An experimental folk band which blends traditional Irish music with electronic sounds will represent Northern Ireland at a global music industry event in Manchester. The Coras Trio will play the Horizons Stage at WOMEX 24. The event, which takes place for three nights from October 24, brings together 2,600 delegates from 90 countries and features more than 50 live acts.
The Horizons Stage in the Albert Hall provides UK and Irish artists with an opportunity to gain international recognition and to meet leading industry professionals and secure touring opportunities. Conor McAuley, drummer with the Belfast-based Coras Trio, said their music draws inspiration from Irish traditional sounds but leans heavily on improvisation with some “ DIY electronics” thrown in. He said: “Myself, Kevin (McCullagh, fiddle) and Paddy (McKeown, guitar), through the process of playing together and investigating tunes, have developed these ways of approaching the tradition from an improvisational perspective.
“We do have loose structures that we might adhere to, but you might not. “It can be exhausting because every single gig that you do is completely different. You are not tied to anything.
“It forces us to find new ways to listen and new ways to play together. “We get the best music when we listen to each other.” He added: “From our early beginnings we weren’t sure how people would react to the way that we sound, but because there is so much in that (folk) tradition, even thoug.