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Eliana Burki was born in Switzerland on September 13, 1983. She was a remarkable Swiss musician known for her mastery of the Alphorn and her unique “Funky Swiss Alphorn” style, which gave this traditional instrument new life and allowed it to find a home in the funk, pop, and jazz genres.
Early Life and Career
Eliana Burki’s extraordinary journey in the world of music began at an incredibly young age, with her fascination for the Alphorn starting at just six years old. When she made one of her earliest public appearances at the Northwest Swiss Yodeling Festival in Schönenwerd, her prodigious talent quickly attracted attention.
The fact that she performed with a male musician made this performance even more remarkable.
Eliana started exploring music when she was a teenager and developed a strong love for jazz and blues tunes. Her musical development and approach to the Alphorn were greatly influenced by this newly discovered passion, which allowed her to develop a distinctive style that defied expectations and went beyond musical boundaries.
At the age of 16, Eliana made a significant life-altering decision. She chose to abandon her studies as a veterinary assistant, opting instead to pursue her profound love for music. She enrolled at the Basel Music Academy, where she honed her skills in piano and vocal performance. The absence of formal Alphorn courses at the academy did not deter her, and she continued to enthrall audiences as a soloist with various orchestras, captivating them with classical Alphorn concerts.
The musical abilities of Eliana Burki went beyond the stage. She generously offered music therapy services at a children’s hospital in Davos during her free time. Her unique method involved using the Alphorn as a therapeutic tool, providing children with cystic fibrosis physical and mental healing. Her extraordinary breath control techniques were instrumental in the healing process and had a profound effect on everyone she came in contact with.
Eliana Burki and her band, I Alpinisti, received widespread acclaim and had the honor of playing on esteemed stages all over the world. They became recognized as international ambassadors for Swiss music thanks to their exceptional musical abilities, which also led to them receiving special invitations, such as one to the draw for the 2008 Euro football championship.
Several albums featuring Eliana Burki’s exceptional talent were released during the course of her illustrious career. Among them, “Heartbeat” (2007), which David Richards and John Boylan produced at Mountain Studios, and “Travellin’ Root” (2011), which John Boylan produced, deserve special mention. Eliana performed as a soloist with the Munich Radio Orchestra in one of her most well-known pieces, “Alpine Horn Symphonic,” (2012), conducted by Johannes Schlaefli.
Eliana Burki Family
Tragically, on April 24, 2023, at the age of 39, Eliana Burki passed away due to the effects of a brain tumor. However, Eliana left behind a family including her partner, the U.S. writer Blas Ulibarri, and their two children.
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