Swiss Alphorn player Eliana Burki performs at the Satyajit Ray Auditorium. Picture by Rashbehari Das

Notoriously difficult to play, the Alphorn is Switzerland’s national musical instrument. With just 16 notes spread over five octaves, this rather long — the average Alphorn measures about 8 feet — wind instrument can be imagined in a pastoral setup; amid idyllic green valleys surrounded by snow-capped peaks, with traditionally dressed goatherds as the musicians.

iana Burki gladly breaks this stereotype. At 24, the vivacious blonde could well be a model. Instead, Burki chooses to blow the Alphorn in concert settings, creating a rock and Latin-tinged blend of folk-jazz — a unique sound.

With her five-piece band, the svelte Burki brought this sound to the Satyajit Ray Auditorium on Tuesday, in a concert organised by ICCR and the Swiss embassy. While expectations were high, the performance seemed to be missing the promised jazz component, with the intent to rock taking away from the nuances of the horn. With a tone between a trombone and a trumpet, Burki manned her instrument with aplomb, but a little more attention to composition was desired.

Arka Das