2017 Workshop Staff

ARNE ANDERDAL (Advanced hardingfele) specializes in the Hardanger fiddle music of two different regional traditions: the music of Hallingdal, the valley where he was born, and the music of Voss in western Norway where he now lives. Arne is an archivist and music instructor at the Ole Bull Academy in Voss, Norway, an institution which offers a 4-year Bachelor of Arts program in traditional music performance. As a practicing and performing artist on the Hardanger fiddle, Arne works mostly with music for dance. He is musical director of the Voss Spelemannslag.

RACHEL ULVIN JENSEN (Intermediate hardingfele) has been playing the classical violin since age four. She is  an active member of the Twin Cities Hardingfelelag and enjoys teaching and playing for dances, concerts and other events. Rachel studied under master fiddler Olav Jørgen Hegge from Valdres, Norway and specializes in the Valdres tradition, but has also studied with Hauk Buen, Leif Rygg, Annbjørg Lien, Vidar Lande, Arne Anderdal, Hakon Asheim, and Tore Bolstad. In 2004, Rachel won a scholarship co-sponsored by the HFAA, to study Hardanger fiddle at the Ole Bull Academy in Voss, Norway. In 2006, the Twin Cities Hardingfelelag made its first trip to Norway to participate in the annual Landskappleik, a competition in dance and Hardanger fiddle. Rachel regularly freelances on both the classical violin and Hardanger fiddle. She was an adjunct Hardanger Fiddle instructor at St. Olaf College in 2011-2012, and has taught previously at the HFAA's summer workshop. In 2007 at the Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis, Rachel appeared as the hardanger fiddler in Robert Bly's adaptation of Peer Gynt. 

VILDE AASLID (Intermediate hardingfele) is an active dance fiddler who specializes in various western Norwegian traditions. In 2015 she participated in the Master Class Hardanger International in Granvin, Norway, studying with Knut Hamre and Frank Rolland. She makes regular fiddle-study trips to Norway; she is also an avid dancer. Vilde has taught previously at the HFAA workshop, and is often found playing for the dance classes there. When not fiddling, she researches and teaches music history at the University of Rhode Island.

SILJE (Dance) was born and raised in Torpo in Hallingdal. She currently lives in Oslo, where she studied musical theater at the Bårdar Academy, graduating in 2014. Since then, she has made a living as a freelance dancer, singer and actor. Alongside musical theater, Silje has specialized in folk singing and dancing. She started learning folk dance when she was 7 years old; her teachers were Gunnlaug Lien Myhr and Martin Myhr. Silje has participated in the Landskappleik for many years; since 2012 she has danced in the A or elite class in the competitions of dance to hardingfele music. Silje has frequently instructed in folk dance In addition to touring in concerts and theater pieces.

EIRIK (Dance) was born and raised in Ål in Hallingdal. He has danced professionally for 12 years and specializes in traditional Norwegian folk dance. He has worked regularly as an actor in children's theater productions. From 2008-10, he trained with the dance company Frikar. He has toured with Frikar in performances of KRUK, The Snuff Grinders and with Alexander Rybak. Eirik is a member of the dance company Kartellet and has recently performed in their show DoPPler. With all of these performances he has danced around Norway including at the Norwegian Opera and at various venues in Europe.