Iva Bittová

Years later, revisiting this performance through the album still leaves me gasping in awe—she reads minds, she hypnotises, a celestial sprite blessed by the heavens. Her solid grounding in classical and folk music, extraordinary technique and control, boundless stage presence, and our own beautiful yet bittersweet memories all converge to create this timeless recording.

Time rewinds to a May evening in 2014, as the inaugural Tomorrow Music Festival unfolded. Czech musician Iva Bittová stood alone with her violin at the centre of the stage, as if in a one-woman theatre piece. Her voice shifted from whispered murmurs to plaintive laments, handling weighty themes with effortless grace, like a bluebird soaring through the sky. Moving effortlessly between Gypsy folk songs, classical compositions, poetry, fairy tales, and avant-garde experimental music, she transitioned seamlessly as if plucking items from a pouch, leaving the live audience utterly captivated and enthralled.

At the height of her performance, she abruptly steps away from the microphone and descends from the stage, weaving through the audience while singing. The sound of her guitar grows faint, its volume gradually diminishing until the song concludes. By the time the applause erupts, we find ourselves immersed within this very record. Thanks to Liu Ying Studio for once again conjuring its magic. Due to time constraints, the vinyl edition omits two tracks compared to the CD and cassette versions; please select your preferred format accordingly. I vaguely recall that day brought torrential rain, coinciding with a typhoon. Many audience members were stranded at home, unable to attend. I wish to dedicate this album to them—a serendipitous release as Typhoon Hagazura, the planet's most powerful storm, approaches.