Maria do Mar is a Lisbon-based violinist, composer, performer, teacher and activist. With a classical background, she explores alternative ways of teaching, participates in experimental and improvised music projects, and programs and curates events.
Experimental, improvised music and performance are her main expressions, transdisciplinarity has been her latest focus, with works such as Grão (2022) and Grão _X (2024), crossing media such as installation, field recordings, effect pedals, sound manipulation software, video, with the participation of the surrounding community, drawing attention to the global climate changes; or her work as a curator and participant in the Transitory DeScomposition Cycle (2021-2023) at SMUP, which explores the interaction between image, sound and space. She explores the violin to its acoustic limits, using extended techniques, traversing the entire sound spectrum of the instrument acoustically and resorting to electronic devices, also using noise as a means of expression.
She has performed with many national and international artists, such as Miguel Mira, Carlos "Zíngaro”, Joelle Léandre, Sei Miguel, Ricardo Freitas, Paulo Chagas, Ernesto Rodrigues, Joana Guerra, Maria Radich, Adriana Sá, Mia Zabelka. She has several recordings, and is a member of music projects such as LANTANA, which has been awarded Best Band of 2022, by RTP (Radio and Television of Portugal) and Festa do Jazz, and Revelation Group 2022, by El Intruso pole of critics, concerning their debut album Elemental (Cipsela Records). In 2019, her work was recognized with her nomination as 2019 Best Portuguese Musician or Band in Jazz.pt magazine. Her work explores a wide and varied universe and the development of a personal language, with tenuous aesthetic boundaries, opening up creative unlimited cross-possibilities.
More info: https://soundcloud.com/maria-do-mar-3; http://bit.ly/lantana_elemental; youtube.com/@mariadomarazuli7
