Rolling Estonians Ro:toro tour Dorset (From Dorset Echo)

Rolling Estonians Ro:toro tour Dorset

9:19am Wednesday 10th March 2010 in

• Skip social links
• Print
• Email
• Comments(0)

HOT on the heels of Polish group Stela, the next part of the Baltic Roots South West Rural Tour brings Estonian band Ro:toro to Dorset.

The group plays traditional Estonian melodies, with a piper, an improvising saxophonist, an electric guitarist and a quirky percussionist who uses plastic bowls on a bed of water, bicycle wheels and scraps of tin foil to create his rhythms.

The group has its origins in Viljandi Cultural Academy of the University of Tartu and they regularly perform at folk festivals both in Estonia and abroad.

Ro:toro performs traditional bagpipe tunes, which also inspire their own compositions, and they have been collecting the songs of Khant (speakers of the Finno-Ugric language Khanty, from remote parts of Russia), which are all included in their concerts as well as a flat foot waltz, and lots of polkas to dance to.

The band is coming to Dorset under the auspices of Artsreach.

Spokeswoman Delphine Jones said: “Cultural heritage in the form of folk music is more greatly explored by the younger generations in parts of Europe than in Britain.

“With thanks to Arts Council funding, the seven county rural touring schemes of the South West have collaborated to present ‘Baltic Roots’ – a regional Spring tour featuring three outstanding music groups from the Baltic states, each exploring their country’s heritage.

“The third performers to visit Dorset will be the Harald Haugaard Quartet from Denmark, in May.”

Ro:toro will be at the Sturminster Newton Exchange tomorrow at 7.30pm (call 01258 475137) and at Evershot village hall on Saturday at 8.30pm (call 01935 83471).