Antoni O'Breskey 50 Years of Music

Antoni O’Breskey, piano, vocals
Máirtín O’Connor, accordion
Consuelo Nerea Breschi, vocals, fiddle, bodhrán, shruti box
Joe McHugh, uilleann pipes, tin whistle, low whistle
Juan José Manzano, guitar
Paahto Cummins - banjo, mandolin, tin whistle

This special anniversary concert celebrates Antoni O’Breskey’s extraordinary half-century in music. A prolific composer and pianist with more than 40 albums to his name, O’Breskey has built a reputation as a true musical nomad—effortlessly uniting traditions. A pioneer of cross-cultural fusion in the late 1970s and early 1980s, he emerged as a fearless explorer, bringing Irish traditional music together with jazz, flamenco, and Arabic influences into a cohesive and distinctive musical language.

Through his long-running Nomadic Piano Project, he has forged creative partnerships with an extraordinary circle of artists, including Ronnie Drew (The Dubliners), Donal Lunny (The Bothy Band), Juan Martin, Steve Cooney, Gabin Dabiré, Antonio Carmona (Ketama), and José Seves (Inti-Illimani), among many others.

This anniversary performance draws from his newly-released three-volume retrospective album 50 Years of Music, mapping the diverse musical landscapes that have shaped his work: from Irish and jazz-rooted explorations, through vibrant Mediterranean, Arabic and flamenco dialogues, to the contemplative spaces of classical minimalism. Each thread is unified by O’Breskey’s unmistakable pianistic voice—lyrical, exploratory, and deeply expressive.

On the night, O'Breskey will perform with his Nomadic Piano Ensemble, featuring rising talents from the contemporary folk and traditional music scene, including his daughter, singer and fiddle player Consuelo Nerea Breschi (VARO, Landless, Rattling Ark), and multi-instrumentalist Paahto Cummins (Skipper’s Alley / Ispíní na hÉireann), alongside long-time collaborators such as piper Joe McHugh and flamenco guitarist Juan José Manzano. The concert also features a special guest appearance by the legendary accordionist Máirtín O’Connor (De Dannan), who has collaborated on many of Antoni’s recordings since the early 1980s.

Join us for an evening that reflects not only a groundbreaking career, but a lifelong dialogue between cultures, traditions, and musical languages.

“Trailblazing… the categories of ‘World Music’ and ‘New Age’ did not exist when Antoni O’ began his musical journey.“ NPR

“He is a man for whom the notion of borders means very little, a genius whose music is without frontiers.” HOT PRESS

“A visionary kind of world music. A maverick pianist, a musical polymath” THE IRISH TIMES

“Well pre-dating Riverdance!” THE IRISH TIMES

“He brings all eras and cultures together in one musical space.” THE IRISH ECHO

“He takes a few prisoners in his search for the sublime." THE IRISH TIMES

Presented by Nomadic Piano Project.