26 August 2018 at 20:00

Jeremiah Martin

Jeremiah Martin is currently a cardiac and thoracic surgeon at Southern Ohio Medical Center in Portsmouth, Ohio, USA. Apart from his full-time medical post, Jeremiah has long had a passion for the arts. Born in 1979 in Galway, he began his musical career at the age of four studying the violin, and commenced piano studies at the age of nine. For many years he was involved in traditional Irish music, winning awards and competitions including all-Ireland champion at the Oireachtas and Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann. He was first introduced to the organ when he won a scholarship to study at the Schola Cantorum at St Finian's College, Mullingar. His musical ability was quickly recognized and he was awarded a scholarship to study piano at the Royal Irish Academy of Music. Eventually undertaking more advanced organ and piano studies, he received instruction from Frances Moore at the Limerick Municipal School of Music. Under her tutelage he won the Sarah Cooper Cup for organ at Dublin's Feis Ceoil in 1995. He then went on to obtain his FTCL at Trinity College London for organ performance, also winning the Fitzgerald Trophy for advanced organ performance at Dublin's Feis Ceoil in the same year. He performed regularly in Ireland and in Europe. In 2000 he performed at the Lublin International Organ Festival in Poland, and in 2001 he was invited back to Poland again to give a series of recitals as part of the Summer International Festival of Organ and Chamber Music. In 2003 during his final year of medical school, Jeremiah transcribed the orchestral score of Rachmaninoff's Third Piano Concerto: its performance as a piano and organ duet with pianist Diamond Tam in Dublin's National Concert Hall was acclaimed.

Since moving to the United States for advanced surgical training and practice, he has continued to keep alive his interest in music. He is an active member of the Lexington AGO, and has served as substitute organist locally. In addition, he continues to give regular recitals, most recently in New Haven, Durham, Portsmouth and Lexington.