Two of Australia's most loved female artists – songstress Katie Noonan and classical guitarist Karin Schaupp are to record their first full length album – “Songs of the Southern Skies”. The album explores music close to home and very close to their hearts, featuring some of Australia and New Zealand's best classical, folk, jazz and pop songs - from the Finn Brothers, Cold Chisel, Nick Cave, Icehouse, Bic Runga, Gurrumul, The Easybeats, Vince Jones and Gotye, through to traditional folk songs, a piece by Richard Charlton and a World Premiere composition by Elena Kats-Chernin - written especially for Katie and Karin. The album has been produced by the duo and recorded in Brisbane, with special guest collaborations being added around the country. Special guests on the recording include Iva Davies, Gurrumul, Maori diva Whirimako Black, Sydney Symphony oboist Diana Doherty, young members of Brisbane's Voices of Birralee and The Living End’s Chris Cheney. Each one has stepped outside their usual musical territory to collaborate on this unique project. With new arrangements, the songs are performed with the intimate combination of Noonan's angelic and versatile voice and Schaupp's lyrical and fiery guitar. ‘Katie and I had a HUGE shortlist and it's been very hard to whittle it down to just one programme! We really are spoilt for choice in our own musical backyard’ explains Schaupp. ‘We have spent most of our professional lives in very different musical worlds, but we also share a lot of common ground, an unspoken intuitive understanding of the substance of the music, regardless of its style. Our collaboration allows us both to expand our musical worlds, but it also means we put a new spin on this music, while remaining respectful of its origin’ Schaupp says. A feast for lovers of all styles of music, this collaboration brings together two artists at the top of their game, true masters of their fields – artists who have enjoyed the challenge of stretching their musical boundaries, and have become great friends along the way. Noonan has four ARIA awards and 6 x platinum album sales to her name, whilst Schaupp has been lauded around the world as one of the best classical guitarists of her generation. What began as a chance encounter at a festival seven years ago, resulting in an impromptu performance of a couple of short songs, has now led to a significant ongoing musical partnership. Following the success of their hugely successful national tour last year, the girls will hit the road once again (this time with Karin's newborn in tow!) Katie explains ‘this project brings together my two main musical loves - classical and pop music. As an artist I love blurring the boundaries of genre and hearing musical worlds collide. This project is a wonderful opportunity for Karin and I to do exactly that! Karin is a wonderful, virtuosic and sensitive player and combined with our fantastic arrangers and some of Australia’s leading composers, it is really great to hear these songs we know and love come to life in a new and exciting way!’