Photo: Kaupo Kikaks

Estonian saxophonist and composer Maria Faust has received the prestigious Annual Award of the German Record Critics’ Association (Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik) for her album Sacrum Facere: Marches Rewound and Rewritten. The award, one of the most significant honours in the European music scene, has been presented annually since 1963. Faust is the first Estonian artist to receive this
distinguished recognition.

Commenting on Faust’s win, the jury stated: “In 2014, Estonian saxophonist Maria Faust founded the ensemble Sacrum Facere, which for years has played against violence and tyranny – a mission continued on the award-winning album. We have not heard marches like these since Mauricio Kagel’s Ten Marches to Miss Victory. The album Marches Rewound and Rewritten delivers a powerful, multilayered message. Let us listen to it!”
Maria Faust considers the annual award a great honour and believes that, as an artist, it is her responsibility to address uncomfortable topics through music. “I am deeply grateful that my music and its message have been recognised and discovered among an enormous number of albums by the world’s top musicians. I hope that through the Schallplattenkritik Award, my music will reach a wider audience.”

The Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik (PdSK) brings together music critics and journalists from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland to recognise outstanding musical and spoken-word achievements. Independence is paramount in the awarding process – the prize is entirely free from the influence of the music industry or commercial interests. In total, 32 specialised juries, each consisting of five members, cover all musical genres. The annual awards are presented to only ten exceptional artists whose work stands out for its artistic excellence and social significance. Laureates are granted the right to use the “German Record Critics’ Award” quality label – a mark of distinction for the highest
artistic standards and meaningful creative expression.

Maria Faust (b. 1979) is an Estonian-born, Copenhagen-based composer an saxophonist whose work is characterised by profound social and political themes. Her ensemble Sacrum Facere was founded in 2014 as a platform for exploring musical and philosophical ideas. On the album Marches Rewound and Rewritten, Faust turns the very symbol of marching on its head – slowing down and rewriting the propaganda
music of dictatorial regimes to expose the underlying hierarchies of violence, transforming it into a manifesto of freedom. In earlier Sacrum Facere albums – Sacrum Facere and Organ – Faust examined the role of women in society and feminine identity. The new album focuses on the cycles of war and violence – both within the home and between nations. As Faust herself has said, “An artist is given a voice, and it is their duty to use it.”