“Music should feel within reach, especially for young people growing up here in Derry.”
That is the message from internationally renowned pianist and festival co-artistic director, Cathal Breslin, who will return to his home city this March as part of the Walled City Music Festival’s Educational Outreach Programme.
During festival week (12–15 March 2026), Breslin will visit schools across Derry, performing live and speaking candidly about his journey from local student to international concert artist. These sessions are designed to inspire, inform and encourage pupils to see creative careers as both attainable and relevant- demonstrating that global artistic pathways can begin at home.
Education and artistic development sit at the heart of the festival’s wider programme. Running throughout the four-day event, the Composer Workshop Programme will provide emerging and early-career composers with the rare opportunity to hear their music performed, explored and refined in collaboration with leading artists.
This year’s workshops are further enriched by the presence of the festival’s Composer-in- Residence, Gráinne Mulvey, one of Ireland’s most distinctive and respected compositional voices. Her involvement brings an additional layer of artistic mentorship and contemporary insight to the programme.
Participating composers will work closely with performers including festival co-artistic director Sabrina Hu, harpist Clíona Doris, and violist David O Doherty, gaining invaluable professional feedback and a deeper understanding of writing for live musicians at the highest level.
Rather than simply presenting finished works, the Walled City Music Festival actively supports the creation of new music- fostering collaboration, experimentation and artistic growth within a rigorous but supportive environment. By pairing internationally acclaimed performance with meaningful grassroots engagement, the festival continues to position Derry not only as a host city for exceptional concerts, but as a vibrant hub for musical creativity and development.
Full programme details and ticket information are available at walledcitymusic.com
