‘The Power of Music’ series presents singer-songwriter Maeve Gilchrist and her Trio

Maeve Gilchrist first performed on Kaua‘i to sold-out audiences last spring and summer. Once again, she’ll be accompanied by The Maeve Gilchrist Trio, which consists of Gilchrist on vocals and Celtic harp, and Argentinean musicians Andres Rotmistrovsky on bass, and Marcelo Woloski on percussion. Despite their huge differences in geography — Gilchrist is from Scotland, Rotmistrovsky and Woloski from Buenos Aires — the three performers share a devotion to lyrical passion, powerful rhythms, and high-caliber musicianship.

The Trio’s music is a fascinating fusion, which combines their Scottish and Argentinean folk roots with jazz and improvisation. They play a mix of Maeve’s original compositions, plus newly thought-out traditional material, in which her haunting vocals and dazzling harp playing, augmented by Andres’ melodic bass lines and Marcelo’s hypnotic percussion textures, produce an eclectic, exciting multicultural sound unlike anything else on the world music scene.

Born in Scotland, Gilchrist began playing piano at seven, and soon afterward picked up the “clarsach,” or Celtic harp. At 10, she enrolled in the City of Edinburgh School of Music, focusing on classical piano and Celtic folk music. By the time she was ready to graduate, she was an in-demand performer on the traditional music scene in Scotland. The early success earned her a full scholarship to Berklee College of Music in Boston. Although Gilchrist currently performs and records full-time on the East Coast, she would prefer to be living on Kaua‘i. “This is the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen,” Gilchrist said on her first trip here last March. About her sold-out concerts, she added, “And everyone on Kaua‘i is so friendly. I’ve never played for a more appreciative audience.”

The concert also celebrates the recent release of her debut CD, “Reaching Me,” recorded here on Kaua‘i at Steelgrass. Copies of the CD will be available for purchase at the concert.