The Curious Bards

Since 2015, The Curious Bards has brought together five musicians passionate about 18th-century Northern European folk music, but with a slightly unusual approach: a fusion of extensive musicological research and boundless energy. Trained at conservatories in Lyon, Paris and Basel, they have immersed themselves in the world of Irish, Scottish, English, Swedish and Norwegian music, seeking to rediscover and reinterpret ancient repertoires while adding their own modern and creative touch.

The group is much more than just a bunch of musicians: they are a band of slightly crazy researchers who embark on sonic explorations, decipher forgotten instrumental techniques, and breathe new life into old pieces, energising them with contagious freshness. Their sound? A perfect blend of authenticity, research and raw energy that makes you want to dance as much as it makes you think. Each concert is a journey where tradition and innovation intersect and embrace, and where music becomes a living, thrilling adventure. The Curious Bards has been supported since its inception by the Cité de la Voix de Vézelay, then joined the EEEmerging programme of the Ambronay Festival in 2016, before being accompanied since 2020 by the Caisse des Dépôts as its main patron.

With more than 250 concerts and three albums released by Harmonia Mundi (Extradition, 2017, Indiscretion, 2023, and Sublimation, 2025), they affirm their dual approach: a skilful blend of serious musicological research and unbridled creativity. It is tradition, but reinvented with a touch of madness, for a result that is both profound and utterly joyful!

November 2025