Jennifer Eriksson
Jennifer Eriksson completed her initial musical studies at the Sydney Conservatorium then moved to The Netherlands for three years to undertake viola da gamba tuition with Jaap ter Linden at Rotterdam Conservatorium.
She founded The Marais Project in 2000 and directed Musica Viva in Schools ensembles for thirty plus years appearing in some 3,000 concerts across urban, rural and remote Australia. Jenny has recorded eleven albums and commissioned more than thirty works for viola da gamba and electric viola da gamba. Alongside her early music passion, she collaborates with a broad range of early, folk, and jazz musicians and plays regularly with the improvising string group, Inlay Ensemble.
She has performed in Sweden, Norway, Singapore, The Netherlands, Germany, New Zealand, Canada, and New Caledonia. Jenny is Australia’s only electric viola da gambist and leads the electric viola da gamba band, Elysian Fields. In 2025 Jenny was appointed to the Musica Viva Australia National Members Council.
Jennifer Eriksson is featured on the following titles
Two
Two brings together the nationally renowned talents of Marais Project founding members, Jennifer Eriksson, viola da gamba, and Tommie Andersson, gallichon, theorbo and baroque guitar, in a seldom heard way. Each plays alternate brackets of solos on their respective instruments before embarking on a joint performance of a splendid suite by Marin Marais.
Performing as The Marais Project
The Marais Project is a celebration of music for the viola da gamba inspired by Marin Marais, the great French virtuoso viola da gamba performer and composer. Formed by Jennifer Eriksson in 2000, the ensemble’s original aim was to perform the complete viola da gamba works of Marais – a monumental task which is more than 85% complete.
Nordic Moods & Baroque Echoes
This recording is a collaboration between Duo Langborn/Wendel & The Marais Project. It is a blend baroque music, original compositions and arrangements, as well as folk music from both Australia and Sweden.
Australian Monody
The Marais Project is joined by international countertenor, Russell Harcourt, in a brilliant collection of largely Australian songs and instrumental works exploring light and darkness, love and loss.
Composer
The Garden Party
The Marais Project’s latest offering, The Garden Party, has a festive anniversary flavour and includes several world premieres, not the least of which is the Eriksson-penned title track.
Composer
Spinning Forth
The title of this CD is suggestive of the music yet to come. The album draws together several threads implicit in Marais' purpose and their Swedish roots. At the core remains the Viol de Gamba music of the French baroque, but also newly commissioned Australian compositions - spinning forth in new directions.
Lady Sings the Viol
The concept behind "Lady Sings the Viol" was to create a CD of "covers" of popular tunes. Five very different singers individually and collectively perform songs from 1300 to the present day including music by Piaf, John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin's bassist), Schubert and Australian composer Elena Kats-Chernin.
Love Reconciled
Representing a landmark in the maturity of early music performance in Australia, The Marais Project presents "Love Reconciled", a recording to play often and savor deeply.
Performing as Elysian Fields
Elysian Fields, Australia’s only electric viola da gamba ensemble, was formed by Jenny Eriksson, Matt Keegan and Matt McMahon in 2015. The band is an ongoing experiment in creating new improvised and composed repertoire for the electric viola da gamba – of which Eriksson is believed to be the only Australian exponent.
Fika
FIKA is the latest recording from crossover ensemble Elysian Fields: beautiful music that plays and sings to the gathering of friends with food and fine conversation!
What should I say
Elysian Fields is Australia’s only electric viola da gamba band, heralding the creation of a new and unique musical voice. Elysian Fields is the brainchild of viola da gambist, Jenny Eriksson, and leading jazz musicians, Matt Keegan, saxophones, and Matt McMahon, piano.
Performing as Evergreen Ensemble
Evergreen Ensemble is where art music and folk music meet. It features four female musicians from Melbourne, Sydney and Geelong.
Snow in summer
During the 18th Century, in Scotland, folk songs were regularly performed alongside Corelli and Vivaldi with no notion of one style being greater than the other. Likewise, within the 13 tracks of "Snow in Summer", alongside 18th century sonatas you’ll hear arrangements of folk songs: sparse, ambient string textures, plucked notes resonating like stars in a clear nights sky, and a voice soaring high above.