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Described as a “tour-de-force of artistic multi-tasking” (Richard M. Long, Soundboard Magazine), guitarist and performer Lynn McGrath has built an international career spanning four continents through her unique synthesis of expressive musicianship, Spanish literature, and theatrical storytelling. Her celebrated solo performance of Platero y yo—featuring the poetry of Nobel laureate Juan Ramón Jiménez set to music by Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco—showcases McGrath in the dual roles of guitarist and narrator, captivating audiences worldwide.
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Her latest solo project continues her mission of artistic exploration, presenting a curated collection of works by historically underrepresented composers—including Luisa María Anido, Ida Presti, Louise Walker, and Liu Zhuang—paired with music written in tribute to these and other pioneering women of the 20th and 21st centuries, with pieces by Sergio Assad, Leo Brouwer, Francis Poulenc, and Guido Santórsola.
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As a member of the acclaimed Tantalus Guitar Quartet and former member of the Rio Grande Guitar Quartet and Trio Presti, McGrath has toured extensively across the United States, presented masterclasses, and premiered and recorded new works. Her orchestral and collaborative credits include performances with the Orchestra of Northern New York, Quintessence Choral Ensemble, the Santa Fe Opera (Don Pasquale), the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra (Mahler), the Skaneateles Festival Orchestra with Mark O’Connor, and numerous distinguished artists such as Anthony Dean Griffey.
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An advocate for education and community engagement, McGrath has performed as a soloist throughout New Zealand, Peru, Mexico, Canada, the U.K., and the U.S., and has conducted youth and community guitar ensembles at festivals and events nationwide. She has served as an adjudicator for major national and international competitions including the James Stroud Youth Competition (U.S.), Nikšić Festival (Montenegro), Silesian Guitar Autumn Festival (Poland), and the Marlow Guitar Competition (U.S.).
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For over a decade, McGrath served as Artistic Director of the Guitar Foundation of America’s Youth Competitions, directing the prestigious International Concert Artist Competition Winner’s Tour for seven of those years. She also founded a musical management firm representing the renowned Italian guitar duo SoloDuo in North America for 12 years.
A dedicated teacher and mentor, McGrath holds degrees in Spanish Language and Literature and Education, a BM in Guitar Performance (Crane School of Music, SUNY Potsdam), and both MM and DMA degrees from the University of Southern California. Her teachers have included Douglas Rubio, James Smith, William Kanengiser, and Pepe Romero. Her students have gone on to attend leading conservatories and universities, earn top prizes in national and international competitions, and perform on NPR’s From the Top.
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McGrath has held positions at preparatory programs, high schools, and colleges and universities in NM, NY, and OK with a 5 year stint as a full time instructor at the Crane School of Music, SUNY Potsdam. Since 2017, McGrath has served as Senior Instructor of Guitar at the Eastman Community Music School (Eastman School of Music, University of Rochester), where she leads a thriving studio of young children, pre-collegiate musicians, and adults and directs multiple ensembles and guitar intensive summer events, continuing her lifelong commitment to sharing music through performance and the highest level of instruction with guitar aficionados of all ages.