The duo Bruno et Maria is based in the border triangle of Germany, Switzerland and France. Maria Graber, clarinet and Bruno Friedmann, accordion have been playing together for many years, having been active in several other well-known groups on the European folk scene, including Trequatrocinq, Bordun, Squip! and Friedmann/Vonberg.
Maria et Bruno play traditional folk dance music imaginatively and creatively, composing new and contemporary pieces to match the beautiful dances, which are thus danced with new melodies and fresh verve. In their versatile Bal Folk repertoire with stimulating couple and rousing group dances, Valses impaires and Zwiefache are also included.
Many of their musical pieces are original compositions in the style of European dances, but composed in a contemporary and polyphonic way. Rhythm and groove as well as musical peculiarities are kept and carefully developed, the melodies are often oriented to jazz, blues, pop, classical tone movements and of course to folk dances of the different European countries and regions.
With dynamic shaping and musical drama, they sensitively combine the narrative progression of the music and dance with the movements of the dancers. Their music is described as «powerful and sentimental»; Maria and Bruno have adopted this as the slogan for their music: «Powerful, sentimental, playful; music for the heart, for the feet and for feeling good».
Due to their characteristic and musically extraordinary interpretations of the couple and group dances of Bal Folk, Zwiefache and Valses impaires, the duo Bruno et Maria is quite well known and loved by the audience.