Few musicians can make a single instrument sound like a universe unfolding, but Irish fiddler Martin Hayes has been doing just that for decades. This February 2026, Hayes brings his unmistakable touch and vision back to Australian stages, joined by acclaimed guitarist and composer Kyle Sanna.
Hayes is revered not only for his dazzling technical command but also for the way he places soul and feeling above flash. As the Irish Times once declared, “In the decades to come, we’ll surely talk of having seen this man in the way others talk of Miles Davis or Jimi Hendrix or John Coltrane.” It’s a lofty comparison, but when you hear Hayes draw a note from his fiddle — bending time, stretching emotion, reshaping tradition into something utterly timeless — the truth of it becomes clear.
The Sound of Clare, the Soul of the World
Born in East County Clare, Hayes grew up in a house where music was as essential as air. His father, PJ Hayes, led the legendary Tulla Ceili Band, and his uncle Paddy Canny was a touchstone fiddler in Irish tradition. The Clare style — all lyrical expression and rhythmic lift — is in Martin’s DNA, and while he has since travelled the world and collaborated with everyone from Bill Frisell to Yo-Yo Ma, Hayes has never lost sight of the kitchen-table lessons that shaped him: music must express feeling above all else.
That philosophy still drives his work, whether with his globe-striding projects The Gloaming, The Martin Hayes Quartet, or in the countless collaborations with artists across jazz, classical and folk. He has shared stages with Sting and Paul Simon, recorded with Yo-Yo Ma’s Silk Road Ensemble, and even played the White House for President Obama. Yet no matter the stage, Hayes’ compass points home — the fiddle in his hands translating Irish tradition into a universal language.
Tools of the Trade: Martin’s Violins
Part of Hayes’ magic lies in his relationship with his instruments. He often performs on a 19th-century violin crafted by French maker François Gaillard, an instrument prized for its warmth and depth. For touring, he frequently turns to an Andrea Guarneri copy, a violin that offers both resilience and expressive range. And then there’s the sentimental touchstone: the old family fiddle he first picked up as a boy of seven in his Clare kitchen, learning under his father’s guidance. Each instrument has its voice, but in Hayes’ hands they all become vessels for the same truth — melody as emotion, tradition as revelation.
Hayes & Sanna: An Inspired Pairing
On this Australian tour, Hayes teams up with Kyle Sanna, a guitarist who moves seamlessly between traditional Irish music, jazz improvisation and contemporary composition. The New Yorker once called Sanna “first rate” and “versatile”, and his collaborations with the likes of Yo-Yo Ma and Edgar Meyer testify to his standing in the music world. Together, Hayes and Sanna reimagine ancient melodies as living, breathing conversations — improvised, intimate, and endlessly surprising.
Hayes often says that Irish music, at its heart, is “a direct and simple expression of feeling.” The tunes may be deceptively simple, but in his hands they become transformative. His mission — and the reason audiences from Sydney to San Francisco can’t get enough — is to show how a local musical vernacular can resonate across the globe.
Australia, it’s your turn again. When Martin Hayes walks out with fiddle in hand, prepare for music that feels less like performance and more like revelation.
AUSTRALIAN TOUR FEBRUARY 2026
Presented by Gaynor Crawford and Destroy All Lines
Tickets on sale: Thursday 4 September 9am local time
Wed 18 Perth Festival
Thu 19 Perth Festival
https://www.perthfestival.com.au/
Sat 21 Theatre Royal, Castlemaine
https://tickets.oztix.com.au/outlet/event/43fa7932-67d2-4bdf-83f0-532e8c974630
Tue 24 Recital Centre, Melbourne
https://www.melbournerecital.com.au/whats-on/current-productions/martin-hayes
Wed 25 The Concourse- Chatswood, Sydney
https://aucentury.sales.ticketsearch.com/sales/salesevent/153613
Thu 26 Powerhouse, Brisbane
Martin Hayes tickets | Brisbane Powerhouse | Ticketek Australia
Website: www.martinhayes.com
Instagram: @martinhayesfiddle
Facebook: @martinhayesfiddle
X: @MHayesmusic
And follow Martin on Spotify and Apple Music
