Serendipitous meeting by STUBA, SKAIDRA JANČAITĖ & KJELL BRAATEN

In May 2022, Stuba, Skaidra Jančaitė, Zivile Muraskiene, and Kjell Braaten met in the Lithuanian community house at Hommersåk, Stavanger, Norway, to hold a workshop on Sutartines (Read about Sutartines below). The workshop ended with a concert in the old Hommersåk church and Åsane Kulturhus, Bergen.

At the end of the project, having a few extra hours to spare, the meeting continued at Kjell’s place on Osterøy Island. Kjell set up the various microphones he had available in his living room, and they recorded a few songs.

The resulting recording became the EP “Serendipitous Meeting.” Zivile Muraskiene painted the covers for the singles and the EP.

About the artists

Stuba (The House or Home)

Ten years ago, a group of local women created a space to promote creativity and run creative initiatives in their local community. One of Stuba’s aims is to bring singing back into daily life as a process, which is why they chose the UNESCO-listed polyphonic singing sutartinės. These songs cannot be performed alone; one always needs a small group singing together.

Through their engaging workshops and soul-stirring performances, Stuba brings the joy and richness of sutartinės to the hearts of local communities in Lithuania.

Skaidra Jančaitė

With a Magistrate in solo singing, a Diploma as a choirmaster, and a Master’s degree as an artist, Skaidra has vast experience as a singer, choirmaster, instrumentalist, and dancer.

She has worked with everything from opera via folk music to modern experimental spheres.

Kjell Braaten

Kjell is an expert on ancient Scandinavian instruments and a solo artist, composer, and producer.

His most notable contributions are his work with the band Wardruna, his cooperation with composer Trevor Morris on the soundtrack to the Netflix series Vikings Valhalla, and his production of albums for a wide range of folk/ tribal music artists.

Živilė Muraškienė

Zivile studied art at VDA KDF and works with various styles, focusing mainly on painting and sculptures.

She has developed a personal style that draws you in and captivates you with its personal, expressional beauty.

About Sutartinės:

Sutartinės (from the word sutarti – to be in concordance) is a polyphonic music performed by female singers in north-east Lithuania. The songs have simple melodies and comprise two distinct parts: a meaningful main text and a refrain that may include symbolic words. Mainly, sutartinės can be performed by two singers in parallel seconds, by three singers in strict canon, all performing both phrases of the melody at staggered intervals, or by two groups of singers, the lead singer of each pair singing the main text, while the partner sings the refrain, before the second pair repeats. The poetic texts encompass many themes, including work, calendar rituals, weddings, family, wars, history, and moments of daily life. The choreography is uncomplicated, and movements are moderate, often austere, such as walking in a circular or star shape while linking arms and stomping feet. Sutartinės are performed on solemn occasions, festivals, concerts, and social gatherings. Their performance promotes the sharing of cultural values and provides a feeling of cultural identity, continuity, and self-esteem. Women usually sing sutartinės, but men perform instrumental versions on pan-pipes, horns, and long wooden trumpets.

I BELIEVE IN MUSIC AS A CROSS
CULTURAL GLOBAL LANGUAGE

Music moves. Music speaks, and music is like a language that expresses things spoken words can not.
It is a multilanguage that all human beings can understand no matter what culture, religion, or region you come from.
I compose for theatre, movies, and live performances, and I perform on stage both solo and other projects.

kjellbraaten.com
faceboook.com
YouTube
Instagram