A raft of emerging and established Northern Irish musicians will come together on Friday 22 April at Bennigan’s Bar, Derry~Londonderry to mark the centenary of the birth of renowned violinist Yehudi Menuhin.

The event is being held to raise awareness of Live Music Now, the charity established by Menuhin in 1977 to realise his vision of bringing hope and healing through music while supporting the professional development of young musicians. David Lyttle, Gerard McChrystal and Lorna Henry are just some of the musicians who have come through the Live Music Now scheme.

The showcase is just one of the events in the Northern Ireland-wide Creative Centenaries programme, led by Nerve Centre and funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund.

John Leighton, owner of Bennigan’s and a former musician on the Live Music Now scheme, will host the event. 

He says ‘Live Music Now gave me a fantastic alternative to what I thought were my only career options as a young professional musician. Through the scheme I got to take part in specialist training and mentoring which was vital for my professional confidence. I also got to play for hundreds of people in care homes, day centres, hospices and community centres across Northern Ireland, which was a real privilege and learning experience.

'I’m delighted to host this event to give something back to the charity and also showcase some of our finest musicians with the hope of encouraging the next generation of Live Music Now talent. I would encourage everyone, particularly aspiring musicians, to come along and have a great night out for a great cause.’

The showcase will feature a range of musical styles, from jazz to pop, classical to traditional. Musicians taking part include Louis McTeggart, Voice and Verse, the John Leighton Trio, the Victoria Geelan Trio and Peter McAuley (Rams Pocket Radio).

Niall Kerr, Creative Centenaries Project Co-ordinator at Nerve Centre, said:  'Creative Centenaries aims to shine a light on the work of the creative and cultural sector in commemorating the events of 100 years ago. 

'This fantastic event from Live Music Now is just one of hundreds of engaging and thought-provoking events being produced across Northern Ireland that we are delighted to be partnered with.'

Doors open on Friday 22 April at 9pm with a cover charge of £5. Raffles will be held throughout the evening. All proceeds will go directly to support the work of Live Music Now in Northern Ireland.