This program reaches back to 1702 when a nyckelharpa player from Åland carried their instrument to Sweden and played in the taverns and dance barns. We will also spotlight the journey of Knute Stone, who emigrated from Sweden to South Dakota with his beloved nyckelharpa packed in a custom wooden case; both the instrument and case are now part of the permanent collection of the National Music Museum. This performance features Renee Vaughan on nyckelharpa and Paul Sauey on guitar and cittern.

Renee Vaughan brings Sweden’s folk music to life on the nyckelharpa, weaving centuries of tradition and storytelling into every performance. She’s a longtime performer and a current teaching artist with Minnesota Public Radio's “Class Notes” program and COMPAS. She recently served as Musician-in-Residence at UW-Madison, Center for the Study of Upper Midwestern Cultures (CSUMC), where she explored Nordic music of Swedish immigrants and created the educational resource Nordic Newcomers.

https://www.reneevaughan.com

http://www.nordicnewcomers.com

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Paul Sauey is a musician from Minneapolis, Minnesota, where he has been playing and performing for nearly twenty years. Alongside his classical training on cello, he is one of the preeminent Nordic guitar players in the Midwest, who brings the pure authentic sounds of Nordic music, combining them with American folk inspirations.

The NMM Live! Series is made possible by the USD Student Government Association and the South Dakota Arts Council through the Department of Tourism, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

This program is made possible by the Maud and Mary Adams Memorial Fund.