Lorcán Mac Mathúna (voice), Raphael de Cock (voice, pipes (Swedish, Galician etc), uillean pipes, Tuvan harp, Hardangerfelle, Shrutti), and James Mahon (Uillean pipes; flat set and concert set, flutes, whistles). Northern Lights brings a new program in which Traditional Irish music and Ireland’s oldest singing style, sean nós, is put in contrast to Scandinavian musical traditions and singing styles. In it we use the instruments (uillean pipes, hardanger fiddle, etc) and songs of Norse and Irish cultures to create a discourse between these traditions. It is a blending of Norse and Irish: sagas, stories, soundscapes, cultural flavours and perspectives, through this meeting of their music and songs.

Like the historic relationship between these cultures the traditional music of both sometimes clashes, creating a musical tension and a creative dissonance. Also, in keeping with that relationship, there is noticeable common ground borne of cultural exchange. Northern Lights delves the separate manifestations of the shared themes of these traditions to form a unique and intriguing cultural dialogue.