The pastoral symphony
It was during the composition of the music for “Pastierska Symfónia”, a theatrical work by the company Divadlo Pôtoň, inspired by the folklore of Liptov. That experience opened the doors to an unknown and fascinating world for me. During those days, ethnomusicologist Alžbeta Lukáčová visited the theater to teach us about the particularities and details of the country’s popular culture. Dance, clothing, songs, instruments… In Slovakia, “folklore” is synonymous with an immensity that the Slovak people must surely feel very proud of.
Remixing live
This universe captivated me immediately. My DJ sessions soon became filled with experiments that included Slovak songs, which were well received on the dance floors of Slovakia, Hungary, France and the Czech Republic. I was often asked if I had a recorded album.
The first compositions
In the midst of the 2020 pandemic, I applied to the Fond na podporu umenia (Fund for the Support of the Arts) with the idea of finalizing the demos for what would become the first Mira Tus Manos album, inspired by the sonic richness of this part of Central Europe.
The demo album
The research process magically led me to Viliam Gruska Jr., who, with his generous heart and open-mindedness, gave me access to the extensive work his father carried out alongside Svetozár Stračina and a great team since the late 1970s. It has been, and continues to be, a very pleasurable task to “dive” into those wonderful long plays released by the Opus label, created in an era when, of course, the internet did not exist. These recordings are real thanks to meticulous and conscious fieldwork, carried out through face-to-face encounters with the people themselves, sharing living history. The result is hours and hours of beautiful musical pieces performed by groups and soloists from different regions of the country, which have survived the passage of time because the people themselves kept their flame alive. The demos were started in Banská Štiavnica, and finished in the Casa Tomada in Nová Baňa, with the support of the beloved Tužinský family.
Premiere in Buenos Aires
The demos were first presented during the 95th anniversary of the Slovak Cultural Association of Buenos Aires, Spolok. That afternoon of celebrations, Daniel Inger (the musician of Czechoslovak descent) participated as a guest with his accordion.
Petřa, Dominika & Alica
With the intention of turning the demos into what would later become the album presented on this website, I set out to find singers. Once again, Viliam Gruska Jr. suggested the participation of three singers from the national folk ballet group Lúčnica. After exchanging a few emails and a personal meeting, their participation became a reality. Their enthusiasm and openness were a true gift, and turned into an essential driving force for the project to expand to other musicians.
The artistic residency
In February of the following year, I was accepted for a two-month artistic residency at Periférne Centrá.
In April 2024, I arrived in Dúbravica (Banská Bystrica region). The goal was to complete the recordings with other musicians and make interviews to document the process. During my stay, many magical doors opened, and the experience was significantly enriched.
The people I was able to spend my days with, as well as the villagers who joined the recordings, are part of a golden memory. Solidarity and humanity.
Thanks to Veronika Mezeiová and Andrej Poliak, I had the right time and space to focus on the tasks. That allowed the project to become increasingly real. In the following months, the work continued, but many astonishing surprises that happened in the former little schoolhouse were captured in the album and the film.
The journey from the beginning until now has been winding. It hasn’t always been easy, but as I write this, just a few hours before the release of the first single, I feel immense excitement. It’s no longer just about Mira Tus Manos and some music; the focus is now on exchange and integration. These are complex times for humanity, and the appreciation of art will always be subjective. But if at any moment, while listening to the album, your feet start moving on their own, or if while watching the “folkumental,” you smile or reflect positively, then my effort will have been worth it.
I am thrilled to share this with you. Enjoy!
And please, don’t hesitate to reach out to share your thoughts with me 🙂
