Jolanda Giardiello

​​​Jolanda was born in Switzerland, but her roots are in southern Italy.

​

She attended a Swiss-Italian art and language high school (Liceo Artistico), where she took her first steps in music with the saxophone. A few years later, she added the flute. Today, she is a multinstrumentalist, working with a diverse range of instruments across different musical styles and traditions.

​

During her studies in musicology and ethnomusicology at the University of Zurich, she discovered her passion for Bossa Nova and Brazilian culture. She subsequently learned Portuguese and went on to study Portuguese literature and linguistics.

​

Having grown up in a multicultural environment, Jolanda developed an early fascination with languages and other cultures. Today, she speaks and communicates in eight languages.

​

Alongside her studies, Jolanda taught saxophone and flute at several youth music schools and led singing workshops for adults.

​

At the same time, she immersed herself in Brazilian culture and music, with a particular focus on Brazilian singing styles and rhythms. She also drew inspiration from experiences in Brazil itself. Numerous performances with her band project followed, ranging from private events to renowned clubs and cultural centers. Over time, she began incorporating Brazilian percussion instruments such as the rebolo and pandeiro into her projects, developing her skills through workshops, self-study, and jam sessions with friends.

​​

Jolanda also composes and arranges instrumental music for a variety of instruments and musical ensembles. As a songwriter, she writes in several languages. She is a self-taught acoustic guitarist and enjoys accompanying herself while singing songs from the Bossa Nova, MPB, and World Music repertoire. To further expand her musical knowledge and skills, she is currently studying classical piano.

​

Jolanda is also a photographer. In her works she integrates as well her poetry,  her drawings, her handcrafts and art performances, exhibiting principally in Switzerland and in France (more under the menu gallery and slow art).

​