Danish Duo Gangspil

Sonnich Lydom and Kristian Bugge perform an entertaining and varied journey through the traditions of Danish folk music with old dance tunes and long forgotten songs from every corner of their Scandinavian home country.

From rural islands like Læsø to the metropol Copenhagen, including a few of their own compositions. Expect everything from wild polkas and jigs to lyrical waltzes, fiery reels and happy hopsas, plus the exotic “Sønderhoning” dance tunes from the famous Island of Fanø. An unforgettable live experience spiced up with humor and stories from their many years on the road.

They will open the evening with a music workshop.

Workshop — 6 p.m.

Concert — 8 p.m.

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Gangspil have toured intensively and played more than 120 shows in North America since 2015! – as well as a good number in other parts of the world. The group has become a well-known name in trad and folk circles both home in Scandinavia and abroad. In 2016 they received the “Tradition Award” at the Danish Music Awards (Danish Grammy!)

Sonnich (accordion, harmonica, vocal) is a master of Irish, French-Canadian, and especially Danish traditional tunes. During the last 25 years he’s been leading the revival for diatonic accordion and harmonica in the Danish folk music scene. Sonnich holds a special place in his heart for the music from the Western Island of Fanø, where his family is deeply rooted. He is also know from his work with the ULC trio and later quintet. ULC received the Danish Music Award in the category “Folk Album of the year” in both 2001 and 2004.

Kristian (fiddle, vocal) has specialized in the strong Danish folk music traditions. He is very active on the Danish and Scandinavian folk music scene as well as in the rest of Europe and North America, both as a musician and teacher. His debut CD was awarded “Danish debut of the year” and “Danish Folk Instrumental list of the year” at the Danish Music Awards Folk back in 2006. At the same occasion in both 2012 and 2016, Kristian received the award as ”Danish Folk Artist of the Year!”

Both Kristian and Sonnich were amongst the first twelve musicians to receive the ho- norary title ”Danmarks Rigsspillemænd” (National Danish Folk Musicians) in 2014. When they perform together, they will also talk about the traditions from back home, how they learned and how the music lives on today and is part of the famous Danish hygge.

In the workshop they will focus on traditional music from a few of the most famous Danish folk music regions. The duo has been specializing in musical dialects from around the country. Some of the richest areas are small Islands like Læsø and Fanø and the northwestern regions called Thy and Vendsyssel.

The repertoire consist of old dance tunes: whirling walzes, happy polkas, groovy jigs, fiery reels and breathless hopsas, plus the exotic “Sønderhoning” dance tunes from the Island of Fanø, where Sonnich’s family is deeply rooted. As well as some old songs with fun and catchy refrains.

You’ll get some good tunes to take home and some of the spicy stories about musicians, their lives and ways to party. They’ll mainly play by ear, so you may want to bring some simple recording equipment.