About Peter Tierney
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Peter Tierney is an Irish musical theatre writer, composer and lyricist whose work focuses on large-scale musical dramas built on stories with emotional depth and compelling characters. His music seeks to realise the full dramatic potential of each work.
Creative Approach
Peter came to musical theatre later than many writers, but quickly recognised how naturally it brought together the different strands of work he had pursued over the years. Composition, storytelling, arranging, orchestration, lyric writing and dramatic thinking all demand different skills, and musical theatre gave him a place where these elements could come together. Over time, he realised this was the artistic path he had been preparing for.
Peter believes that music has the power to transform the way audiences experience a great story. For him, when story and music are united at the highest level, musical theatre can create an experience unlike any other artistic form.
His starting point is always the story. Whether working from an existing work or creating something original, he is drawn to stories with emotional depth, compelling characters and the dramatic possibilities to sustain a musical.
When developing a work, Peter begins with the dramatic moment: the character, the situation and the emotional reality of what is happening. From there, the music and drama evolve together, each element serving the character and the story.
Current Work
Peter’s debut full-length musical is Great Expectations: The Making of a Gentleman, inspired by Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations.
A table read and staged reading were completed in 2026 as part of the musical’s development. Alongside its continued development, Peter has begun work on his second original stage musical.
Background
Peter holds a First Class Honours Master’s in Liturgical Music from Maynooth University and a First Class Honours degree in Music from Dublin City University, alongside Grade 8 Piano (Distinction, RIAM). His compositional background includes extended vocal and choral works, text-setting, thematic development and the creation of a full SATB Mass with organ.
His professional experience spans musical direction, studio production and extensive live performance across Ireland and the UK. A multi-instrumentalist with piano at the core, he is also proficient in score preparation and audio production. He has appeared in venues including Whelan’s, The Grand Social, The Workman’s Club, the Spiegel Tent in Wexford and the National Opera House. His original songs have received national radio airplay, and his work has been recognised in the UK Songwriting Contest.
In the Room
Early table read for The Making of a Gentleman.
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