BIOGRAPHY
Dymphi Peeters, a Dutch artist, is a voice and kora player who creates somatic music inspired by world music fusion, blending improvisation and intuition. Her music and sounds are like Mari Boine meets Loreena Mckennitt and Lisa Gerrard. The Kora is an old West African harp, originally from Mali.
In a vast sea of music, she stands out – not only due to the unique sound of the African kora, but also because of:
-
The profound expressiveness in her voice, with a remarkable range of timbres and emotions, and an expansive dynamic range.
-
The way her voice evokes the essence of different parts of the world.
-
Her use of sound language, rather than traditional words, inviting listeners to journey deep within themselves.
-
The live use of a looper to craft dynamic soundscapes on stage.
Fans often describe her as a "primeval woman" who touches both the heart and soul with her music.
ABOUT SOMATIC MUSIC
Somatic music is music that focuses on the bodily experience of sound. It emphasizes how music can affect the body, both physically and emotionally. Instead of just listening to the musical notes and rhythms, somatic music focuses on the sensations that the music evokes in the body. It can create feelings of relaxation, energy flow, or deep inner experiences. In short, somatic music is an approach that centers the physical and emotional experience of music, inviting a deeper connection with one's own body and feelings.
MUSIC
The “Ask your Heart” CD released in 2017 from the unique Mehmet Polat Trio in which she plays the kora, received many international positive reviews from the world music and jazz scene.
January 2019 she realeased a solo and debute CD collaboration with composer and producer Andre Schoorlemmer called "Gaia". Gaia is Pure and Feminine. In 9 tracks, the music takes you on a world tour to the original woman: the mother, the healer, the shamanca, the sister and the goddess. In a universal language, every woman tells her own sacred story.
At the end of 2024, beginning of 2025 she is releasing songs which belong to her new album called Symphony of Unity. The money to record the songs was raised by a crowdfunding.
Symphony of Unity is about our connection with nature.
Dymphi performs as a solo artist, in duo setting with Freek Zwanenberg and Joshua Samson and in Dragonfly Dance Band.
“I love my music and guidance to inspire, relax and empower you!”
Her musical roots lie in Eastern European folk music and she has experience with flamenco, voice expression, improvised music and also with opera. Originally, Dymphi studied Educational Science and Technology, which she has since combined with ongoing personal and spiritual research and experiences. But life took her on the path of music, where her heart really lies. Dymphi likes to develop herself and to broaden her horizons.
The Kora is an old West African harp, originally from Mali and was invented by a woman. The instrument was discovered by men and they made it sound in the world. African Kora players are called Griot’s or Jeli’s. We would call them troubadours: coaches of the leaders of the village. With their music and stories, the Griot’s guide the leaders to stay in leadership with themselves and their own feelings and to connect with their inner source to make decisions from there. This background of the instrument touches and inspires Dymphi.
Here is an in-depth interview Dorothy Johnson-Laird did with Dymphi: https://worldmusiccentral.org/2019/09/19/dymphi-peeters-soars/
"I feel inspired by shamanism, family constellation work, writing methods for shifting beliefs, spirituality, nature, dance, power places, pyramids, crystals, world music fusion and folk music, opera, improvisation, medicine music, intuitive music, voice work, body and energy work."
HOW IT BEGAN
"As a 4-year-old girl, I sang and improvised already all my own songs. In the Dutch language and in an intuitive sound language. After that I started on my 9th with flute lessons, which eventually led to 1 year of classical music at the conservatory of Amsterdam and a disappointment. Then I started studying Educational Science and Technology at the University of Twente.
When I was 14 I discovered a folk band in a neighboring village and that improvisation in music is very fun and interesting. After playing flute and recorders for several years I got the desire to also use my voice in music. I used to imitate an opera singer for a joke. That always prompted intense reactions in my environment from laughter to rejection. Around the age of 25 I went to study with a Bulgarian opera singer and later with an Amsterdam opera singer. It was wonderful to give my voice such space. In addition, I have further discovered my voice and myself with voice expression, which is a form of giving voice to your emotions in the moment. Then the African N’goni (harp) came to my path. The babbling guidance of the N’goni is very suitable for intuitive singing.
After the birth of my daughter in 2012, I decided to give up my job as an educationalist and I became a home staying mother. As a result I started to live more from my heart and when my daughter was 1.5 I decided to organize intuitive dream concerts every month with an average of 10 musicians on stage and then make music for 2 hours from free improvisation. After 1.5 years I stopped again to create time to further develop my opera voice. I took opera lessons again and studied the role “Ariadne” from Wagner’s Ariadne auf Naxos. That resulted in a lot of voice development.
Later I met Mehmet Polat who asked me to learn kora for his trio with Ud and Ney. In half a year I had to learn to play 10 of his compositions on the kora and learn how to play the kora. He promised me we would go on a tour to Mexico, Austria and Germany after half a year. Then there would also be a CD recording. I have taken up the challenge! And wow I have learned so much! I also discovered that you can learn very fast when you start from loving positive energy and pleasure. I went (in music) very often outside my comfort zone and that has given me a lot of learning opportunities. Now I guide people who want to discover and free themselves and their voices. I call it voice healing. You can free yourself through your voice from all kinds of blockages that stop you from being completely yourself.
It is my dream to inspire men and women to be themselves, to seek and give each other support, to feel the peace and love in themselves and to help protect the earth with all its life. I also dream to create a lot more beautiful music on albums and in live concerts!"