North American Contacts, Arranged by Region The following is a list of Hardanger fiddle teachers, performers and spelemannslaga (fiddling groups) interested in coming into contact with potential students, fellow musicians, workshop and concert organizers, dance groups, and others. The players listed are HFAA members variously experienced in teaching, performing, and playing for dance, among many other things. The list is for public use, with the intention of providing a resource with which to contact players and groups who are interested in sharing their music and their experience. The teachers and performers in this list have provided contact
information, internet links to further information about their
activities as fiddlers, and short biographies for the perusal of
visitors to this site. The list is organized by region. Within
each region, fiddlers are listed in alphabetical order, and spelemannslaga
are listed at
the end of the region. MIDWESTERN U.S. Karin Loberg Code
Inna Larsen has played violin since 1980 and the Hardanger fiddle since 1993, studying with Norwegian and American teachers at the HFAA annual workshop. Her repertoire consists of tunes from all over Norway, and she performs at various Scandinavian events in Madison and Southern Wisconsin. Since 2000, Inna has taught several beginning students the fundamentals of Hardanger fiddle playing and founded Fykerud’n Spelemannslag, a group that meets monthly. Her goal is to have an active Hardanger fiddler presence in the Madison area.
Julane Lund has played Norwegian-American fiddle music from her youth, having learned from her grandfather, and she has a Bachelor’s degree and a Master’s degree in traditional fiddling from Telemark University College (Rauland campus), in Norway. Julane plays bygdedans from Setesdal and Telemark on the Hardanger fiddle, and she also plays music from various areas of Norway on the conventional violin (many tunes are from Trøndelag). Her expertise is in Norwegian-American old-time fiddling, of which both the conventional fiddle and Hardanger fiddle have been used. Besides fiddling, she often sing songs in Norwegian at my concerts. Julane is interested in striking up collaborative musical projects with musicians who play Scandinavian and Scandinavian-American music.
Karen Torkelson Solgård began playing the old family fiddle in the 1970s. Since then, she has been an active member and leader with HFAA. She studied Vestland style with Dr. Andrea Een, Valdres tradition with Olav Jørgen Hegge, and Telemark tradition with several masters including Tarjei Romtveit, Alf Tveit, Hauk Buen, and Vidar Lande. She has been a regular instructor at HFAA annual workshops since 1997 and has served as its fiddle teaching coordinator. Karen performs around the United States and gives workshops to fiddlers and school children. She also is a regular dance fiddler at the local Scandinavian dances.
Laurie Hart Laurie Hart teaches Hardanger fiddle and regular fiddle in private lessons and classes, with a focus on Norwegian or Swedish music. She has been on staff, teaching these traditions and playing for dance classes, at the Ashokan Northern Week and the Dance Flurry events in New York. Laurie plays Hardanger fiddle for dancing a variety of Norwegian gammaldans and bygdedans traditions, especially Telemark and Vestland tunes, but some Valdres, Setesdal and Hallingdal tunes as well.
Petra Kirstein has been playing the Hardanger fiddle for 5 years, and she loves to play for dancing! Petra plays a set each week for the Scandia New York dance in Manhattan. She plays mostly Telemark dances and Valdres springars, as well as some Hallingspringar and Setesdal gangar. Petra also enjoys playing for weddings or any other kind of party.
Dan Trueman ______________________ Toby Weinberg MID-ATLANTIC U.S. Loretta Kelley Takoma Park, MD (Washington, DC area) Contact: 301-270-4925, lorettakelley (at) fanitull (dot) org www.fanitull.org Loretta Kelley has performed and taught hardingfele for over 20 years both in the US and Norway. Her particular expertise is Telemark springar and gangar, but she plays and teaches all hardingfele traditions. She gives private and group lessons and plays for dances, weddings, concerts and many other types of events. ______________________ WESTERN U.S. Bill Boyd Seattle, WA Contact: 206-784-4783, hfele (at) aol (dot) com www.facebook.com/william.boyd Began to play hardingfele in 1983, and joined HFAA that year. Play regularly in the Seattle area for the Seattle Norwegian dance group Leikarringen, for public dances, and for other occasions ranging from weddings to public events. Have had multiple opportunities over the years to learn from Norwegian fiddlers, including at the HFAA sponsored summer meetings. Also play fiddle and keyboards with the Seattle Scandinavian group Hale Bill and the Bopps (www.myspace.com/halebillandthebopps ). ________________________ CANADA Laura Ellestad Laura Ellestad plays bygdedans tunes from the Hardanger fiddle tradition from Valdres, and she also plays some tunes from other areas such as Voss, Hardanger, Hallingdal and Telemark. Laura has studied the Hardanger fiddle independently in Norway, mainly with Tore Bolstad, and also with Henning Andersen, Trygve Bolstad, Leif Rygg, Håkon Asheim, Arne Anderdal, and others. She has taught Hardanger fiddle at the annual Scandinavian Folk Music and Dance workshop in Calgary, Alberta. Laura greatly enjoys playing for dancing, and she is also interested in participating in concerts and workshops, as well as in collaborating with other musicians.
last updated: October 2009 |
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the Norwegian
Hardanger fiddle
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