vocals · fiddle · diatonic accordion
Gudrun Walther
Gudrun was brought up in a dynasty of fiddlers with Irish, German and French folk music and started to play traditional music on the fiddle at the age of six.
Singing is something that she has been doing all her life.
Gudrun is one of Germany’s most sought-after and well-respected trad musicians. She also plays German traditional music together with Jürgen Treyz in the band Deitsch, earning them a big reputation in their home country. As a duo, herself and Jürgen love collaborating in projects with musicians from all over Europe – currently with Swedish duo VÄSEN, with NARAGONIA from Belgium and with Nuala Kennedy, Kirstine Elise Pedersen, Albin Paulus and Andy Cutting as part of the “plus one” project.
Gudrun won numerous awards with her music and recordings (German Folk Award, German Critics Award), guested on genre crossing albums (El Houssaine Kili, Söhne Mannheims) and performed as a soloist with orchestra (Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland-Pfalz, Le Concert Spirituel, Thüringer Sinfoniker).
Her original songs and tunes are an integral part of Cara and some have been covered and recorded by folk bands in the USA and UK.
In 2016, she was asked to guest with world-renowned Irish band, Téada, filling in for Sligo fiddle master Oisín MacDiarmada. In 2022 she released “High Doh”, a trio album with Damian McKee (Beoga) and Aaron Jones (Old Blind Dogs) and started to tour in her new duo with world renowned button accordionist, Andy Cutting from England. Their album, “Conversations”, won the acclaimed German Record Critics’ Award in February 2024 and was awarded 5 out of 5 stars by Songlines (UK), Concerto (A), Folk London Magazine (UK) and Folk Wales (UK), among others. In 2024 she initiated Germany’s Youth Folk Orchestra.
"one of the finest musicians on the European trad scene."
Songlines (UK)"… blazing, beacon-like fiddling with exemplary command of phrasing"
The Living Tradition (UK)"Her energy and stage presence was a joy to watch and she led the band through a set of tunes and songs that were just fantastic. It was a truly magic set. The festival stars of this year."
Ceol Cholasa, Colonsay Folk Festival (UK)