Sandra Vabarna – Estonian bagpipe, whistle, Jew’s-harp
Cätlin Mägi – Estonian bagpipe, whistle, Jew’s-harp
Marko Mägi – soprano and tenor saxophone
Marek Talts – electric guitar
Silver Sepp – bowl and spoke instruments, vocal
The innovative Estonian traditional music band RO:TORO plays mainly traditional bagpipe tunes. The saxophone and percussion instruments add a modern sound to the bagpipes while the underlying soundscape remains primeval and bagpipe-centred. Cätlin Mägi has studied Estonian bagpipe in the UT Viljandi Culture Academy. Sandra Vabarna has been her student for 15 years. They have developed a magnificent musical understanding of each other. Marko Mägi adds freshness with his saxophone jazz and spices the music up with surprising improvisations. Silver Sepp creates unique sound and rhythm universes playing with water drums and bicycle spokes. Marek Talts on the electric guitar messes it all up – jazz guitar in his hands can suddenly become an electric traditional instrument or something else. The age of Estonian bagpipe music is measured in hundreds of years. The medium age of the members of RO:TORO is 37, they stand firmly in the present day with both of their feet and believe that their music can, at the best of times, cross the border to the future.