KANKLES COLLAB: Honeypaw + Agota Zdanavičiūtė

Interdisciplinary artist Jurgita Žvinklytė moved to Canada in 2019 where she met musician Matti Palonen and formed the band Honeypaw, sharing their Lithuanian and Finnish heritage. They have just recorded their second album, and they will be touring Lithuania for their first time in August, performing in Mėnuo Juodaragis, Utena and Vilnius. They will be performing in Vilnius in collaboration with Agota Zdanavičūtė at SODAS 2123 on August 31.

The concert will combine the sound of Lithuanian traditional and concert kankles with Finnish jouhikko accompaniment. Musicians will not only perform works from their own repertoire, but also combine their musical experiences, going beyond the traditional understanding of kankles music.

Honeypaw combines a respect for the Lithuanian sutartinė and the Finnish kalevala traditions, creating music that reflects the bustling Toronto landscape wrapped in the comfort of the surrounding forests.
They play an instrument common to their cultural roots, known as kantele in Finland, and kanklės in Lithuania. They also play other ancient instruments including jouhikko and cymbolom. One of Honeypaw unique artistic projects is “tree harps” – stringed instruments installed into dead hollow trees.
The Journal of Musicology calls Honeypaw “Unusual, evocative, and inviting one to rethink the concept of instrumentality”. The Wire Magazine says they are “meditative and evocative, and fit well with the growing body of avant garde Baltic neo-folklore”. Kansanmusiikki Magazine says “It struck me to the roots of my heart where the love for tradition and forest meet”.

Agota Zdanavičūtė first encountered kanklės and Lithuanian folklore in her childhood. She later discovered the instrument in a new way and dove fully into its magic in 2006. She is an active member of the group Sen Svaja and the folklore project Laiminguo, and she leads individual kanklės lessons and kanklės group circles. Agota’s solo career began in 2017. Her kanklės compositions are interwoven with the motifs of Lithuanian folk and multipart songs, and bring the listener deep into to the world of fairy tales. Agota believes that playing the kanklės is like wandering in an enchanted forest listening for the smallest sounds and music hiding within.

Activities of LIAA are supported by Lithuanian Council for Culture and Vilnius City Municipality.
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