SUDHA & SUNNIVA
Sunniva Brynnel and Sudha share songs from around the world – relatable and memorable songs to sing along to and to keep for your everyday life. Sudha from Denmark and Sunniva from Sweden have been performing folk and devotional music internationally for many years and now they gather to unite their voices, ukulele, drum and accordion for a soothing and uplifting concert.
For concert inquiries, email: info@sunnivabrynnel.com or info@sudhasong.com
To listen to a song collaboration between the two and devotional music master Jai Uttal, hear Sunniva’s original composition One Light:
LONGER BIOS
More about Sudha …
In a concert with a different dimension, Sudha takes us on a journey around
the world through songs and chants from various cultures and spiritual traditions.
With a multitude of flavours the experience takes the audiences across traditional
Buddhist chants from the East, to Hawaiian songs in the West, weaving beautiful
Sanskrit mantras, North American tribal chants and songs from the Yoruba
traditions of West Africa. The audience is encouraged to dive deep into the
experience together and sing along with some of these simple chants. In the
singing an atmosphere of unity is created. Coming together in song is a tradition
as old as time and has been a part of most cultures even before the origins of
Christian hymns or Sufi chants. Although the languages might be different, the
core purpose is the same; to honour and celebrate Existence itself. Music is the
Universal language that connects us all. In her concerts Sudha embraces both
Celebration and Meditation as equal parts of the journey, allowing our voices to
joyfully raise our energy as well as sinking into a deep silence between songs. This
leads us to a calm inner peace. To create peace in the world, we must start by
creating peace in our own being.
From an early age Sudha was curious about the mysteries of Life. She started her journey of discovery even before her teen years, as she explored inner and outer worlds through the path of performing arts. In the three decades following she has traveled to many places around the world gathering inspiration and wisdom from many diverse cultures and traditions. In Hawaii she fell in love with the ancient story telling style of the Hula, and in India with the deep wisdom of Sanskrit mantras. Sudha has lived in an Osho commune in Amsterdam and later in the ancient British centre of pilgrimage, Glastonbury – as well as the hustle and bustle of London and the rolling hills of rural Ireland. She has worked with the guidance of indigenous plant medicine from the Amazon, has been initiated to give Divine Energy Transmission, known as Deeksha, in India and worked extensively with women’s circles globally. All the many paths having one common thread, Connection. The longing for a deep connection to Source, to others and to our inner Truth. This is what she endeavours to share in her concerts through the power of music and silence.
As a solo artist Sudha has released three albums through Malimba Records;
Planet Love (2004), Sharanam (2007) and In Her Name (2014) all available on
various streaming platforms as well as iTunes. As a session singer she has added
her vocals across a diverse range of genres from smooth jazz to dance and ambient
world music on more than 20 albums.
More about Sunniva …
Sunniva Brynnel is a Swedish accordionist, vocalist and composer within improvised music, folk music, devotional music and more.
Sunniva comes from a lineage of seven generations of female musicians, and her mother – Swedish folk singer Moa Rosa Brynnel – is one of her major influences.
Sunniva has toured extensively in Sweden and the US, and have recorded and/or performed in Norway, Denmark, Ireland, England, Slovakia, Estonia, France, Hawai’i. As a freelancing musician for over ten years, she has shared the stage with amongst others Timo Alakotila, Neil Yates, Jai Uttal, Peruquois, Dave Douglas and many others.
Sunniva has performed on Swedish National TV, SVT 1, and her original music recordings have been broadcast on National Swedish Radio P2, as well as on international radio stations in the US, England, Ireland and more.
She is the recipient of Albin Hagström Minnesfond’s scholarship for accordionists through the Royal Academy in Stockholm, Anders Holger Gustafssons Musikfond, as well as having received substantial support throughout her music studies from Gull & Stellan Ljungbergs Stiftelse.
Sunniva was born in Uddevalla on the Swedish west coast and started to play the piano at the age of five. From the age of ten, she went to a primary school which had a special focus on music – especially choir singing.
Aged 18, Sunniva studied world and pop music full time at Ljungskile folk high school, Sweden.
She then went on to study Irish/Gaelic singing and music at DIT Conservatory of Music and Drama in Dublin. Her vocal teacher at DIT was Seosaimhin Ni Bheaglaoich.
After a year spent in Dublin, she moved on to study jazz performance at Birka folk high school outside Östersund, Sweden. This year; living in the Swedish snowy midlands by beautiful lake Storsjön, and having both inspiring teachers as well as brilliant fellow students, made a big impact on Sunniva’s playing and composing.
At Birka folk high school, Sunniva met and played with guitarist Calle Jönsson, who insisted that every folk pianist should also play the accordion. And sure enough – she got herself an accordion and never looked back.
To be able to immerse herself in both jazz and the music of the British Isles, Sunniva then went on to study a BA jazz at Leeds College of Music, England, with composition as her major subject. Within her degree at LCoM she composed everything from small sized ensemble works to big band pieces.
Sunniva graduated from Leeds College of Music in July 2012 (BA Jazz 1st class honours). She also has a Swedish music teaching degree from Gothenburg University (2016).
In May 2018, Sunniva graduated with a Masters of Music in Contemporary Improvisation (Academic Honours) from The New England Conservatory.
She has studied Indian Classical music with Jesse Bannister in England and Warren Senders in the US.
In the spring of 2020, Sunniva became a Certified Deep Listening Instructor (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, NY, USA), and she is currently enjoying facilitating groups in Deep Listening. Deep Listening is the lifework of American accordionist and composer Pauline Oliveros.
DOWNLOAD Sudha & Sunniva TECH RIDER here: