My name is Seán Morgan-Rooney. I’m from Northern Ireland, and I was born in November 1993. I started taking piano lessons when I was 5 years old.
Since June 2024, I’ve been playing a beautiful 1975 Bösendorfer from Vienna, and it’s a joy to play it every day.
I came to the Netherlands in 2016 to study at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam, and since then I have been based here as a freelance musician.
It is an enormous privilege for anyone to be able to borrow a grand piano for personal use, but the donor of my instrument has provided me with what I consider a particularly beautiful instrument, along with the funds to make it sound its best—a gift that has not gone to waste with me. Every day I discover new things with my Bösendorfer; its nuanced sonic palette allows me to expand the sonic world of my interpretations and provides me with the best conditions to prepare for the concert stage.
Whether I’m playing contemporary or traditional repertoire, or even composing my own music, I feel that this Bösendorfer has the power and versatility to collaborate with me across many different musical styles —I just wish it weren’t so heavy, so I could pick it up and take it with me to my concerts.
Although the life of a freelance musician isn’t always easy, I consider myself incredibly lucky that the Musical Instrument Fund has granted me this wonderful instrument as my companion. I hope there are many more fruitful and inspiring years ahead for us to make music together.
