Swedish musicians April 17

Nisswa-stämman Scandinavian Folk Music Festival and The Center for Lifelong Learning are proud to present a “pre-Nisswa-stämman” Swedish folk music concert at 7 p.m. on April 17, in the Music Recital Hall at Central Lakes College in Brainerd. Ellinor Fritz on violin and Leonor Palazzo on cello are guest performers at this event, which includes a free-will offering at the door. All proceeds go to the artists. Coffee and snacks will be served after the performance.

Ellinor Fritz and Leonor Palazzo met at the Academy of Music and Drama in Goteborg, Sweden, from which they graduated. After many years playing together in the Swedish folk group Kurbitz, they decided to explore the essence of traditional Swedish music as a duo. Fiddle and cello share a common sensitivity for the incredibly rich musical landscape of Dalarna, Sweden, where the Sister City of Brainerd – Leksand – is located.

Ellinor Fritz is a young Riksspelman (National Fiddler of Sweden) from Dalarna. She has toured Europe and China both as a soloist and as a member of the bands Kurbitz and Lü Xing. She works as a freelance musician and teacher of folk music.

Belgo-Argentinian cellist Leonor Palazzo inherited a deep interest in baroque music from her mother, harpsichordist Paule Van den Driessch. She earned her master’s in cello at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels in 2009. She then decided to broaden her horizons by discovering traditional Swedish music and she embarked on a year-long course at the Academy of Music and Drama of Goteborg under famous folk musician, Hans Kennemark.

She is now living in Goteborg, the beautiful second largest city in Sweden, located on the southwest coast. With the Nordic band Kurbitz, she and three fellow students played concerts in Europe, including a performance at the Royal Palace in Stockholm. Leonor also has a special interest in dancing and loves to dance and play for dancing as well.

For more about Ellinor and Leonor go to http://ellinorleonor.bandcamp.com

 For information about the performance call Paul Wilson at (218) 764-2994, or Bill Brekken at (218) 855-8146. For specific information on location of the Recital Hall, call the general college number, (218) 855-8000 or 800-933-0346, or download a college map at http://www.clcmn.edu/general/maps/BrainerdCampusMaps/BrainerdmapLarge.pdf

The 13^th Nisswa‑stämman Scandinavian Folk Music Festival is set for June 8 and 9. The Saturday line-up has more than 100 musicians on three stages, two dance floors with free instruction, a children’s activity tent, and great Scandinavian food under the Norway pines of the Nisswa Pioneer Village. For information email Wilson at pwilson@brainerd.net or go to

http://www.nisswastamman.org/