Nicholas McCarthy

Nicholas McCarthy was born in 1989 without his right hand and has gone on to achieve international acclaim as a pianist through talent, determination and a pioneering spirit. He defied expectations to pursue his passion for the piano, culminating in his graduation from the Royal College of Music in 2012 – the first one-handed pianist to graduate in the institution’s 130-year history. In recognition of his achievements, he was awarded Honorary Membership of the Royal College of Music in 2018.

As one of the few professional classical artists with a disability, he is a passionate advocate for the often overlooked left-hand-alone repertoire – a body of work that emerged in the 19th century and expanded significantly following the First World War, when many injured soldiers continued their musical careers through left-hand compositions.

A defining moment in his career came with his performance at the Closing Ceremony of the London 2012 Paralympic Games, where he appeared with the British Paraorchestra and Coldplay, playing live to a global audience of over 500 million. Since then, he has performed extensively worldwide, both in recital and with major orchestras.

Away from the concert stage he is a sought-after motivational speaker, regularly delivering keynote talks for leading global organisations and institutions.

In collaboration with the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music, he launched the world’s first graded syllabus for one-handed pianists in 2024.

Last season Nicholas McCarthy made debuts with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Bournemouth and London Symphony orchestras, as well as giving his debut recital at the Vienna Konzerthaus. Last summer he made his BBC Proms debut at the Royal Albert Hall, performing Ravel’s Left Hand Concerto with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and Mark Wigglesworth.

This season’s highlights include performances with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, his South Korean concerto debut and recital debuts at the Berlin Konzerthaus and The Glasshouse as well as concerto debuts with Aurora Orchestra and the Slovak State Philharmonic.

Piano

Ganwyd Nicholas McCarthy yn 1989 heb ei law dde ac mae wedi mynd ymlaen i ennill clod rhyngwladol fel pianydd trwy dalent, penderfyniad ac ysbryd beiddgar. Heriodd ddisgwyliadau i ddilyn ei gariad at y piano, nes graddio o’r Coleg Cerdd Brenhinol yn 2012 – y pianydd un llaw cyntaf i raddio yn hanes 130 mlynedd y sefydliad. I gydnabod ei gamp, dyfarnwyd Aelodaeth er Anrhydedd iddo o’r Coleg Cerdd Brenhinol yn 2018.

Yn un o’r ychydig artistiaid clasurol proffesiynol ag anabledd, mae’n eiriolwr brwd dros y repertoire i law chwith yn unig, sy’n aml yn cael ei anwybyddu. Dyma gorff o waith a ddaeth i’r amlwg yn y 19eg ganrif ac a ehangodd yn sylweddol ar ôl y Rhyfel Byd Cyntaf, pan aeth llawer o filwyr clwyfedig ati i barhau â’u gyrfaoedd cerddorol trwy gyfansoddiadau llaw chwith.

Daeth eiliad ddiffiniol yn ei yrfa gyda’i berfformiad yn Seremoni Gloi Gemau Paralympaidd Llundain 2012, lle ymddangosodd gyda Pharagerddorfa Prydain a Coldplay, gan chwarae’n fyw i gynulleidfa fyd-eang o dros 500 miliwn. Ers hynny, mae wedi perfformio’n helaeth ledled y byd, mewn cyngherddau datganiad a hefyd gyda cherddorfeydd mawr.

Oddi ar y llwyfan cyngerdd mae galw mawr amdano fel siaradwr anogol, ac mae’n un o’r prif siaradwyr yn aml i sefydliadau a chyrff blaenllaw dros y byd i gyd.

Ar y cyd â Bwrdd Cysylltiedig yr Ysgolion Cerdd Brenhinol (ABRSM), lansiodd faes llafur graddedig cyntaf y byd ar gyfer pianyddion un llaw yn 2024.

Y tymor diwethaf gwnaeth Nicholas McCarthy ei ymddangosiad cyntaf gyda’r Gerddorfa Ffilharmonig Frenhinol a cherddorfeydd Symffoni Bournemouth a Llundain, yn ogystal â rhoi ei ddatganiad cyntaf yn Konzerthaus Fienna. Yr haf diwethaf chwaraeodd am y tro cyntaf yn y BBC Proms yn y Royal Albert Hall, gan berfformio Concerto Llaw Chwith Ravel gyda Cherddorfa Symffoni Bournemouth a Mark Wigglesworth.

Ymhlith uchafbwyntiau’r tymor hwn mae perfformiadau gyda Cherddorfa Symffoni Melbourne, ei berfformiad concerto cyntaf yn Ne Corea a’i ddatganiadau cyntaf yn y Berlin Konzerthaus a’r Glasshouse yn ogystal â choncertos cyntaf gyda Cherddorfa Aurora a Cherddorfa Ffilharmonig Slofacia.