LLANON-BORN harpist Catrin Finch and fellow musician Seckou Keita have raised £2,000 for the Dyfi Osprey Project and the Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust.

Catrin and Senegalese kora player Seckou Keita have raised the money through tickets sold for an intimate concert (which holds only 45 people) in the Observatory at the Dyfi Osprey Centre.

The duo, whose new album SOAR is officially released on the bendigedig label at the observatory on Friday, pledged to give all the money for the concert, and it sold out almost as soon as tickets were released.

SOAR, which is the duo’s first release since their award-winning debut album Clychau Dibon launched in 2013, explores themes of migration, and journeys – both emotional and physical, and continues the duo’s intrepid exploration and celebration of the parallels and differences between their two instruments and cultures.

Catrin said: “The Dyfi ospreys have played a major part in the theme in our new album. We recognised this amazing parallel between our two nations – as we were busy musically exploring our different cultures, there was this incredible natural connection busy re-establishing itself at the same time.

“We discovered on talking to Emyr Evans at Dyfi Osprey Project that Clarach, the first Dyfi osprey to be recorded back after migration, was born just as we were recording our first album back in 2013 – so we decided to name the first track on the album after her.”

As well as the album release, the pair will also tour in April and May, starting with Machynlleth’s Y Tabernacl on today and Cardigan’s Theatr Mwldan on 2 May.

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