A BRITISH folk duo will be performing in Maldon this weekend.

Company macTheatre presents duo Katrina Gilmore and Jamie Roberts will be playing at the newly refurbished Long Room of the historic Blue Boar Hotel on Saturday.

The duo, going by the name Gilmore and Roberts are no strangers to the medieval setting, having played at the venue three times before.

Nominated three times at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, Katrina, who plays the fiddle and mandolin, and Jamie on guitar, met while studying at Leeds College of Music.

Since then, they have toured Canada and mainland Europe, played some of the UK’s biggest acoustic festivals, toured with folk rock legends Fairport Convention and won countless accolades for their genre-spanning work.

Katrina grew up in Knebworth, Hertfordshire, learned violin at school and started playing local folk clubs with her guitarist father at the age of 14. She joined folk pop sensations Tiny Tin Lady in 2006, and in 2011 was invited to be part of a new lineup of The Albion Band. She has featured on many acclaimed albums as a session musician and has appeared onstage with such diverse acts as The Troggs, Kim Richey and Matt Berry.

Jamie was brought up in Barnsley, South Yorkshire in a musical family – his sister Kathryn Roberts is a well-respected singer on the UK folk scene. Jamie joined young English traditionalists Kerfuffle in 2007 and more recently formed The Dovetail Trio with Rosie Hood and Matt Quinn. Alongside his regular projects, he has performed with Nancy Kerr’s Sweet Visitor Band and Blackbeard’s Tea Party amongst others.

Together they make an impressive sound with outstanding musicianship and award-winning song writing.

Nicola Esson, of macTheatre, said: “Gilmore & Roberts are a hidden gem. I can’t think of anyone similar.”

The concert begins at 8pm on Saturday. Tickets cost £12.50. Call 01621 856503.