The threads of song are sometimes the only thing that seems to last As if, in their ephemeral nature, they conquer death itself
It is the breath that carries the life force It is the breath that releases it to the world
The song lines belong to the before and the after Beyond a single body, beyond a single mind -
As we exhale through song, the trees breathe it in And in turn, their oxygen sustains the song lines Of another generation, in fact we breath the breath Of our ancestors, in concentric circles of surrender
The Daughter of Orpheus have spilled out of the borders And all around this earth, women sing Bulgarian Folklore
Medena Ensemble, whom I have been leading, and now fold into Have been invited to collaborate in Bulgaria itself, this August
What a great journey to keep the fires burning for !
In celebration of our new song cycle that reaches across the oceans We would love to sing for you on Sunday 8th June, 6pm
If you cannot join us in Auckland for this live vocal event, there are other ways you can support the expedition, like contributing to the give a little fundraiser, that our voices take flight ...
DAUGHTERS OF ORPHEUS Sunday 8th June, 6pm Ellen Melville Centre, Auckland
Aotearoa’s premier Bulgarian Folklore Vocal Ensemble, lead by Tui Mamaki, present their new collection of exquisite acapella offerings - carrying song threads from afar, with a longstanding passion for, and dedication to, the craft.
“The Daughters of Orpheus” is a vibrant feminine tapestry of traditional Bulgarian song, where classic choral arrangements rub shoulders with obscure rural treasures, at times arranged for improvisation. This song cycle is specially prepared for Medena Ensemble’s upcoming collaboration with the long standing New York based Bulgarian folk choir, Yasna Voices, at the renowned Koprivshtitsa Festival, in Bulgaria this August.
Orpheus was said to make music so beautiful that stones would roll, and trees would uproot, to be able to follow him and listen... All the women who carry folklore song threads in Bulgaria are deemed to be “The Daughters of Orpheus”.
During their time in Bulgaria, the singers will also engage in some specialised vocal study with masters in the music including, the Bistrishkite Babi, Iliyana Naydenova, Svetla Stanilova, Hadjievi Sestri, Neli Andreeva, Radka Aleksova, Gergana Dimitrova and more.
TUi MAMAKi 