SARAH-JANE SUMMERS

TRADITIONAL & EXPERIMENTAL STRINGS / COMPOSITION

"A HOWLING GALE, BRILLIANTLY EVOKED" (THE WIRE)

"DAZZLING FOLK VIRTUOSO" (THE STRAD)

 © Andreas Ulvo

SARAH-JANE SUMMERS

Biog//

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"wild, adventurous & exciting" (The Glasgow Herald)

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Album of the Year 2017(VIRR)

Late Junction BBC Radio 3

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A versatile, free-thinking, impassioned performer, Sarah-Jane's unique style blends the lyricism of traditional music with the emotive rawness of improvisation.

A tradition-bearer of the old Highland style of fiddling, she was taught by the late, great Donald Riddell (1908-1992), who learnt his fiddling from a relative of hers, Alexander Grant of Battangorm (1856-1942). She is now based in Norway and holds a masters degree in Norwegian traditional music and free improvisation from The Norwegian State Academy of Music.

Her unique skills have led her to perform at folk, jazz, rock, contemporary music and noise festivals worldwide with some of the biggest names within the Scottish and Norwegian music scenes, including Norwegian pop band Highasakite. She has also performed and recorded with top Canadian contemporary music string quartet, The Bozzini Quartet and was a founder member of the Scottish chamber folk group, RANT, with whom she recorded two albums.

Her duo with her husband, Juhani Silvola, has earnt rave reviews.  Both of their albums received the prestigious Top of the World status from the world music magazine Songlines:

"magnificent...absolute masters of their instruments" (Songlines)

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VIRR, her album of solo free improvisations on viola and fiddle, was Album of the Year 2017 on Late Junction, BBC Radio 3:

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"a no holds barred collection of free improvisations ... a howling gale, brilliantly evoked ... a fine album" (The Wire)

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"ranging from avant garde classical music over eerie folk to harsh, intense outbursts of free jazz...a unique album" (Merchants of Air)

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"astonishingly creative" (Northern Sky)

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Released on International Women's Day 2018, SOLO saw Sarah-Jane return to her roots and was a highly personal statement:

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"dazzling folk virtuoso" (The Strad)

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5/5 The Scotsman

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Also a composer, Sarah-Jane wrote a New Voices Commission for Celtic Connections 2018, released in 2019:

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"a feast of great music" (The Living Tradition)

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She also wrote the music for Tha Thu Air Aigeann M'Inntinn, the BBC animation about the Iolaire disaster, and has collaborated with the renowned science/arts duo Semiconductor.

© Jenny Berger Myhre

awards, nominations, recognitions//

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SOLO - Album of the Year, The Scots Trad Music Awards 2018 (long list)

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VIRR - Album of the Year list 2017, Late Junction

Widdershins - Album of the Year, The Scots Trad Music Awards 2017 (long list)

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Widdershins (2016) - awarded Top of the World status from Songlines and 5/5 from fRoots.

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Sarah-Jane Summers & Juhani Silvola (2013) - Top of the World status from Songlines

BASIC INFO

where//

Scottish, based in Norway

genres//

traditional Scottish/Norwegian, improvised, experimental

favourite things//

rain, wind, dark chocolate, modern art galleries, cryptic crosswords, Le Petit Prince

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hobbies//

abstract photography, reading dictionaries,

sewing with tweed

websites//

label//

Eighth Nerve Audio

RELEASES

2008-present//

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The Smoky Smirr o Rain - Summers/Silvola (2021)

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The Bare Romantic - HIGHASAKITE (2020)

VINJEFOLK (EP) - Vinjefolk (2019)

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OWERSET - Sarah-Jane Summers (2019)

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KALOPSIA - Sarah-Jane Summers (2019)

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BOZZINI+ - Quatuor Bozzini, S-J Summers etc (2018)

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SOLO - Sarah-Jane Summers (2018)

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VIRR - Sarah-Jane Summers (2017)

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Widdershins - Sarah-Jane Summers & Juhani Silvola (2016)

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Reverie - RANT (2016)

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Sarah-Jane Summers & Juhani Silvola (2013)

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RANT (2013)

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Mala Fama - Summers/Silvola/Kvam(2012)

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Highland Strathspeys for Fiddle (Tuition DVD) (2010)

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Nesta - Sarah-Jane Summers (2008)

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Sarah-Jane also appears on//

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Songen om Guro - Ingebjørg Lognvik Reinholdt (2017)

Strange Flowers - Juhani Silvola (2016)

Eamiritni - Elin Kåven (2016)

Halley - Comet Kid (Sony Music 2015)

Hvis Blikk Kunne Drepe - Johan Jørgensen (2015)

