I'LL MISS MY ULSTER FRY!' ADMITS CHRISTIAN COMPOSER

CHRISTIAN composer Keith Getty, who is originally from Lisburn, and his wife Kristyn, who is a talented singer/songwriter, will begin a two-year tour of America this Saturday. The couple left Northern Ireland on Wednesday to be guests at the US Presidential Media Dinner and Prayer Dedication Breakfast in Washington DC before embarking on their tour.

Keith said: "During the next two years we will be performing at over 200 events including concert tours and live events for radio as well as appearing in churches and universities.

"Kristyn and myself are really looking forward to travelling throughout America - we have a brilliant and varied experience ahead of us. I will miss the Ulster fry though!

"In the next few months we will be recording in Nashville, visiting Los Angeles, San Diego, Milwaukee and Cleveland. We will also be going on a Mexican Biviera cruise courtesy of a radio station, which has invited Kristyn as a guest. There is lots to look forward to."
Kristyn added: "We are both looking forward to spending time in America and sharing our work with others:

Our songs express the Christian faith in the fullest way we can. We tell stories with our songs - the big picture of what Christians believe.
"The songs are influenced by traditional, classical, folk and pop music." Keith a former pupil of Pond Park Primary and Friends' School Lisburn began composing his modern hymns five years ago while still pursuing his career in the music industry.

During his twenties he received hundreds of commissions as a composer and producer, working in recording, concerts, theatre, television and film music.

Artists he has worked with include Sir James Galway and Sir Cliff Richard. He also founded the New Irish Arts with whom he conducted many sell-out concerts.

Such has become the popularity of Keith's hymns throughout the world that he is now exclusively committed to writing, performing and developing his works.

Keith's song 'In Christ Alone', was recently voted ninth most popular hymn of all time in BBC's Songs of Praise Poll.

Kristyn's singing talents have led to her performing gospel music as well as diversifying into the worlds of jazz and Celtic music.

Having already toured America, she has also performed in England, Scotland, Germany, France, Switzerland and Kenya and has appeared regularly on television. Kristyn has also co-written over 70 songs with Keith.

The Getty's, who married in 2004, spent last year living in the Swiss Alps and during the autumn performed a 40 date coast-to-coast tour of the US, where they spoke and performed at Harvard University before travelling across 15 states.

For their last appearance in Ulster before the tour, the couple appeared last Sunday alongside Clannad's Moya Brennan in a sell out event at Belfast's Waterfront Hall.