Premiering in Tartu this week, Nuut's major new suite "Combing Hair into Sand" ("Liivast juukseid kammides") was written for eight vocalists, percussion, violin and live electronics.

While parts of the work, originally envisioned for chamber choir, date back to 2022, the project took a new direction last year when Nuut was invited to an artist residency at Studio Richter Mahr (SRM), the English countryside studio of composer Max Richter and visual artist Yulia Mahr.

There, she was introduced to London vocal ensemble Shards.

"We spent a day with them recording demos," Nuut recalled, admitting that access to a high-end studio was a major draw as well. "I wanted to see how people from such a different language environment could sing these texts."

Used to certain things

She said getting the ensemble to sing in Estonian wasn't easy, particularly with sounds such as the Estonian "õ," but the process also gave her a chance to hear the music differently.

"Choral and vocal music is deeply rooted in our culture," Nuut said. "We're also used to certain ways of performing, so it's fascinating to see how people from a completely different culture altogether hear this music — what they notice, what they highlight and what they find interesting."

It's actually important for singers to be able to physically sing in different ways as well, she added.

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The suite is built around poems and motifs by 20th-century poet Eha Lättemäe, whose work also provided the title, and incorporates texts by Tõnis Vilu, Mehis Heinsaar, Hasso Krull and Nuut herself.

During her 2025 SRM residency, she also wrote additional material specifically with Shards in mind.

Chance to try something new

Although the work has no clear linear narrative, Nuut said the different texts gradually came together around a central idea. The writers "approach the same theme from different angles," she explained, adding that she hopes the end result works as a cohesive whole.

"These days, many freelance artists and musicians often just move from one residency to another," she said, noting it's an opportunity to try out new ideas and develop new work. "Sometimes there's also a production budget. There are self-funded residencies too, but every now and then, an invitation will hit my inbox."

Maarja Nuut's "Combing Hair into Sand" premieres in Tartu this Thursday, with additional performances in Pärnu and Tallinn the following two nights before traveling to London in November.

Performances will feature lighting by Mikk-Mait Kivi, an installation by Liina Leo and English translations by Adam Cullen.

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