Peia Luzzi is a song gatherer and writer, drawing inspiration from her ancestral roots of Celtic and Old World European music, and folklore. With an effortlesssoaring soprano voice, she dances nimbly between Child Ballads and 17th C. Gaelic laments, to Waulking Songs from Scotland, and old Bulgarian mountain wails. Peia has traveled extensively over the past 10 years to uncover melodies wrinkled and wise with time, laboring faithfully to honor their language, stories and original essence.
Accompanying herself with charangon, harmonium and guitar, her revolving collaborative ensemble weaves rich vocal harmonies, strings, an eclectic array of percussion, and classical guitar. Her mesmerizing performances offer authentic re-imaginings of traditional musical treasures, along with a stunning repertoire of her own songs, which speak of love’s trials, resiliency, and deep reverence for the earth.
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 indigenous and environmental rights groups.
Born in the back hills of Connecticut, Peia spent most of her childhood playing in the forests and hiding out in tree tops. In 2002 she moved to Boston where she attended New England Conservatory of Music on a generous scholarship and received extensive training in western classical voice and opera, vocal pedagogy, composition, and improvisation.
“My journey with world folksong traditions began many years ago while studying at New England Conservatory in Boston. Much to the dismay of my Opera professors, I found myself enthralled with the alluring beauty and mystery of traditional folk music. This fascination, along with a bit of old Irish wanderlust, poised me for a journey that led me to seek a lost culture and reconnect with the songs of my ancestors in ancient Europe.”
In 2012 Peia released her first solo album The Dance of Devotion – a profound collection of poetic love songs. Her second release Four Great Winds – a timeless journey through traditional and original sacred song was 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 and sparked collaborations with many world class artists including: legendary poet and Rumi scholar Coleman Barks, author, mythologist & storyteller Michael Meade, Grammy Award winning pianist Peter Kater, Iranian tar master Ali Ghamsari and Sephardic song keeper, oud & guitar virtuoso Shai Shriki.
Peia currently splits her time between touring and the lush, wild hills of Southern OR where she wildcrafts herbal remedies, sings with Wild Honey – an all women’s world music trio 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.