Who were Ole Bull, Ole Hendricks, Johan Arndt Mostad, Thea Arndt Clark, Bill Sherburne, Hans Fykerud, Dagny Andrea Quisling, Ellen Blagen, and Elmo Wick? Find out about these Norwegian and Norwegian-American fiddlers, as well as fiddle makers and tune collectors from Norwegian-American communities in the Upper Midwest.
This exhibition includes music made on Hardanger fiddles and flat fiddles, as well as musical styles from Norway and America. It shares stories through artifacts, instruments, photographs, recordings, and video from Vesterheim’s collection, other organizations, and the community.
The project consultant and guest curator for the exhibition is fiddler and music historian Beth Hoven Rotto.
Visitors have the opportunity to connect with the culture and experiences of exceptional, everyday musicians from the recent past to the present. In addition to the exhibit, Vesterheim presents in-person and online events that showcase this unique musical heritage.
Special Events Include:
August 17 – 1:00 p.m.
Gallery Talk with Beth Hoven Rotto
September 13 – 7:00 p.m.
Foot-Notes Dance in Vesterheim Commons
October 4 – 7:00 p.m.
Black Fiddle Lecture and Performance
November 2 – 10:00-11:30 a.m.
Traditional Fiddle Tunes from Agder online Class with Gard Nergard
Register now!
December 7 – During Vesterheim Norwegian Christmas Celebration
Hardanger Fiddle Concert with Eden Ehm and Hardanger Fiddle Making Demonstration with Karen Rebholz
December 2024 – March 2025
Online classes with Beth Hoven Rotto: Lost and Found: Norwegian-American Fiddle Tunes
Register now!
December 15 – Lost and Found: Norwegian-American Fiddle Tunes – Listening to the Past
January 19 – Lost and Found: Norwegian-American Fiddle Tunes – Tunes that Move
February 16 – Lost and Found: Norwegian-American Fiddle Tunes – Building Repertoire
March 16, 2025 – 1:00 p.m.
Fiddlesisters Webinar with Benedicte Maurseth
May 16, 2025
Syttende Mai performance by Vidar Skrede
Find a link here to a recording of the exhibit gallery opening by Beth Hoven Rotto.
The exhibition is supported by a Scandinavian Folk Arts & Cultural Traditions in the Upper Midwest grant from the American Scandinavian Foundation (ASF) and a generous gift to the Vesterheim Annual Fund from Carol Birkland and Tom Woxland, and Peter Dahlen and Mary S. Carlsen.