Skog og Ørken - Steinkast (2015)

Gach Sgeul - Julie Fowlis (2014 as part of RANT)

Babylove - Ingrid Håvik (2013)

Maizan - Elin Kåven (2013)

Wyrd - Brend (2012)

Window's A Fall - Sacred Harp (2011)

We Get Along Like A House On Fire - Like Rats From A Sinking Ship (2011)

Happ - Fribo (2010)

The Ha' o' Habrahellia - Fribo (2007)

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WATCH

video//

LIVE PERFORMANCES

2021

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24th Jun - Victoria, National Jazz Scene, Oslo - Motvind - Jonas Cambien Maca Conu

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26th May - Farsund- Burns på Norsk (Å.Nordstoga, Reinholdt, Summers, Silvola, Kvam)

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26th May - Klepp i Rogaland - Burns på Norsk (Å.Nordstoga, Reinholdt, Summers, Silvola, Kvam)

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28th Apr - 2nd May - Germany - Summers/Silvola

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21st Apr - Raulandsakademiet - Summers/Silvola

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9th Apr - St. Croix Huset, Fredrikstad - Burns på Dialekt (Å.Nordstoga, Reinholdt, Summers, Silvola, Kvam)

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8th Apr - Riksscenen, Oslo - Burns på Dialekt (Å.Nordstoga, Reinholdt, Summers, Silvola, Kvam)

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6th Mar - Eden Court Theatre, Inverness Fiddlers Fiddlers' Rally - Summers/Silvola - CANCELLED

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25th Feb - Riksscenen, Oslo - Summers/Silvola

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24th Feb - Folk Unlocked - Summers/Silvola

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2020

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18th Nov - Seljord - with Åsmund Nordstoga/Ingebjørg Lognvik Reinholdt & Summers/Silvola - CANCELLED

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10th Nov - Lyngheimtunet - with Åsmund Nordstoga/Ingebjørg Lognvik Reinholdt & Summers/Silvola - CANCELLED

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9th Nov - Columbi Egg, Bergen - with Åsmund Nordstoga/Ingebjørg Lognvik Reinholdt & Summers/Silvola - CANCELLED

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1st Nov - Moss Kulturhus - with Oslo Kammerorkester & Juhani Silvola - CANCELLED

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29th Oct - Riksscenen, Oslo - with Oslo Kammerorkester & Juhani Silvola

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23rd Oct - Vinjehuset, 3890 Vinje - with Åsmund Nordstoga/Ingebjørg Lognvik Reinholdt & Summers/Silvola

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16th Oct - Victoria, Oslo - with Susanna, Go Dig My Grave

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23rd Sept - Ibsenhuset, Skien - with Åsmund Nordstoga/Ingebjørg Lognvik Reinholdt & Summers/Silvola

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27-29th Aug - Farsund Folk Festival - with Juhani Silvola

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25-31 July - Teaching at Alasdair Fraser's fiddle camp. Sabhal Mór Ostaig, Isle of Skye - CANCELLED

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3rd July -  Motvind - with Jonas Cambien - CANCELLED

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10th June - Nesodden Kirke, Nesodden - with Kelda Quartet - CANCELLED

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13th May - Bærum Kulturhus - Summers/Silvola - CANCELLED

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25th April -  Soddjazz - with Susanna Wallumrød, Go Dig My Grave - CANCELLED

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14-16th Mar - recording with Ricercar Consort, Belgium

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6th Mar - Strømmen Bibliotek - with Kirsti Bakken Kristiansen (Draumkvedet)

14th Feb - Vinterfestalen, Rauland - with Åsmund Nordstoga / Ingebjørg Lognvik Reinholdt

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2nd  Feb - Les Folles Journées, Nantes - with Ricercar Consort & Maria Keohane

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1st  Feb - Les Folles Journées, Nantes - with Ricercar Consort & Maria Keohane

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24th Jan -  Celtic Connections, Mitchell Theatre, Glasgow - with Susanna Wallumrød, Go Dig My Grave

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19th Jan -  Celtic Connections, Mitchell Theatre, Glasgow - Owerset

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18th Jan - Celtic Connections, The Barrowland Ballroom, Glasgow - GRIT Orchestra

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16th Jan - Celtic Connections Opening Concert, Glasgow Royal Concert Hall - GRIT Orchestra

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16th Jan - Celtic Connections School Concert, Glasgow Royal Concert Hall- GRIT Orchestra

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12th Jan - Baroque At The Edge Festival, LSO St. Luke's, London - with Susanna Wallumrød

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2019

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18th Dec - Christmas Concert, Ishavskatedralen, Tromsø - with Harald Bakkeby Moe

