About Maura
Maura Erskine has been much involved with Irish traditional Music both in the United States and Ireland for the last decade. Lately, she has been prolific with her compositions, blending classical and folk music in her music. Maura, normally researches her musical interests in the Ireland’s history for example, the Potato famine and the fated flight of the Earls. Her research to the music of the time is really what gives an enriching experience to anyone who hears her music.
Collaborations
Her music has been in close collaboration of Miles Jones who does the musical arrangements of her compositions. Their partnership inspired another musical venture by creating the foundation of a record company called 'annahaia records'. To the credit of Miles Jones and Maura, they have promoted other outstanding artists like Billy Finnegan and Cecil LaRochelle, by using Annahaia records as a promotion vehicle.
The Fight of the Earls project
Maura's 'Portrait of the Flight of the Earls' is a fine example of musical research of a historical period of the time. The ‘Flight of the Earls’ represents a defining point of Ireland’s history, where Ireland faced its greatest crisis and turmoil. This work was a joint venture with Dr John McCavitt who wrote the historical narrative to the musical project who is the leading authority of the Ireland’s Elizabethan and Jacobin history. The historical perspective of Maura’s Flight of the Earls’ is what makes the album so special in its quality.
The Ring of Gullion and Mourne projects
These are two albums which were created in the nineteen nineties by Maura with the view of composing music about the geographical area of the Mourne mountains. They are fine examples of Maura's thorough research into Irish traditional folklore and history. In the Ring of Mourne album, Maura delves into the poignancy and tragedy of Ireland's potato famine. This album has a historical context to her composition writing, where as the Ring of Gullion Maura takes her musical inspiration with the geographical area of the Cooley mountains circling the majestic mountain of Slieve Gullion. These albums make an interesting contrast to the Flight of the Earls album.
News & Up-date BBC is planning to shoot a three part documentary on the 'Flight of the Earls'. See John McCavitt's site, click for details: www.theflightoftheearls.net
