2023 Schedule

ART BJORNGJELD

Art has been a well known Scandinavian musician in the Twin Cities for over thirty years. Art has played Bluegrass but added Scandinavian music in 1980 after another Scandinavian introduced him to the music. Art comes from a family of musicians that made their home in North Dakota from Norway. Art was born in the Twin Cities. He plays with other Scandinavian

ROSS SUTTER

Ross Sutter is an American musician of 3rd generation Swedish heritage who lives in
Minneapolis and performs at festivals and schools all over the United States. He learned many of his songs from his family, particularly his grandmother, and has also spent time in Sweden collecting music, songs and dances, and meeting and learning from many different Swedish singers.

ASI CLOUDBERRIES

The Swedish women’s director – Carolyn Spargo – and Margareta Beyer co-founded the ASI Cloudberries in 2004. They are a member of the American Union of Swedish Singers (AUSS). The chorus has sung in Illinois, Wisconsin, Portland, and Connecticut along with events in Minnesota. The majority of the songs are sung in Swedish.

ASI MALE CHORUS

The ASI Male Chorus began in 1936 to preserve Swedish heritage. They are members of the American Union of Swedish Singers (AUSS). The chorus has sung internationally, nationally, and around Minnesota.

ASI SPELMANSLAG

The ASI Spelmanslag is the fiddling group of the American Swedish Institute in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play the traditional folk music of Sweden, primarily from the region of Dalarna. Repertoire includes traditional dance tunes such as waltzes, schottisches, and polskas. The ASI Spelmanslag, organized in 1985 with a dozen players, grew out of fiddle classes Paul Dahlin taught at the American Swedish Institute. The group has played nationally and in Sweden.

FINN HALL

Based in Minneapolis, award-winning Finn Hall recreates the feel and sounds of the historic Finnish-American dance halls for local dancers offering waltz, polka, schottische, mazurka, tango, humppa and other dances. Along with dance venues, they also perform in concert settings where they add listening selections for the pleasure of the audience. Finn Hall has been performing for more than 20 years. Finn Hall tours throughout the mid-western United States, and occasionally to both the east and Their repertoire includes Finnish couples dances such as waltzes, polkas, humppa, jenkka, mazurkka, and hambo, as well as lively group dances for all
ages to enjoy. west coasts for dances and concerts. They have also toured internationally.

KEYED DUO

Keyed Duo plays traditional Swedish folk music on the nyckelharpa or keyed fiddle that has been played for more than 600 years, in Sweden. The two musicians in this group are Elise Peters and Renee Vaughn. Besides playing together, Elise and Renee are active in the Swedish community involved with other music and dance groups.

KISARIT FINNISH FOLKDANCERS

AFinnish American Folk Dancers, located in the Twin Cities of Minnesota, continues to promote Finnish culture in America since 1972. They have promoted awareness and appreciation of the Finnish culture in America through Finnish folk dance and music.

LAULUAIKA

Lauluaika, Finnish for “Song Time”,is a group of musicians who share
a passion for singing and playing Finnish folk tunes for audiences who enjoy listening or dancing. Their repertoire includes Finnish couples dances such as waltzes, polkas, humppa jenkka, mazurkka, and hambo, as well as lively group dances for all ages to enjoy.

NORTH STAR NORDIC DANCERS

The North Star Nordic Dancers perform village dances from Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Denmark to live music performed on the fiddle, guitar, nyckelharpa (Swedish key fiddle), hardingfele (Norwegian Hardanger fiddle), and mouth harp. We wear traditional folk costumes from Sweden, Norway, and Finland.

NYA DUVEMÅLA FOLKMUSIKLAG

Nya Duvemåla Folkmusiklag was formed in 2021 by a group of musicians who love to play music, especially Swedish folk music. They want to share this beautiful music and keep the traditions alive. The group consists of violin, nyckelharpa, mandolin, guitar, accordion and bass violin. They are also known as the “Karl Oskar House Band.”

TJÄRNBLOM

Tjärnblom, Swedish for “woodland lake flower”, is a Scandinavian-style string band featuring a beautiful blend of Nyckelharpa, Octave Mandolin, Harmonium and Cello. They travel a modern “Snoose Boulevard Highway” in a musical journey, and play a repertoire of both old and new Swedish, Finnish, and Minnesota tunes for dancing and for listening. They’ve performed across the state of Minnesota, and have appeared on Minnesota Public Radio’s A Prairie Home Companion show. The name Tjärnblom is in honor of the Swedish grandfather of one of the band members.

TWIN CITIES HARDINGFELELAG

Twin Cities Hardingfelelag (Hardanger Fiddle Group) is dedicated to the performance of traditional hardanger fiddle music. The group provides dance music at Scandinavian events around the Twin Cities and in outstate MN. The hardanger fiddle is the national folk instrument of Norway. It is ornately decorated with pen and ink designs called rosing and inlaid mother-of-pearl. The hardanger fiddle is like a violin, with an additional four or five sympathetic strings that run underneath the fingerboard. These add a unique droning sound when the top primary strings are bowed. The members of the group wear bunad, Norwegian folk costume,
with each bunad coming from a particular area of Norway.

TWIN CITIES NYCKELHARPALAG

The Twin Cities Nyckelharpalag (Key Fiddle Group) was formed in 1998 to practice and perform Swedish folk music. Their repertoire is drawn mostly from folk tunes in Uppland, Sweden, where the nyckelharpa tradition has its roots. Whether leading a procession, playing for dancing, performing in concert or providing focus for special events, the TC Nyckelharpalag enthusiastically carries on Swedish traditions through music. In performance members of the group wear folk-dräkt, folk costumes modeled after clothing worn on special occasions in the 19th century.

VASA JUNIOR FOLKDANCERS

The Vasa Junior Folkdancers was formed in 1927 through the Vasa Order of America in MN. Vasa is a fraternal, cultural and educational organization that began in 1896 and named after Gustav Vasa, 16 century king of Sweden. The dancers are 3-18 years old and practice at the American Swedish Institute.

VÄRSK SPELMÄN

Värsk Spelmän has been performing since 1999. Original members are Carolyn
Spargo, Antonio Spargo, Annika Eriksson, and Thomas Spargo. The name Värsk is the name of the farm that Carolyn’s father Ragnar was born at in Western Dalarna,
Sweden. The family has played nationally and several times onstage in Norrland and
Dalarna. Frances Olson and Julie Anderson also play with Värsk.

OK THEN

Ok Then keeps the Danish folk music alive. Their music is so upbeat, your feet can’t stay still. Ok Then can lead you in dance as they play.

MC – Tom Sullivan

Tom Sullivan plays guitar in the Nordic community. Tom, along with his wife Kristi
participate in the Twin Cities Nyckelharpalag and the Nya Duvemåla Folkmusiklag.

MC – THOMAS SPARGO

Thomas has had Swedish folk music surround him his whole life. As a three year old, he picked up the fiddle and played as his mother, brother, and sister did. As he grew, the guitar became his passion. His family started a family Swedish folk group where Tom plays the guitar. He has played with the youth and adult ASI Spelmanslag. Thomas has continued to play Swedish Folk, Classical Music, and Video Game Music on his guitar and accordion. He is also the designer of the Nordic Music Festivals posters and t-shirts.