B-Classic - 17.10.2024 Premiere: Bert Cools, Kjartan Sveinsson, Indrė Jurgelevičiūtė & Gyda Valtýsdóttir

CCHA and B-Classic are giving guitarist and sound artist Bert Cools carte blanche for a new musical creation with Indrė Jurgelevičiūtė (Merope) and Kjartan Sveinsson (Sigur Rós).

You might know Bert Cools from Merope, Hoera, and Book of Air. Time and again, he creates a dream world between folk, jazz, and electronic music. He is also a sought-after musician for artists like Sam Amidon, Trixie Whitley, and Efterklang.

Kjartan Sveinsson is one of the founders of Sigur Rós, one of the quintessential (post)rock bands and Iceland’s premier music export. He has also worked closely with Icelandic artist Ragnar Kjartansson, composed various soundtracks, and written an opera.

Lithuanian Indrė Jurgelevičiūtė weaves Lithuanian folk songs, kanklės, and vocals into serene and otherworldly soundscapes. Together with Bert Cools, she forms Merope.

Gyda Valtýsdóttir was a member of another Icelandic band that made waves in the late '90s: múm. Since then, the cellist has collaborated with Kronos Quartet, Damien Rice, Jónsi, Ben Frost, Aaron and Bryce Dessner (The National).

The four first met in the summer of 2018 during the PEOPLE festival by Justin Vernon (Bon Iver) and Bryce Dessner (The National) in Berlin. Two years later, they played a few limited concerts together with Shahzad Ismaily.

The result of this unique (renewed) collaboration, as a musical landscape of enchanting Lithuanian folk, mystical Icelandic textures, and minimal piano music, will premiere during Nordic night(s)!