Eliana Burki melodically represents Switzerland in both traditional and non-traditional fashion. Her Alphorn is of carbon, her alpine prayer pop and she distances herself from traditional costume. However, in the meanwhile the alphorn is regarded a primordial and integral part of Switzerland.
Jazz and Blues for the sake of motivation
Eliana’s alphorn teacher Jürg Sommer was easily persuaded. Because deep down he knew that his one-and-only alphorn student would soon lose interest if he continued to teach along the traditional lines of Swiss folk music.
Eliana’s alphorn sound soon drifted in the direction of jazz and blues – much to the astonishment and disapproval of a few music fundamentalists, who wrote Eliana’s parents nasty letters accusing their child of «messing-up†Switzerland’s national instrument. «Many others found it great – including folklore enthusiasts», says Eliana looking back.
European travels with mother and alphorn
Following a performance at the Basel Jazz and Blues Festival, her mind was then made up – And at only 18 she decided in favour of a professional career in the music business. However, to step in contact with the public, vocal numbers were a must - and let’s not underestimate the tricky combination of playing the alphorn and voiced sound - singing requires a completely different set of muscles!
«A light and folding alphorn»
Today’s alphorn is no longer made of wood but composed of numerous feather-light telescopic carbon pieces (synthetic material) which are slotted together and find room in a sports back-pack. The horn necessitates being assembled and newly tuned before every performance.
An alphorn has five octaves – the higher the octave, the more powerful the tone issued. Due to the difficulties in the transmission of natural tones, musical arrangements for blues, jazz and funk with the alphorn require a rewrite.
Chinese and Americans
«The Chinese together with Americans are the most appreciative audience» reports Eliana enthusiastically. That’s why she particularly enjoys performing for a Chinese audience. In 1999 Eliana musically represented Switzerland for the first time at a world congress in Paris and since then often serves her country as musical ambassador. Her tours take her all the way from Amsterdam to Hong Kong and back in 2008.
swissinfo, Alexander Künzle, 30 May 2005
Picture caption: Eliana Burki in the year 2005, with her super-light folding carbon alphorn and the Bernese Alps in the background. (swissinfo)
More information
www.elianaburki.chThe whole article can be read at:
http://www.swissinfo.org 
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