The Breath with Pedair

The Breath is Manchester-based guitarist Stuart McCallum and singer/flautist Ríoghnach Connolly. They met on the city’s gig circuit in the late noughties. An unlikely pairing though it was, he an acclaimed guitar whiz, ex long-time member of The Cinematic Orchestra and a softly spoken Manchester urbanite, she a folk singer with a larger-than-life personality and a powerful voice to match. Their connection was immediate; they formed The Breath in 2016, a singer-songwriter duo to present their contemporary take on alt-folk. During the pandemic of 2020/2021, The Breath returned to the studio to record a set of songs in remembrance of American lost folk icon, Karen Dalton. In the spring of 2021, they released a two-track single, ‘Something On Your Mind’ and original song, ‘Remembering Mountains’. They release their third studio album on Real World Records in 2023.

Pedair draws on the talents of four of Wales’ most prominent folk artists: Gwenan Gibbard, Gwyneth Glyn, Meinir Gwilym and Siân James. As groundbreaking international artists, they thrive on collaboration and the thrill of live performance. With harps, guitars, piano and percussion, their music has captured the hearts of audiences with their sweeping vocal harmonies, fresh interpretations of the Welsh folk tradition, and intimacy of songwriting. Their first recordings, having emerged during lockdown, gained instant popularity. Having won the Welsh Album of the Year Award 2023 with their much-anticipated debut album, Pedair’s creative synergy is only beginning to reach its full potential.

This event is delivered in partnership with the University of Strathclyde, as part of their Diamond Jubilee programme.  Celebrating the University’s unique contribution to the world since the granting of a Royal Charter in 1964, the Jubilee explores Strathclyde’s innovative approach to education and research and the institution’s impact on society over more than 225 years since its foundation in 1796, as well as looking to the future and the next chapter of the Strathclyde story.