2015 Workshop Staff

TORUNN RAFTEVOLD RUE (Advanced hardingfele) was born in Hornindal, a small village in Sogn and Fjordane in Western Norway. She started playing fiddle at age 9 and hardingfele at age 12, studying with members of the Hornindal spelemannslag. She spent two years in Sunnfjord playing in the Indre Sunnfjord spelemannslag and learning tunes from the well-known Vestland spelemann Sigmund Eikås. A founder (1983) of Honndalstausene, a spelemannslag of seven young women from Hornindal, she was musical leader of the group from 1989-1996 and still performs with them. Torunn now lives in Flatdal in Telemark; since 1997 she has been music leader of the Seljord folkemusikklag. She performs in the trio, “Glima”, and competes in kappleiks both solo and in a duo with Ragnhild Knudsen. She has been a judge for hardingfele in several kappleiks. Torunn has a Master’s Degree in Agriculture and works as a leader for agricultural development in the municipality of Kviteseid in Western Telemark.

LORETTA KELLEY (Intermediate hardingfele) is the foremost American performer on the Hardanger fiddle. In Norway, Loretta is regarded with tremendous respect for her talent, skill, and devotion to their national instrument; she places well in fiddle contests, and accompanies top Norwegian dancers in competitions. Loretta is president of the Hardanger Fiddle Association of America and is much sought-after and respected at Scandinavian music and dance events across the US. In addition to many public performances, Loretta has released five recordings: Dansekveld, AmerikaSpel, Hambo in the Barn (1996) and Hambo in the Snow (2006), (with Andrea Hoag and Charlie Pilzer) and The Berntsons (2007).

JENNIFER ELTON TURBES (Beginning hardingfele) has played the Hardanger fiddle for several years, learning at workshops in Wisconsin and Vermont. She was the beginning hardingfele teacher at the 2010 HFAA Workshop, and previously served as beginner mentor. She currently mentors one of the HFAA 3/4 size Hardanger fiddle loan recipients, and in April 2015 will perform Geirr Tveitt's Three Fjords for Hardanger fiddle and orchestra with Rochester, NY's Cordancia Chamber Orchestra. A violist by trade, Jennifer teaches violin and viola to students of all ages in the Upper Connecticut River Valley in Vermont and New Hampshire.

SARAH NAGELL (Intermediate hardingfele and kveding (Norwegian traditional singing)), from Tempe, Arizona, lives in Sollia in Østerdalen, Norway where she is the principal of the local elementary school and also teaches music, English and art. In addition, she plays hardingfele for weddings, parties and concerts and gives workshops in traditional Norwegian fiddling, singing and dancing. Sarah started playing hardingfele while studying with Dr. Andrea Een at St. Olaf College in Minnesota and has played in the Lars Skjervheim Spelemannslag, the Boston Spelemannslag, and Falkeriset Folkemusikklag. She received a Master's degree in Contemporary Improvisation (voice and fiddle) at New England Conservatory of Music in Boston and a Master’s degree in Traditional Arts (voice and Hardanger fiddle) from Telemark University College in Rauland, Norway.

RANVEIG BAKKA (Dance), from Jondalen in Telemark, started dancing at the age of 8 with Karin Brennesvik as her first teacher. Ranveig is a Class A dancer in Telemark dance and Rorøs pols. In 2010 she and her cousin, Tom Løvli, won the Landskappleik for their beautiful Telespringar dance. An acclaimed teacher in Norway, Ranveig received rave reviews in the US for her teaching at Nordic Fiddles & Feet camp in 2012 and at the HFAA annual workshop in 2013. Among her other achievements is two years of performing as a Norwegian folk dancer at Epcot Center at Disney World. The HFAA is thrilled to welcome Ranveig back to our workshop this year.

OLE ARNFINN HAGEN (Dance), who lives in Notodden and works in Sauherad in Telemark, has been active as a folk dancer and singer for nearly 40 years. He has taken part in many Landskappleiks where he has placed No. 2 in kveding and various levels in dance. An outstanding and witty performer, Ole Arnfinn was a folk dancer and singer at Epcot Center/Disney World in Florida in 1989/90. He has also taught dance in schools in Norway. He is looking forward to meeting all the "danseglade" (dance-happy) folk at HFAA!