Helen Maier & The Folks

It’s not at all easy to capture them in words, but then their aim has never been to be pigeonholed – they leave that for others. “Helen Maier & The Folks” play folk music from many corners of the world, merging it into their very own style, though Switzerland remains their focal point and musical centre. Maier and her band concentrate on performing their own compositions, though they also offer highly personal arrangements of popular melodies. Their sound is inspired by folk music, combined with modern grooves and jazzy influences. Irish folk, traditional Swiss folk music and music from the Balkans and Scandinavia all come together to be blended into a unique cosmos of sound.

After successful performances in many different cities and at renowned festivals, this ensemble is now bringing a special programme to Andermatt, along with a special guest. The violinist Maria Gehrig is herself a firm feature on the Swiss folk music scene, and she’ll be sharing the stage with “Helen Maier & The Folks”. Gehrig is well-known for her passion and her exceptional talent, having played in different bands such as the duo Fränggi & Maria Gehrig, the trio InterFolk and the quartet Eiger Mönch & UrSchwyz.

Maier delights her audiences with captivating sounds and her unique charisma. From early childhood she was surrounded by rhythm and music, for the stirring melodies of klezmer and gypsy music resounded in her home. By the time she was just eight, Maier was already fascinated by the violin. But her path to music was hardly predetermined. She initially trained as a chef before starting a jazz course at the Lucerne School of Music, where she studied folk music in depth as part of her degree. Maier also intensified her violin studies during her Bachelor, similarly focussing on folk music. She has received valuable guidance and inspiration from renowned teachers such as Tobias Preisig, Andreas Gabriel, Simon Heggendorn, Nathanael Su and Ina Dimitrova.