VOICES OF THE DANUBE: DUNAVA PERFORMANCE AND DISCUSSION

Dunava (from the Bulgarian name for the Danube) is a women's choir based in Seattle made up of singers with broad musical and performance experience and a passion for intricate harmonies and vocal techniques. Dunava is dedicated to studying and performing traditional folk songs from the Balkans and Eastern Europe with respect and authenticity.

Dunava’s repertoire spans a vast range of vocal traditions, featuring lush harmonies and strident dissonance, dance tunes and mournful ballads. Some songs are hundreds of years old and have been passed on through oral tradition, while others are recent compositions in the unique style of specific regions. The lyrics celebrate home, family, and love, and also lament hardship and loss. The expressive music speaks for itself and communicates with listeners all over the world across language boundaries.