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20th July - Vinjerock - with Vinjefolk

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5th July - Førdefestivalen (Teltet utenfor Pikante) - with Juhani Silvola

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4th July - Førdefestivalen (Jølstramuseet) - with Juhani Silvola

3rd July - Førdefestivalen (Gloppen Hotell, Sandane) - with Juhani Silvola

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24th May - Folkemusikkveka i Ål (Jegerstugu, Thon Hotel) - with Vinjefolk

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23rd May - Folkemusikkveka i Ål (Kyrkjekonserten) - with Vinjefolk

16th Mar - Hamar Kulturhus, NO - with Juhani Silvola

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8th Mar - St. Croix Huset, Fredrikstad, NO - Sarah-Jane Summers' Owerset - Owerset release tour

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7th Mar - Riksscenen, Oslo, NO - Sarah-Jane Summers' Owerset - Owerset release tour

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6th Mar - Kafe Hærverk, Oslo, NO - guesting with Hilde Marie Holsen & Magnus Bugge

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12th Feb - Fizzle, The Lamp Tavern, Birmingham, UK - solo - Kalopsia release tour - cancelled

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9th Feb - Frittfall, Oslo, NO - with Hilde Marie Holsen - Kalopsia release tour

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26th Jan - Nonfigurativ Musikk, Tønsberg, NO - solo - Kalopsia release tour

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22nd Jan - Cafe OTO, London, UK - solo - Kalopsia release tour

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21st Jan - Mandagsklubben, Copenhagen, DK - solo - Kalopsia release tour

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2018

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21st Dec - Nesodden Kirke, Nesodden, NO - Kelda's Christmas

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13th Dec - FRIM på Fylkingen, Torkel Knutssonsgatan 2, 118 25 STOCKHOLM, SE - solo - Kalopsia release tour

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3rd Dec - Ni Muser, Trondheim, NO - solo - Kalopsia release tour

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26th Nov - Columbi Egg, Bergen, NO - solo

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25th Nov - Café Sør, Oslo, NO- with Juhani Silvola & Martin Langlie

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18th Nov - The Scots Fiddle Festival, Edinburgh, SCO - with Juhani Silvola

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18th Nov - workshop in advanced technique, The Scots Fiddle Festival, The Pleasance, Edinburgh, SCO

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8th-11th Nov - Folkelarm, Riksscenen, Oslo, NO - solo

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29th Oct-2nd Nov - DKS, Riksscenen, Oslo, NO - with Ingebjørg Lognvik Reinholdt

29th Sep - Musica Divina, Herentals, Belgium - 'Go Dig My Grave' with Susanna Wallumrød, Frode Haltli & Giovanna Pessi

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28th Sep - Handelsbeurs, Ghent, Belgium - 'Go Dig My Grave' with Susanna

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27th Sep - Rich Mix, London, England - 'Go Dig My Grave' with Susanna

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25th Sep - National Concert Hall, Dublin - 'Go Dig My Grave' with Susanna

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23rd Sep - Alte Kirkche, Romanshorn, Switzerland - 'Go Dig My Grave' with Susanna

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21st Sep - Dokkhuset, Trondheim, Norway - 'Go Dig My Grave' with Susanna

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20th Sep - Bergen Kjøtt, Bergen, Norway - 'Go Dig My Grave' with Susanna

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21st Aug - The GRIT Orchestra, Light on the Shore, Edinburgh Playhouse, Edinburgh International Festival, Scotland

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21st Jul - Vinjerock - with Vinjefolk

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8th Jul - House concert, Nesodden, Norway - with Juhani Silvola & Ingeborg Christophersen

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4th Jul - Katrineholm, Ericsberg, Sweden - with Juhani Silvola

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3rd Jul - Eskilstuna, Lagersberg, Sweden - with Juhani Silvola

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24th Jun - Bønsnes Kirke, 3530 Røyse, Norway - with Kelda Quartet

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21st Jun - Biermannsgården, Oslo, Norway - with Hilde Marie Holsen

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2nd Jun - Musikkfest, Schous Kulturbryggeri, Popsenteret, Oslo - with Juhani Silvola & Hans Martin Austestad

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16th May - Business for Peace Awards Ceremony, The City Halls, Oslo

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15th May - The Norwegian Royal Residency, Norway - with Maren Selvaag & Rohey Taalah

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6th Apr - 12.15, Aula, Foajeen i Georg Sverdrups Hus, Oslo University - with Ingebjørg Lognvik Reinholdt

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5th Apr - Klubb Ankaret, Gothenburg, Sweden - with SISKIN Quartet

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8th Mar - Riksscenen, Oslo, Norway - solo - SOLO album launch

