Eliza McCarthy

Eliza McCarthy is a London-based pianist celebrated for her bold performances of new and experimental music. She appears in concert halls, art galleries, theatres, living rooms and car parks across the UK, Europe and US as a soloist and band member.

McCarthy is passionate about developing close creative relationships with composers she has had the pleasure of working with –  commissioning, premiering and recording music by many including John Adams, Thomas Adès, George Crumb, Tansy Davies, Donnacha Dennehy, Kit Downes, Jonny Greenwood (Radiohead), Cassandra Miller, Nico Muhly, Laurie Spiegel and Bekah Simms. She regularly collaborates with Mica Levi (Under the Skin, Jackie) and in June 2024 Eliza premiered their solo piano work The Bag at LSO St Luke’s in London. Their album Slow Dark Green Murky Waterfall was released in 2018 on Slip.

Recent highlights include performing Donnacha Dennehy’s piano concerto Limina with the LA Phil New Music Group conducted by John Adams, the London premiere of Philip Glass’s North Star at the Royal Festival Hall, Jonny Greenwood’s eight-hour organ work X Years of Reverb at Big Ears Festival, Knoxville and a collaboration with Nan Goldin and Soundwalk Collective on her film Memory Lost. Her discography spans releases on NMC, Milan Records, Slip, Diatribe Records, Foom, WW Records and Clay Pipe Music, with her latest album Years Went By (with Laurie Tompkins) released on Entr’acte in 2022.

As an ensemble member she can be heard performing with James McVinnie Ensemble, the LSO and Ireland’s leading new music group Crash Ensemble. Alongside her performing career, Eliza is professor of piano at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama and Goldsmiths. She also teaches mindfulness-based approaches supporting musicians in engaging with fear, anxiety and depression.