Abstract
We show how q-Virasoro constraints can be derived for a large class of (q, t)-deformed eigenvalue matrix models by an elementary trick of inserting certain q-difference operators under the integral, in complete analogy with full-derivative insertions for $$\beta $$
β
-ensembles. From free field point of view, the models considered have zero momentum of the highest weight, which leads to an extra constraint $$T_{-1} \mathcal {Z} = 0$$
T
-
1
Z
=
0
. We then show how to solve these q-Virasoro constraints recursively and comment on the possible applications for gauge theories, for instance calculation of (supersymmetric) Wilson loop averages in gauge theories on $$D^2 \times S^1$$
D
2
×
S
1
and $$S^3$$
S
3
.