curious_voice_duo

C u r i o u s___V o i c e___D u o

Elisabeth Nygaard

Maria Jardardottir

Two voices

The two Norwegian voice musicians Elisabeth Nygaard and Maria Jardardottir began working together as a duo in September 2004 when they both commenced their Master Degree studies in advanced jazz and contemporary music in Leeds, England.

Nygaard and Jardardottir have incredibly varied backgrounds as performing and composing musicians, but their common ground is their mutual enormous and childlike curiosity for their instrument; the voice.

Reflected in the music they create, either with the means of improvisation, composition or both, the listener will hopefully detect a richness of details in regards to sound production, timbre, technique, creativity and team work. Additionally the listener will also expectantly notice the unique level of energy and tensions happening in the music of this duo. In their efforts, the two voice musicians strive to explore their instrument in ways that cross the limits of the traditional role of the voice; as a melodic instrument. What they aim for is to put equal weight and challenge to aspects such as rhythm, harmony and the vast possibilities of sonic attributes that the voice potentially can produce.

They see the voice as an ever lasting mystery, and through playing with it musically, as in a child’s playing, they are in company continuously astonished to discover new, secret depths and surfaces of its being and behaviour.

Curious Voice Duo’s material is largely based around music wherein improvisation becomes the main device for creation and performance. In addition to entirely free improvisation they operate with original composed material and semi-composed material, meaning loosely guided compositions where the guideline or pre-talked idea for instance may be a structure of emotions in sequence, an ostinato or a groove, a particular voice technique, a visual imagery – put short; anything aspiring musical exploration and play. As in children’s quest to try out boundaries and restrictions, anything can happen and everything is allowed. The trick is to make it all work within the moment and to serve the idea decided on, in whatever shape or nature, justice.

As to stylistic influences it is most likely audible in their interplay that Nygaard and Jardardottir have no fears or prejudices and are students and consumers of an eclectic collection of music styles: jazz and contemporary, Indian classical, country and western, freely improvised music, Norwegian folk and other world musics and electronically and/or groove based music, to name a few. Whatever piece of music speaks with conviction and soul, regardless of style, will be wholeheartedly embraced by the two as listeners and consequently influence their musical creations.

The duo as a collaboration format is in a particular requirement of a strong shared set of musical communication tools; an intimate musical language. Nygaard and Jardardottir feel, with constantly increasing fascination and gratefulness, that they have successfully developed such a shared musical intuition and that the presence of it is widely apparent to the listener in both their live and recorded performances.

Curious Voice Duo is currently recording material for their debut CD, ‘At the Tip and the Root of the Tongue’. Jardardottir will carry out the mixing work of the recording and the duo is at this time planning to release the album independently and subsequently research the possibilities of finding a suitable record label/distributor for the CD.

To listen to Curious Voice Duo’s music go to tracks.
To have a look at their projects in line go to agenda.