Brian O'Kane

Irish Cellist Brian O'Kane enjoys a busy career as both soloist and chamber musician. Since winning first prize at the Windsor International String Competition in 2008, he has made his debuts with the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, the Philharmonia Orchestra under Ashkenazy and in recital at the Wigmore Hall. Brian is a former 'Rising Star' of Ireland's National Concert Hall and has performed at Seoul's Performing Arts Centre and with a cello ensemble at the BBC Proms.

Brian enjoys playing chamber music as a member of the Cappa Ensemble and the Navarra Quartet. He has collaborated with a wide variety of artists such as Michael Collins, Aleksandar Madzar, Anthony Marwood, Pekka Kuusisto, Lawrence Power, Antoine Tamest and Sir James Galway. Bria has also performed at concert halls and festivals throughout the world such as Sydney Opera House, Suntory Hall Tokyo, Concertgebouw Amsterdam, West Cork, Radio France-Montpellier, Lockenhaus and the Weesp Chamber Music Festival, Holland, where his quartet are the artistic directors.

A graduate of both the Royal Academy of Music and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, Brian's biggest influences have come from Louise Hopis and at Prussia Cove, Aldeburgh and Chamber Studio from studies with Ralph Kirshbaum, Steven Isserlis, Ferenc Rados and Eberhart Feltz. Brian plays a Rugieri cello made in Cremona c. 1690.