Mari Kalkun is a musician, singer and a composer relying on her Southern Estonian roots. The songs are largely her own compositions, inspired by nature, Estonian poetry and folk music. Many of the lyrics are written around 1920s – 60s by local poets carrying the feeling of rural life, the forests, the landscape. The flowing sound of Estonian language and its dialects create a meditative atmosphere in her music intertwined with the traditional singing –regilaul - and folkore. For making music and accompaning herself she uses kannel, piano, accordion, guitar but sometimes also pipes, whistles, melodica.
Her first solo album named “Üü tulõk” (“Arrival of the Night”, record label Õunaviks, 2007) gained remarkable recognition among Estonian music audience and critics. Since then concerts have brought her to France, Hungary, England, Scotland, Germany, Finland, Russia, Armenia and Japan. “Vihmakõnõ” (“Dear Rain”, Õunaviks 2010) is her second album, dedicated to grandparents. Being personal and keeping connection with the roots “Dear Rain” continues what was started with the first album but moves closer towards minimalism and experimenting with sound/sounds. The album is recorded at various locations in home environments. Mari Kalkun has got a master degree in traditional singing from Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre. Part of the study time she spent in exchange in Sibelius Academy in Helsinki, Finland. She received Estonian Ethno Music Award 2013 as the Best Singer.
Links:
marikalkun.com
facebook.com/MariKalkunMusic
soundcloud.com/marikalkun
from
FatCat + Õunaviks present: TMW 2015,
released March 10, 2015
Music and arrangement by Mari Kalkun, lyrics by Marie Heinberg (from the compilation “Songs of a Troubled Child“, 1906)