Every now and then – usually around New Years Eve or during one of my extended travel adventures where I detach from my known surroundings and social network – I sit down to reflect on my life. Writing and drawing, I´m trying to identify my core values, trying to see what I am missing and what I want to let go of. Without a fail, what appears at the centre of all - the key that unlocks my fully rounded emotional and artistic well-being - is spending time in Slovenia amidst past, present and future participants of the Etno Histeria World Orchestra. I know this already. Nevertheless, I am always overwhelmed by just how important this community is to me, how central a role it plays in my life.
I am just slowly exiting the happenings of the 10th edition of “Kavč Festival” in Ljubljana and Loška Dolina, the winter gathering of the crew that organises the Etno Histeria Music Camp and Floating Castle Festival every summer. I mean, where do I even start ! So much has happened over these past six days, it feels like it was a lot longer (even though it was of course still way too short!)
There was the time we danced on top of the converted fire engine, below us the amazing Gaja Sušelj and Aleš Zorec playing their crazy set of Balkan fusion jams. Or the time we were cruising through Ljubljana with that same party / stage / catering fire engine, jumping out at a student accomodation, a visual artists´ home and at the puppet theatre for some pop up gigs in a duet with Peter Mayer, MC´d by no less than power house Laura Krajnc.
Or the beautiful reunion with Aleš Zorec and Matija Solce in the form of "Los Hostes" at Daktari Cafe. A tightrope balancing act of tuning into each other for yet another gig without any rehearsal whatsoever ...and it always works !!!!! madness ...
I experienced the most warm welcome at Elda Špiks´ flat where I got to dive into my solo material (hvala!!) as well as at PLAC, a shelter for people who cannot afford accomodation, for some more premiere gigs with Peter Mayer. The nights were filled with jam sessions, amazing groups such as “Yamaha Oriental”, french hip hop - punk band "NR" or “Mušnica“, playing EXCACTLY what I want to hear (thank you guys!!!!).
Solo concert in Elda's living room Jamming into the wee hours of the morning
Dancing and more dancing and THEN ---- The final night of the festival in Ljubljana at Kino Šiska. The moment when our legendary friends from the Wild Strings Trio, accompanied by a range of extremely talented young slovenian string players and the mesmerizing acrobat Mojca Špik, had us cry all the tears that we had managed to bury for some time. Then we got to guest with them with our pop up Etno Histeria World Orchestra. Joined by five choires as well as Mojca, who was flying through space on a ladder, expressing physically the rocket - like energy coming from the stage. Puppeteer/musician/director Matija Solce, the mastermind behind it all, has an incredible ability to imagine and actualize deeply meaningful and beautiful artistic happenings. But I think with this show – judging by the look on his face – he outdid himself. I think what happened there was beyond his, or any ones, expectation. It was just moments and moments of pure magic, everything and everyone coming together in this celebration of life through music and the arts.
And just when we thought it's over it went on! With an epic balkan fusion jam into the wee hours of the morning, birthday celebration rituals for our dear friend Petra Onderufova aka one of the three rock star divas from Wild Strings Trio, followed by a sunny day in Loška Dolina. There I got to play one more duo gig with Peter Mayer, welcomed by our hosts with homemade Buchtl, Strudl, Champagne and Schnaps. But that was STILL not it! The official ending of the festival came in form of Kiki. Underneath a beautiful moon and next to a warming bonfire, we got to hear and see her in the Kupola pop up stage in Matija´s garden. Lifting our hearts with quirky, precise and pure sounding vocal harmonies, drawing us into her universe with her voice and her eyes.
What I am feeling now – aside of utter physical exhaustion (too much happening, no time to sleep!!) - is a stinging pain in my chest, having had to separate from my dear friends, from Ljubljana, from the magical Loška valley. At the same time feeling so fulfilled by everything I got to experience, so motivated to move deeper into life through music, art and closeness. Hvala Matija and his “Kamikaze Team” of organisers, all our lovely hosts, all the amazing musicians, my incredible bandmates. Anca and everyone at Miklošiceva for making me feel so at home and all my other dear friends for just being you, for all the dances, hugs, chats and the general madness :-)
You can watch a little video collage of all the performances HERE!
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