It's been years since I’ve felt overwhelmed with excitement caused by an artist whose music I’ve never heard before. When Off Fest (Skopje, Macedonia) announced their programme for this year, I Immediately searched Youtube for the artists. The opening night is reserved for Iva Bittova, musician, and composer who mesmerized me with the first note that came out of her violin, and even more with the first sound of her voice. When I searched her discography, I must admit, I felt embarrassed that I’ve not heard of Iva Bittova before. She’s an embodiment of everything I imagined contemporary music should sound like. Her compositions have the complexity and virtuosity of Frank Zappa’s music, the suggestiveness of Laurie Anderson, even the creepiness of Meredith Monk. There are noticeable influences from blues and jazz, and some hints of psychedelic rock, but she is 100% authentic, one of the finest Czech artists ever, that very subtly brings her native land’s melodies into her, otherwise, avantgarde music. What makes Bittova great is that her compositions are intense but rich with harmonies and melodies, something that often lacks the avant-garde. What makes her incredible is her energy and expressiveness on stage. Her concerts are theatrical, with the rest of the band involved in the visual performance.
She began her career as an actress in the mid-1970s, appearing in several Czech movies, but she took up the violin and started singing in the early 1980s. She made her first record in 1986 and by the 1990’s her unique vocal and superb instrumental technique gained her international recognition. Make sure you check her on Youtube or elsewhere because she is not strictly tied to avantgarde music and has a variety of aesthetic concepts, each of them exciting and fascinating. She explains the heterogeneous character of her music:
“For many years, I have worked in a range of musical genres, including jazz, rock, classical and opera. Deciding on a name for my style of music is far from over yet. Whatever it is, many of my listeners have long considered it highly original. It has always been everyday life that inspired my music and interpretations. Its inspiration has been total silence and an absolutely positive atmosphere. Those are the most important conditions and surroundings in which when my ideas spring into life. I believe they have a significant impact on my music.”
I can hardly wait to see her concert in Skopje and experience her music live! For now, I will enjoy Iva Bittova music through the speakers on my stereo.
