Liam Byrne

Liam Byrne divides his time between making very old and very new music on the viol. He has been praised in The Times for his “nuanced and expressive, stylish virtuosity” and by The Guardian for his “glittering performance”. With the firm belief that baroque music can be vibrant and expressive on its own terms, Liam’s solo work regularly explores lesser known corners of 16th and 17th century repertoire. This same interpretative curiosity has led him to work increasingly with living composers, and he has had new solo works written for him by Edmund Finnis, Nico Muhly, Valgeir Sigurðsson and others.

As a chamber musician, Liam has performed and recorded with many leading Early Music ensembles. For several years he was a member of the renowned viol consort Fretwork, with whom he toured internationally and played an active role in commissioning new works. Other chamber music activities include performances and recordings with the Dunedin Consort, The Sixteen, Le Concert d’Astrée, i Fagiolini, Concerto Caledonia, and the viol consorts Phantasm and Concordia, among many others.

Beyond the realm of classical music, Liam has worked with a wide variety of artists including Damon Albarn, Nils Frahm, Matthew Herbert, Valgeir Sigurðsson, Shara Worden (My Brightest Diamond), Mara Carlyle and Mugison. He has played a significant musical role in the creation of several works of operatic proportions: Damon Albarn’s Dr Dee (2011), Shara Worden’s You Us We All (2013), and Valgeir Sigurðsson’s Wide Slumber (2014).

In the summer of 2015, Liam held a 6-month Artist Residency at the Victoria & Albert museum in London, being the first musician ever to hold this post. His work focussed on the role and presence of the listener in the performance of baroque music, commissioning new works for old instruments, and experimental instrument construction. Liam is professor of viola da gamba at London’s Guildhall School of Music and Drama.