Cuan an Cheoil, a new radio series presented by Liam Ó Maonlaí and produced by the new arts venue Stiúideo Cuan in An Spidéal, starts this evening Thursday 20 January at 7pm on RTÉ RnaG.

Each week, the traditional music series will feature different musician guests who will join Ó Maonlaí to play music and chat about various aspects of music and life.

Ó Maonlaí describes the programme as ‘a musical conversation’. The programmes, recorded in the new arts venue, take an informal approach, allowing the musicians to be creative and improvise.

Síle Denvir and Barry Kerr will be the guests in the first programme. The other musicians taking part are Colm Mac Con Iomaire, Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh and Nia Byrne, Peadar Ó Riada and Mick O’Brien, Mary Bergin and Conor Connolly, Johnny Óg Connolly and Liam O’Connor, Róisín Chambers and Maitiú Ó Casaide, Méabh Ní Bheaglaoich and Niamh Varian-Barry, Rónán Ó Snodaigh and Myles O’Reilly, and Caoimhe and Séamus Ó Flatharta.

A visual stream for the programme will be available online every week.

Stiúideo Cuan opened last November. Founded by Charlie and Éilís Lennon, it is based beside the Ceardlann craft centre in the Gaeltacht village and has recently undergone significant development to transform it from a studio only to a performance venue with a number of spaces including rehearsal and production space with recording and audio-visual post-production facilities. The Artistic Director is Darach Mac Con Iomaire. Among its recent productions are the premiere of An Cosán Draíochta by Johnny Óg Connolly and the short film Ben’s Departure.

To listen to Cuan an Cheoil, visit www.rte.ie/rnag.