Atalyja was created in 1998, and a year later, the band had their first appearance at the post-folk festival "Suklegos" in
Kaunas, Lithuania. In 2000, the debut album "Atalyja" was released, receiving international attention through folk and world music publications. The second album, "
Bansuri" (The Mother), released in 2004 (Ctablangus Records), was recognized as one of the most substantial modern folk music releases in Lithuanian discography. In their 2009 album, "Saula riduolėla" (Sun the Roller) (Dangus Records), "strict" composition blended with improvisation and experimentation with ties to solar themes. Currently, there are four vocalists: Gedimina Statulevičienė, Audronė Daraškevičienė, Darutė Pilibavičienė (who also plays kanklės) and Rytis Ambrazevičius (who also plays kanklės). The group has several multi-instrumentalists including: Ernest Jepifanov (
bansuri,
viola,
bagpipe, and
panpipes), Eirimas Velička (
violin,
kanklės, and
jaw harp), Gediminas Žilys (bass guitar and kanklės), Ugnius Keturka (electric and acoustic guitar) and Salvijus Žeimys (
percussion). The band has given concerts in Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Germany, Turkey, Czech Republic. Atalyja has also participated in Lithuanian radio and television programs and is a common participant in Lithuanian folk, post-folk, and neofolk festivals and city and town feasts. Some festivals they continue to appear at include
Mėnuo Juodaragis, Baltic sound, Suklegos, Gyvosios archeologijos dienos and Skamba skamba kankliai. The band's music is also used in numerous art projects, films and theater performances. The group was awarded ethnoband of the year at the alternative music awards in 2008. In 2009 the band presented their album, Saulala Riduolela (Sun The Roller), in Vilnius and Kaunas. They also gave concerts in Minsk (which were filmed by Belarusian ONT TV television);
Riga, Latvia;
Prague (in the musical club "Acropolis");
Olsztynek; and
Gdańsk, Poland. In November 2009, Atalyja performed on a Christmas Tour in
Moscow (on the 25th at a club called Masterskaya and on the 26th at the cultural centre of Lithuanian embassy, Jurgis Baltrusaitis House). == Members ==