The Curious Bards

Biography

Since 2015, The Curious Bards has brought together five musicians passionate about the popular music of Northern Europe in the eighteenth century. Their unique approach? A vibrant fusion of in-depth musicological research and irresistible onstage verve. Trained at the conservatories in Lyon, Paris, and Basel, they explore the repertoire of Irish, Scottish, English, Swedish, and Norwegian music, which they reinterpret with aplomb, a keen sense of rhythm, and boundless creativity.

More than just a band of musicians, The Curious Bards functions as a musical laboratory: they investigate period sources, rediscover forgotten instrumental techniques, and breathe new life into traditional tunes by infusing them with an up-to-date vigour. Their sound is a perfect blend of authenticity, innovation, and raw energy that makes you danse and makes you think in equal measure.

With over 250 appearances and a trio of albums released on the harmonia mundi label (Extradition, 2017; Indiscretion, 2023; Sublimation, 2025), they can claim a unique identity, giving rise to a reimagined, erudite, joyful, and resolutely vibrant tradition.