Peia Luzzi is an American born song collector, writer and multi-instrumentalist based in the mountains of Appalachia. Like water from a deep well, she draws inspiration from her ancestral roots of Irish and Old World European folk music. Peia’s voice dances nimbly from Child Ballads and 17th C. Gaelic laments, to Waulking Songs, and Bulgarian mountain calls. She has traveled & studied extensively over the past 10 years to reconnect with her own ancestral song tradition. Uncovering melodies wrinkled & wise with time, while taking care to honor their language and stories, Peia brings a piece of herself to each song she carries.
With live performance often described as timeless and transcendent, the ensemble transports audiences through hypnotic rhythms & soaring ethereal vocals. Accompanied by double bass & percussion
The trio comes together from The United States, Canada & Israel with Liron Meyuhas on Percussion and Peter Klaassen on Double bass. Together they create a lush organic soundscape for mesmerizing performances & authentic re-imaginings of traditional folk treasures, as well as a collection of Peia’s original songs.
A powerful voice in the rising global community of people who are committed to restoring a balanced relationship with the Earth, Peia expresses her holistic vision and passion through her music, educational workshops and advocacy for social and environmental rights groups.
“My love of folksong traditions began many years ago while studying at New England Conservatory in Boston. Much to the dismay of Opera my professors, I found myself enthralled with the stories and beauty of traditional folk music. This fascination grew over the years and led me to seek my own lost roots and reconnect with the songs of my ancestors in Ireland and old world Europe.”
Trained in Opera at the New England Conservatory in Boston, Peia spent time in India, South America & European continent in 2010 to deepen her exploration and study of traditional folk songs.
In 2012 she released her first solo album The Dance of Devotion – a collection of poetic love songs and chants. Peia found her voice in her second release, Four Great Winds, Self released in May 2013 and picked up by Sounds True for global release in 2015. Following the initial release of ‘Four Great Winds’ Peia gained international notoriety and requests for performances in Europe, Australia, Bali, Brazil and Canada. Her music has taken her around the world, gained over 20 million views on YouTube, and sparked collaborations with many world-class artists including: legendary poet and Rumi scholar Coleman Barks, author, mythologist & storyteller Michael Meade, Folk-Roots group Rising Appalachia, Iranian tar master Ali Ghamsari, Guitarist Estas Tonne, Grammy Award Winner Peter Kater and Irish singer Eílish Kennedy.
Peia currently splits her time between touring and the hills of Appalachia where she wildcrafts herbal remedies, and teaches Song of the Ancients – voice cultivation and ancestral songline tracing. Fusing her knowledge of Vocal Pedagogy (The Science of the Voice) with the ancient meditative practice of Nada Yoga, she imparts upon her students the tools to harness the natural beauty and resonance of the voice .
Learn More About Peia’s Educational Offerings Here