Catrin Finch and Seckou Keita (Cymru/ Senegal): Echo

The occasion is marked by the duo’s release of their third album ECHO in May 2022, the tender triumph of an extraordinary partnership, described as “one of the most popular world music acts of this decade” (Songlines), that has thrilled audiences in their thousands.

Catrin plays the harp, and Seckou the West African kora, two instruments sharing an ancient history of storytelling and courtly entertainment passed down through generations. Inspired by their own connections and roots, Catrin and Seckou create something entirely their own, presenting a unique dialogue of cultures and a musical alliance of rare empathy.

Their previous two albums, Clychau Dibon (2013) and SOAR (2018), have won multiple awards and Catrin and Seckou were named Best Duo/Band at the most recent BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. Their atmospheric magic crosses genre boundaries, from folk and world to classical and contemporary as their fingers flow like opposing tributaries into a single river of sound.