Moya Brennan and Cormac de Barra will soon be releasing a second album in their ongoing duo collaboration. The first one came out in 2011, coinciding with the establishment of their annual Voices & Harps workshop in Gaoth Dobhair, Co Donegal. 

This album, titled Affinity, consists of twelve tracks, including new compositions by Brennan and de Barra (‘Worlds Collide’, ‘Stóirín Rua’, ‘Suas Síos’, and ‘When the Morning Breaks’), one by Brennan alone (‘I Feel You Breathe’); a cover of Christopher Cross’s ‘Sailing’; and the traditional pieces ‘Ardaigh Cuan’, ‘Crúiscín Lán’, ‘The Lass of Aughrim’, ‘Captain O’Kane’, ‘Seoithín Seó’.

Guest musicians include Aisling Jarvis (guitar, bouzouki, uilleann pipes, keyboards, percussion and vocals), Éamonn de Barra (flute, whistles and bodhrán), Graham Henderson (keyboards, accordion), Sinéad Madden (fiddle), Máire Breatnach (viola, fiddle, string arrangements), Una Ní Chanainn (cello), Barry Carroll (electric guitar), John Reynolds (drums, programming), Justin Adams (guitar), Clare Kenny (bass guitar), Paul Jarvis (backing vocals), and Cathleen Hall (backing vocals).

Their next concert is set for 18 June at the Unitarian Church on St Stephen’s Green, Dublin for the Steeple Sessions series. This year’s Voices & Harps workshop runs from 21 – 23 June. As well as this collaboration and their solo work, you can also look out for Brennan as part of T with the Maggies, and for de Barra in his family’s group Barcó.

voicesandharps.com.