A new quartet formed by Martin Hayes will open the 2016 Masters of Tradition festival on Wednesday 17 August.

Featuring Dennis Cahill on guitar, Doug Wieselman on bass clarinet, Liz Knowles on viola and Hayes on fiddle, the quartet has been developed with support from the University of Limerick. Last January, Hayes was announced as the University’s inaugural Irish World Academy Artist, which has a three-year term.

The quartet have already given performances at the University and as part of an RTÉ Radio 1 Arena special on the fiddle-player last January. They play the Kilkenny Arts Festival on Tuesday 9 August.

Masters of Tradition takes place from 17 to 21 August in Bantry and features eighteen artists over seven concerts.

Máire Ní Chéilleachair (song), Colm O’Donnell (flute, tin whistle) and the Open for the Door for Three trio (which also features Liz Knowles) will perform on Thursday evening, followed by John Flanagan (song), Colm Gannon (accordion), Máire Ní Gráda (uilleann pipes) and Conal Ó Gráda (flute) on Friday. Colm Mac Con Iomaire (fiddle) will perform a late-evening concert on Friday also.

On Saturday night, Róisín Elsafty (song) will be joined by Steve Cooney (guitar), followed by the duet of Dermot Byrne (accordion) and Bríd Harper (fiddle). Raga and jazz pianist Utsav Lal (piano, see video below) will give a late-evening performance. The festival concludes on Sunday at 7.30pm with Hayes, Cahill and friends.

For full details, visit http://westcorkmusic.ie/mastersoftradition/