BIOGRAPHY

The “Ask your Heart” CD released in 2017 from the unique Mehmet Polat Trio in which she plays the kora, received many international positive reviews from the world music and jazz scene. 
 
Dymphi performs both as a solo artist, as wel as with her band Dragonfly – Ecstatic Dance Band.
 
In 2019 she composed and recorded a solo album in collaboration with composer and producer Andre Schoorlemmer, called Gaia. The CD Gaia is Pure and Feminine. The music takes you on a world tour to the original woman: the mother, the healer, the shamanca, the sister and the goddess. In a universal language, every woman tells her own sacred story.
 
Her musical roots lie in Eastern European folk music and she has experience with flamenco, voice expression, improvised music and also with opera. Originally, Dymphi studied Educational Science and Technology, which she has since combined with ongoing personal and spiritual research and experiences. But life took her on the path of music, where her heart really lies. Dymphi likes to develop herself and to broaden her horizons.
 
The Kora is an old West African harp, originally from Mali and was invented by a woman. The instrument was discovered by men and they made it sound in the world. African Kora players are called Griot’s or Jeli’s. We would call them troubadours: coaches of the leaders of the village. With their music and stories, the Griot’s guide the leaders to stay in leadership with themselves and their own feelings and to connect with their inner source to make decisions from there. This background of the instrument touches and inspires Dymphi.
 
Here is an in-depth interview Dorothy Johnson-Laird did with Dymphi: https://worldmusiccentral.org/2019/09/19/dymphi-peeters-soars/


I feel inspired by shamanism, family constellation work, writing methods for shifting beliefs, spirituality, nature, dance, power places, pyramids, crystals, world music fusion and folk music, opera, improvisation, medicine music, intuitive music, voice work, body and energy work."


HOW IT BEGAN
 
As a 4-year-old girl, I sang and improvised already all my own songs. In the Dutch language and in an intuitive sound language. After that I started on my 9th with flute lessons, which eventually led to 1 year of classical music at the conservatory of Amsterdam and a disappointment. Then I started studying Educational Science and Technology at the University of Twente.
 
When I was 14 I discovered a folk band in a neighboring village and that improvisation in music is very fun and interesting. After playing flute and recorders for several years I got the desire to also use my voice in music. I used to imitate an opera singer for a joke. That always prompted intense reactions in my environment from laughter to rejection. Around the age of 25 I went to study with a Bulgarian opera singer and later with an Amsterdam opera singer. It was wonderful to give my voice such space. In addition, I have further discovered my voice and myself with voice expression, which is a form of giving voice to your emotions in the moment. Then the African N’goni (harp) came to my path. The babbling guidance of the N’goni is very suitable for intuitive singing.
 
After the birth of my daughter in 2012, I decided to give up my job as an educationalist and I became a home staying mother. As a result I started to live more from my heart and when my daughter was 1.5 I decided to organize intuitive dream concerts every month with an average of 10 musicians on stage and then make music for 2 hours from free improvisation. After 1.5 years I stopped again to create time to further develop my opera voice. I took opera lessons again and studied the role “Ariadne” from Wagner’s Ariadne auf Naxos. That resulted in a lot of voice development.
 
Later I met Mehmet Polat who asked me to learn kora for his trio with Ud and Ney. In half a year I had to learn to play 10 of his compositions on the kora and learn how to play the kora. He promised me we would go on a tour to Mexico, Austria and Germany after half a year. Then there would also be a CD recording. I have taken up the challenge! And wow I have learned so much! I also discovered that you can learn very fast when you start from loving positive energy and pleasure. I went (in music) very often outside my comfort zone and that has given me a lot of learning opportunities. Now I guide people who want to discover and free themselves and their voices. I call it voice healing. You can free yourself through your voice from all kinds of blockages that stop you from being completely yourself.
 
With my own band Dragonfly I create Medicine music (intuitive world music fusion) for a community of Ecstatic Dancers. In addition, I give solo (league) concerts. I have various collaborations with other artists / dancers and business. The CD “Ask your heart” that I recorded with the Mehmet Polat Trio has received international recognition.
In addition to giving concerts and creating and recording music, I occupy myself with giving individual coaching trajectories, workshops and organizing and giving retreats with voice healing work and intuitive music.
 
It is my dream to inspire men and women to be themselves, to seek and give each other support, to feel the peace and love in themselves and to help protect the earth with all its life. I also dream to create a lot more beautiful music on albums and in live concerts!