Mingo Rajandi - Elajannad (2023)

"Elajannad" is a modern woman's look at the extreme choices the heroines of Greek tragedies had to face. The dilemmas that women faced in ancient tragedies (and will face today and presumably in the future) often forced them to dive into the darkest depths of their souls. The music that carries these themes is also dark and gloomy, but still directed towards the light. Although the ensemble consists mainly of low-pitched instruments, which are traditionally entrusted with creating the musical foundation, this does not mean that they too cannot have softness and tenderness. As in every human being there are all situations and beings from angels to demons, there is a melody waiting to be unleashed in the heart of bass instruments.

Mingo Rajandi is an artistic director, composer, double bass player and creator of interdisciplinary artistic projects.

With degrees in theatre studies, jazz performance and contemporary composition from the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre, Mingo’s rich and multilayered music underpins her fascination with languages and literature, often leading to collaborations across art forms.

In 2013 she founded Avarus Ensemble, an electro-acoustic chamber group uniting musicians who explore the nexus between jazz and classical music. She has has written various works for Avarus Ensemble, among them commissions from Nargen Festival, Glassperlenspiel Festival and Estonian Music Week, which resulted in a new work featuring the celebrated bassoonist Martin Kuuskmann.

Currently Mingo works actively with The Free Musketeers, a group expressing itself through a combination of free improvisation and performance art. Also with Mingo Rajandi Quintet, performing her music from past and present; and Trio Maag that has a more modern and jazzy approach to the world of Argentinian tango. Beyond these groups, Mingo continues to work both internationally and locally with artists from different fields.