Stockists: iTunes, CD Baby, Coda Music, The Scottish Music Centre, An Lanntair& www.alythandtriona.com

Release date: 31^st October 2011

Red& Gold reviews: **** The Irish Times

“a delicious musical adventure” Irish Music Magazine

“a musical match made in Heaven” The Irland Journal, Germany

“From the heartland of Ireland to the shores of the Island of Lewis off the Scottish coast, Tríona Marshall and Ályth McCormack have created a beautiful blend of harp music and song. This brilliant recording encompassing a varied range of the Celtic traditions shows just how closely related our music and songs are and where it’s development and growth can lead. Triona and Alyth came together having toured with The Chieftains over the last few years and have now created a magical duet for all to enjoy” Paddy Moloney – The Chieftains

Ályth McCormack (Vocal)

• well known and respected singer and actress from the Island of Lewis in the Hebrides off Scotland. Ályth has regularly toured with the Chieftains since 2008 and formerly with Shine, SunHoney and Savourna Stevenson.

Tríona Marshall (Harp)

• much regarded Harpist from Portlaoise has been performing with the Chieftains for 9 years. Prior to that she was Principal Harpist with the RTE Concert Orchestra and tours with Canadian/Irish group Tread.

This unique pairing developed during their years spent touring worldwide with The Chieftains and performing at Festivals such as Celtic Connections, Blas, Tonder, Dranouter, Paimpol and the Festival Interceltique de Lorient. Alyth is known for having a voice of ‘great purity and beauty’ is ‘artfully’ complimented by Triona’s ‘sweet’ yet ‘stunning’ harp playing. A blend is guaranteed to move any listener. Their first gig took place at the Gooikoorts Festival in Belgium – a Concert Mass. The Festival incorporates a gig into its Sunday Mass each year and the girls were asked to perform their own songs after each section of the mass. This was not really a concept that either of them were used to playing for but it suited them well – it was a beautiful church and the best turn out the Priest had all year! The reaction led to further gigging and to them heading into the studio with Old Blind Dogs musician and producer Jonny Hardie earlier this year.

The songs for ‘Red& Gold’ range from traditional Gaelic songs to new material written specifically for the duo by renowned song writers such as Brendan Graham and Eleanor McEvoy – songs that reflect their respective traditions and musical education, likes, loves and where they have developed to as artists.