which were arranged by TC Kelly. One of these, The Lark in the Clear Air, was the signature tune of Ciarán Mac Mathúna’s RTÉ radio programme Mo Cheol Thú for 35 years.
O’Grady, who was married to the actor and writer Des Keogh, was awarded an honorary doctorate by the National University of Ireland and a fellowship by the Royal Irish Academy of Music, where she taught for many years. On her 80th birthday, in 2012, Michael D Higgins, as president, paid tribute to O’Grady’s artistic contribution to Irish society. “There is no doubt that the Irish world of music owes her an enormous debt of gratitude,” he said.
O’Grady, who died on Tuesday, November 11th, is survived by her husband and daughter; her grandchildren, Ruadhán and Aoibhín; her sister Sheila; her brother-in-law Michael; her sister-in-law Angela; and her nieces and nephews.
