Chris Newman & Máire Ní Chathasaigh

Old South Church Concert Series welcomes the award winning, worldly acclaimed duo of Chris Newman (guitarist) and  Maire Ni Chathasaigh(Celtic harp) to Farmington for the first time on Saturday, October 26 at 7pm. Doors will open at 6:30pm. General admission tickets will be $25. Seniors (65+) and students (12 y/o +) $20. Tickets can be purchased online at www.farmingtonucc.org/events, or reserved by calling 207-491-5919. Tickets will be available at the door as space allows.

Since its début on Cambridge Folk Festival's main stage in 1987, the world-renowned partnership of  Chris Newman, “one of the UK’s finest and most influential acoustic guitarists” (fROOTS) with Máire Ní Chathasaigh, “the doyenne of Irish harpers” (* * * * * SCOTLAND ON SUNDAY) has presented its unique musical vision in twenty-four countries on five continents to venues ranging from the tiniest of village halls to palaces in Kyoto and Istanbul, London’s Barbican, Cologne's Philharmonie, and Town Halls from Sydney to Seattle.  Chris and Maire have recorded nine CD’s and given TV and radio performances on five continents. Expect a breathtaking blend of traditional Irish music, hot jazz, bluegrass and baroque, spiced with striking new compositions.

Chris has toured and recorded with many luminaries of the folk and jazz worlds, among them Boys of the Lough, Aly Bain and Stéphane Grappelli. Breaking Bach, and is an award-winning composer and record producer, receiving a silver disc for producing "The Oldest Swinger in Town", a Top 10 hit for comedian Fred Wedlock. Chris's new solo album of his arrangements for steel-strung flat picked guitar of sonatas and partitas written by JS Bach for solo instruments was released in July 2021. Chris is “one of the UK’s greatest musicians” (BBC RADIO 2) and “one of the top guitarists of his ilk in the world” THE LIVING TRADITION. “Dazzling” ACOUSTIC GUITAR (USA) “His playing boggles my mind” FLATPICKING GUITAR MAGAZINE (USA)

Máire Ní Chathasaigh (pronounced Moira Nee Ha-ha-sig), steeped in the traditions of her native Co. Cork, the 2001 recipient of Irish music’s most prestigious award, Traditional Musician of the Year (Gradam Cheoil TG4 - Ceoltóir na Bliana) national recognition of her pioneering work and a multiple All-Ireland winner. As a teenager in the 1970s she invented profoundly influential techniques for performance of “traditional Irish” style of harping that quickly became the norm amongst both her contemporaries and the younger generation of Irish players, thereby spearheading the re-introduction of the harp into the mainstream of the living tradition.  Máire is an absolute legend.” THE IRISH ECHO (USA).  She is considered “the great innovator of modern Irish harping, a player of outstanding technique and imagination” (THE ROUGH GUIDE TO IRISH MUSIC) and one of Ireland’s most important and influential traditional musicians. She was described by the late Derek Bell as “the most interesting and original player of the Irish harp today”.  "Her work restores the harp to its true voice." THE IRISH TIMES   Their performances are a breathtaking blend of traditional Irish music, hot jazz, bluegrass and baroque, spiced with striking new compositions, pieces from Chris’ groundbreaking new solo album 'Breaking Bach' ("Dazzling... utterly breathtaking... a triumph” * * * * * FOLK WALES “A magnificent tour-de-force” THE LIVING TRADITION) - and what THE WEST AUSTRALIAN calls his "delightfully subversive wit”!

USA REVIEWS

“Máire is an absolute legend... a game-changer in the world of harp-music… truly ground-breaking” THE IRISH ECHO (USA) “Blazing guitar and dancing harp” DIRTY LINEN (USA) “This virtuoso guitar/harp duo test the limits of Irish music with touches of calypso, bluegrass and 40s-style swing. Newman’s hot guitar licks and Ní Chathasaigh’s bell-toned harp are delights… ” SING OUT (USA) "Dazzling" ACOUSTIC GUITAR (USA)

REVIEWS FROM THE REST OF THE WORLD

“Music of fire and brilliance from the high-wire act in traditional music” * * * * THE IRISH TIMES (Ireland) “An eclecticism and spirit of adventure that is quite thrilling” THE TIMES (UK) “Dazzling virtuosity” THE DAILY TELEGRAPH (UK) "Sublime" SYDNEY MORNING HERALD (Australia) “In a class of their own” THE GUARDIAN (UK) “Remarquables de virtuosité et de grâce” TRAD Magazine (France) „Erstaunlich“ ("Astonishing") GENERAL-ANZEIGER (Germany) "The mood is ever changing - sometimes haunting, sometimes boisterous but always magical. The pair's imaginations know no bounds" THE BRISBANE COURIER-MAIL (Australia) “Their stagecraft was masterly and their introductions informative and funny” THE CHRISTCHURCH PRESS (New Zealand) “Their blinding technique, sizzling Irish reels and hot jazz improvisation brought an extended standing ovation... Newman has the great gift of being informative and hilarious simultaneously” THE WEST AUSTRALIAN “This celebrated duo took the place by storm. Stately Carolan tunes, jazzy Django-ish numbers, dazzling Doc Watson style flat picking fliers, driving Irish dance tunes - this pair can nonchalantly do the lot. Guitar players applauded and went sadly home to burn their instruments!” THE BELFAST TELEGRAPH (Ireland)

If there is no sponsorship for the professional sound and lights provided by Andy LeBlanc a collection will be taken at the beginning of the second half of the concert.

Website: www.maireandchris.com