European Folk Day – September the 23rd
Award-winning duo Gudrun Walther and Andy Cutting brings two truly exceptional musicians together.
Both are among the best-known musicians in their genre in their home countries and have received multiple awards such as the BBC Folk Award and the Irish Music Award. Their debut album Conversations won the German Record Critics’ Awards (I/2024).
Their interaction is characterized by empathy and spontaneity. Their line-up of diatonic accordion, violin and vocals is minimalistic, but they achieve maximum intensity.
They forego the security of fixed arrangements and rehearsed parts. Everything is direct, live, spontaneous and in the moment.
Their music is like a conversation, an exchange of thoughts or feelings – which is how the title of the album, which received rave reviews all over Europe, came about. In order to be able to interact with one another so freely, the musicians must have absolute mastery of their instruments, but virtuosity is never the focus here. It is more like a magical immersion into the wonderland of sound, with the musicians leading the way with somnambulistic security, inviting the audience to follow them on this journey.
“Two towering musicians at their best.” Folk London (UK), *****5stars
“Gudrun and Andy have the enviable and quite magical knack of absolutely spellbinding the transfixed audience, which has them wanting more of their amazing music.”
Folk Wales (UK), *****5stars
“Ein berührendes, inspirierendes Folk-Album” Concerto (A) *****5stars
“This all fits together so beautifully that you can’t help but listen to these fifty minutes again and again with complete pleasure.” Roots Time (B)
“As one can expect from musicians of this class, ‘Conversations’ is a masterful album across the board.” FOLK Magazine (B)
“An album of spontaneity and joie de vivre.” 5 Planètes (F)
“Conversations is a dream come true (…) as one can expect from musicians of this class, (it) is a masterful album all across the board. Gudrun sings the stars from heaven here.”
Heaven Magazine (NL)