Part of the Small World Music Festival

Estonian fiddler and singer Maarja Nuut is fascinated by the tunes of old village musicians, traditional dance tunes, songs and stories. She takes these elements and creates something exquisitely unique and contemporary using live electronics. Her approach is gentle, subtle and sensitive, yet she exudes a quiet confidence as she gradually builds up a shimmering sonic poem from a single violin motif, deftly looping it and adding harmonic layers with voices and violin improvisations.

' ... a striking solo violinist rooted in local folk but taking it closer to the psychedelic. A transfixing performance.' (Mojo / The Arts Desk)



Maarja says: "In my music, I am looking for peace, but not in the lazy inactive sense. It's a lively relaxed state which gives rise to music and makes you want to prolong being in the moment and concentrate, which alters the way I see, hear and perceive. It is always now and old tunes are as fresh as improvisations which were born a second ago”. In the spring of 2013, Maarja released her debut album “Soolo” which has received a lot of attention and acknowledgement around the world and was chosen as one of the favourites of the 2014 WOMEX showcases

'Nuut may still be in her twenties but she’s already sufficiently immersed in traditional village music to confidently use it as a basis for very individual experimentation, live looping in an extraordinary fashion.' (fRoots Magazine)