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24th Feb - Umeå Festival, Sweden - with SISKIN Quartet

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23rd Feb - Stallet, Stockholm, Sweden - with SISKIN Quartet

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8th Feb - Riksscenen, Oslo, Norway - with SISKIN Quartet

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2nd Feb, 19.30 - Celtic Connections, New Auditorium, Glasgow Royal Concert  Hall - with Juhani Silvola

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28th Jan, 13.00 - Celtic Connections New Voices Commission, Strathclyde Suite, Glasgow Royal Concert Hall

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27th Jan - Celtic Connections, Bothy Culture & Beyond, Grit Orchestra with Danny MacAskill, The SSE Hydro, Glasgow

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17th Jan - Bitches Brew, Traverse Theatre, Glasgow - solo improv set

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2017

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6th-22nd March - Rikskonsertene School Concerts, Norway - with Juhani Silvola

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29th March - Rauland, Norway - with Ingebjørg Lognvik Reinholdt

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7th April  - Le Gésu, Montréal, Canada - with Bozzini Quartet & Monty Adkins, "Water's Edge"

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2nd June - Kulturkirke Jakob, Oslo, Norway - with Solfrid Molland

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3rd June - King's Place, London, UK - 'Vindauga | Wind Eye' with Sam Lee, Unni Løvlid, Andreas Utnem, Erlend Apneseth & Juhani Silvola

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11th June - Oddnose Festival, Nesodden, Norway - with Juhani Silvola

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13th June - Kantorissimo, Nesodden Kirke - A Scottish Ayre - with Ingeborg Christophersen, Gunnar Hauge & Juhani Silvola

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17th June - Nepal Festival, Falun, Sweden - with Juhani Silvola

11th July - Kaustinen Folk Festival, Finland (21.00-22.00, Pelimannitalo) - with Juhani Silvola 

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12th July - Kaustinen Folk Festival, Finland (15.45-16.30, Iholla Hall) - with Juhani Silvola

27th July - Sommarljom 2017 Ørsta, Norway - with Juhani Silvola

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19th Aug - Geiteberg Folk Festival, Norway - with Juhani Silvola

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1st Sept  - Kulturkirke Jakob, Oslo, Norway - with Solfrid Molland

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3rd Sept - 14.00 - Kirkekaffe i Rådhuset, Oslo, Norway - with Solfrid Molland

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3rd Sept - 18.00 - Gallakonsett, Kulturkirke Jakob, Oslo, Norway - with Solfrid Molland

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7th Sept - 20.00 -  Cappelens Forslag, Bernt Ankers gate 4B, 0183 Oslo - VIRR release concert

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15th Sept - Granvin Kulturhus, Seljord - Ingebjørg Lognvik Reinholdt & Summers/Silvola/Kvam

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16th Sept - Hølen Kunstcafe, Kolbotn - Ingebjørg Lognvik Reinholdt & Summers/Silvola/Kvam

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17th Sept - Hellviktangen, Nesodden- Ingebjørg Lognvik Reinhold & Summers/Silvola/Kvam

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22nd Sept - Bellman, Notodden - Ingebjørg Lognvik Reinholdt

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23rd Sept - Verdensteateret, Rjukan - Ingebjørg Lognvik Reinholdt

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24th Sept - Ælvespeilet, Porsgrunn - Ingebjørg Lognvik Reinholdt

27th Sep - Harald Kihle Galleriet, Horten - Ingebjørg Lognvik Reinholdt

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20th Oct - 14.00 - Fagforbundets landsmøte 2017, Oslo Kongressenter, Norway - with Solfrid Molland

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27th Oct - Osafestivalen, Voss, Norway (at 20.00) - with Juhani Silvola

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28th Oct - Osafestivalen, Voss, Norway (at 15.30) - with Juhani Silvola

12th Nov - Tøyen Kirke, Oslo - Ingebjørg Lognvik Reinholdt & Summers/Silvola/Kvam

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18th Nov - Transvocale, Frankfurt a.d. Oder, Germany - with Juhani Silvola

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19th Nov - Westflügel, Syke - with Juhani Silvola

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22nd Nov - Die Fetzerei, Krone Alt-Hoheneck, Ludwigsburg - with Juhani Silvola

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23rd Nov - Jazzaround the World Festival, Puchheim - with Juhani Silvola

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24th Nov - Der Schallplattenmann, Erlangen - with Juhani Silvola

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26th Nov Rupert Folkclub, Nürnberg - with Juhani Silvola

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14th Dec Biermannsgården (solo improv/trad)

RIDER / REVIEWS

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HI-RES PHOTOS

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CONTACT

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