Amy Hakanson

Amy Hakanson was introduced to Swedish folk music and the nyckelharpa in 2008, In 2014 she purchased a nyckelharpa, later that same year, Amy was accepted to the Eric Sahlström Institute in Tobo, Sweden. There she studied traditional Swedish nyckelharpa with various tradition bearers, most notably mentored by Olov Johansson, the nyckelharpa player of the band Väsen. Amy is trained in classical violin but also grew up immersed in American roots music, playing bluegrass fiddle with her family band. She also plays a wide variety of traditional instruments including Norwegian Hardanger fiddle, guitar, and banjo. She now has a bachelor’s degree in ethnomusicology from Portland State University. She is interested in exploring ways to incorporate her varied musical background, education, and interests with traditional Scandinavian folk music. Amy performs regularly with her Nordic fusion band Varelse in addition to playing solo for Scandinavian events, teaching workshops, writing and performing string arrangements for studio recordings, and gigging with local bands in Portland. You can reach Amy at: amyhakansonmusic@gmail.com and www.amyhakanson.com