MAJA KJÆR si ORKESTER
Nordic orchestral folk with Eastern European drive
Maja Kjær si Orkester is a Danish folk ensemble performing original instrumental music rooted in Nordic fiddle traditions and Eastern European rhythmic drive. Led by violinist and composer Maja Kjær, the group combines a striking instrumentation of two fiddles, cimbalom, tuba and percussion to create a powerful and highly engaging live sound.
Danish Music Awards Roots nominee 2025
|
|
|
Biography
Maja Kjær si Orkester is an orchestral folk ensemble performing Nordic Drive – original instrumental compositions by Danish Music Awards Roots/Folk nominee Maja Kjær.
Rooted in Nordic fiddle and dance traditions, the music is driven by strong forward motion and shaped by rhythmic influences from Eastern European folk practices.
The project began as an artistic exploration of how Nordic dance tunes could be expanded in scale and texture while retaining their rhythmic core and melodic clarity. The five musicians combine a clear Nordic tonal language with an unusual instrumentation of two fiddles, cimbalom, tuba and percussion, creating music that is both energetic and highly communicative - capable of igniting a dance floor as well as captivating attentive listeners.
Maja Kjær si Orkester brings together musicians with backgrounds in Nordic, Eastern European and South American traditions. The ensemble unites virtuosic folk musicians, rhythmic specialists and genre-crossing performers whose experience spans everything from Romanian lăutari music and Cuban clave traditions to Nordic hymn singing, improvisation, theatre and circus music.
Drawing inspiration from the original social function of folk music - to create shared experience and community - the ensemble also explores concert formats that bring musicians and audiences closer together.
In 2025, Maja Kjær si Orkester was nominated for a Danish Music Award - Roots in the category New Danish Roots Name of the Year.
Discography
Landing (GO’ Danish Folk Music, 2024)
Line-up
Maja Kjær - violin
Signe Kierkgaard Schmidt - violin
George Mihalache - cimbalom
Rasmus Svale - tuba
Christian Joen - percussion
Origin
Denmark
Music
Original Nordic folk compositions
Rooted in Nordic fiddle and dance traditions, the music is driven by strong forward motion and shaped by rhythmic influences from Eastern European folk practices.
The project began as an artistic exploration of how Nordic dance tunes could be expanded in scale and texture while retaining their rhythmic core and melodic clarity. The five musicians combine a clear Nordic tonal language with an unusual instrumentation of two fiddles, cimbalom, tuba and percussion, creating music that is both energetic and highly communicative - capable of igniting a dance floor as well as captivating attentive listeners.
Maja Kjær si Orkester brings together musicians with backgrounds in Nordic, Eastern European and South American traditions. The ensemble unites virtuosic folk musicians, rhythmic specialists and genre-crossing performers whose experience spans everything from Romanian lăutari music and Cuban clave traditions to Nordic hymn singing, improvisation, theatre and circus music.
Drawing inspiration from the original social function of folk music - to create shared experience and community - the ensemble also explores concert formats that bring musicians and audiences closer together.
In 2025, Maja Kjær si Orkester was nominated for a Danish Music Award - Roots in the category New Danish Roots Name of the Year.
Discography
Landing (GO’ Danish Folk Music, 2024)
Line-up
Maja Kjær - violin
Signe Kierkgaard Schmidt - violin
George Mihalache - cimbalom
Rasmus Svale - tuba
Christian Joen - percussion
Origin
Denmark
Music
Original Nordic folk compositions
Press Quotes
“One of Denmark’s best fiddlers and an ace composer.”
– Songlines Magazine
“Danish folk music + Eastern European folklore works brilliantly.”
– FOLKmagazin
“An excellent album with a coherent sound and very catchy melodies.”
– RadioFolk.dk
“Delightfully hard to categorise.”
– Fredrik Lundin (saxophonist and composer)
– Songlines Magazine
“Danish folk music + Eastern European folklore works brilliantly.”
– FOLKmagazin
“An excellent album with a coherent sound and very catchy melodies.”
– RadioFolk.dk
“Delightfully hard to categorise.”
– Fredrik Lundin (saxophonist and composer)
The Musicians
|
Maja Kjær Jacobsen - violin / composer
Maja Kjær Jacobsen is a Danish violinist, composer and cultural entrepreneur working within Nordic traditional music. She has toured extensively across Europe, Canada, the United States and Australia with projects such as Maja & David, Fru Skagerrak and Maskineri. Alongside her performing career, Maja is known for her work as a composer and initiator of new artistic projects exploring the meeting point between tradition, creativity and community. Her compositions form the foundation of Maja Kjær si Orkester, where she leads the ensemble as both violinist and bandleader. |
|
Signe Kierkgaard Schmidt - violin
Signe Kierkgaard Schmidt is one of the most promising young folk violinists in Denmark. Growing up on the island of Funen, she has been immersed in Danish folk music from an early age. In recent years she has appeared in several ensembles and projects within the Nordic folk scene, including the Swedish-Danish group Spöket i Köket. With her energetic playing and strong sense of groove, Signe explores the many corners of Nordic fiddle traditions while bringing both precision and joy to the ensemble. |
|
George Mihalache - cimbalom
George Mihalache is a remarkable musician born in Romania and raised in a family of traditional lăutari musicians whose musical heritage spans several centuries. He learned Romanian folk music by ear from his grandfather and carries this tradition into his playing today. A virtuoso on the cimbalom (hammered dulcimer), George brings both rhythmic drive and rich tonal colour to the ensemble. His deep roots in Eastern European folk traditions add a distinctive dimension to the sound of Maja Kjær si Orkester. |
|
Rasmus Svale - tuba
Rasmus Svale is a versatile Danish tuba player whose musical work spans a wide range of genres and performance contexts. Over the past decade he has toured internationally across Europe, Japan, Egypt and Indonesia. His projects include the Egyptian composer Maurice Louca’s Elephantine Band, theatre and circus productions, as well as numerous collaborations within pop, rock and experimental music. With his powerful and flexible tuba playing, Rasmus provides the deep rhythmic and harmonic foundation of the ensemble. |
|
Christian Joen - percussion
Christian Joen is a rhythm explorer with roots in South American musical traditions. His musical curiosity has taken him across styles ranging from Cuban clave rhythms to Nordic hymn singing. He has performed as drummer in the Danish band KOM VI LØBER and as percussionist in the acclaimed folk-hymn ensemble Psalmodie. Having spent extended periods in Argentina, Cuba, Chile and Spain, Joen brings a rich palette of rhythmic colours and an infectious sense of musical playfulness to the orchestra. |
Media & Press Kit
Press photos by Malwa Grabowska
Click to download
Click to download
|
|
|
|
Contact & Booking
Please contact Maja Kjær for any inquiries regarding booking or other information
[email protected]
[email protected]
© Maja Kjær Jacobsen • E-post: [email protected] • Tlf: +45 25371544
Official page for the Danish folk ensemble Maja Kjær si Orkester
