Daniela Mars goes beyond audiences' assumptions

When most people think of a flute, they might imagine a slender silver instrument, associated with virtuosity and soaring melodies. In Heartweaving, my latest album, the flute is something much more: a deep, resonant voice with rich textures and echoes of memories. This album stretches the perception of what the flute can be – not just in its sonic possibilities but in the way it can tell stories, evoke emotions and connect people.

Each of my albums has been a reflection of a particular phase in my artistic journey, both in what I wanted to express and how I chose to shape that expression through the flute. My 2022 album Intrinsic was all about my connection to nature – I wanted to explore the flute as an instrument of organic expression, that could mirror the textures, fluidity and expansiveness of the natural world. Through a carefully chosen repertoire of works by other composers, I sought to highlight the flute’s ability to evoke landscapes, shifting light and the quiet depth of being immersed in nature. With Reverence for the Moment, I shifted my focus inward, turning to the idea of honouring where we are in our lives – whether in a moment of beauty or challenge. This album was my first step into including my own compositions alongside collaborative pieces, allowing me to explore the idea of presence through both my playing and my writing.

Now, with Heartweaving, that evolution has reached a new stage. For the first time, every piece on the album is my own and the theme of connection takes centre stage – not just with nature or a single moment, but with the people, places and memories that shape who we are. At its core, Heartweaving is about those connections that shape our lives. The journey of the album begins with First Bond – With the Light Giver, which explores the earliest human connection – the bond between mother and child in the womb. The contrabass flute, an instrument rarely heard in classical recordings, forms a sustained chord, while melodies weave around it like an internal dialogue between two beings bound together before birth. From that first connection, the album unfolds as a series of musical explorations of human relationships. Not just relationships to other people but to memories, places, objects and the unseen threads that link us all. It ends with a piece that speaks to the eternal nature of love, how it transcends time, continuing even after death.

©Daniela Mars

To bring this vision to life, collaboration was essential. Some of the most extraordinary moments in the album emerged from working with artists who pushed my compositions in unexpected directions. Barnaby Smith’s countertenor voice in Shimmers I and Shimmers II added a layer of vulnerability and intimacy I hadn’t imagined at first, deepening the piece’s tribute to sibling bonds. His brother, Paul Smith, brought his own sensitivity to the album through the piano, creating another layer of connection – one that mirrors the theme of intertwined relationships running through the music. Christophe Duquesne’s electronic textures in Detaching – Dénouer created an ethereal landscape that mirrors the feeling of releasing something – or someone – while still sensing the echoes of what was left behind. The contrabass flute, often perceived as a purely grounding instrument, becomes both an anchor and a strong presence, guiding the listener through these layers of resonance.

None of this would have been possible without the incredible support I received through crowdfunding. This was my third time turning to my community to help make an album happen and each time, I have been moved by how people not only contribute financially but also engage deeply with the music. This time, I invited backers to commission personal pieces, creating an even more intimate bond between the work and its listeners. The process of crowdfunding is more than just fundraising; it’s a way of making an album with people rather than just for them. That sense of shared purpose and investment in the project fuels the creative process in ways I never expected when I started making records.

©Christophe Manamour

With Heartweaving, I wanted to challenge not only the listener’s perception of the flute but also the idea of what an album can be. It’s not just a collection of pieces – it’s a narrative, an emotional arc that takes the listener from the first moments of life to the idea that love continues beyond the limits of our existence. The album embraces extremes: the deepest, darkest sounds of the contrabass flute contrasted with shimmering high melodies; the intimacy of breath against the instrument juxtaposed with vast, reverberant textures. By pushing the flute beyond its traditional roles, the album expands not just what the instrument can do, but what it can mean.

Ultimately, this album is an invitation – to listen differently, to feel deeply and to recognize the invisible threads that bind us all together. It is my hope that Heartweaving will inspire listeners to hear the flute – and perhaps even their own connections to others – in a new way.

Daniela Mars, a Trevor James Flutes Artist, is a Brazilian flautist, composer and social media persona enjoying a rich artistic life driven by a love of nature and travel. Her latest album, Heartweaving, is available digitally across all major platforms.