We asked Rachel Panitch, who will play in the SCC’s “Fika” Sound Series next weekend, to give us a “teaser” about her upcoming fiddle performance with David Kaynor. Learn a bit about Rachel and David here, and join us next Saturday to hear their duo… nothing goes better with coffee and Swedish pastry than the sounds of the fiddle!
When I met David Kaynor in 2002, I was a Classically-trained violinist just starting college. The summer before college, I played a weekly “gig” at the corner ice cream store with a guitar-strumming friend. We had started pulling in fiddle tunes because we needed more repertoire, but I was definitely playing these fiddle tunes in the style of a Classical violinist.
Some traditional fiddle players are annoyed when Classical players try to play ‘their music.’ They reject the idea that someone could learn to play with a fiddling sound, if they’ve learned with Classical technique first. But not David. He has a history of encouraging and mentoring young Classical players who have an interest in fiddling. And that’s what he did with me.
After the first workshop I attended of his, he gave me a CD of his Greenfield Dance Band. I soaked in the whole thing when I got home — learning every melody and transition, until I had the beginnings of my own fiddling repertoire to build on. I imitated the sounds as closely as I could — and even in doing this, the very beginnings my own fiddling style began to emerge.
Soon, my college boyfriend and I were making spring break trips to Montague, Massachusetts, to dance to, jam with, and learn from David Kaynor’s fiddling. My favorite anecdote that I tell my own students has to do with the joy that David passes along from really “getting into” a tune. After many times through a tune he’s taught, when the group has finally learned it, he’s been known to yell “12 more times!” in a way that makes it feel like we’re not just practicing an exercise — we’re really making music together.
I look forward to making music at the SCC’s Fika Sound Series with a focus on David’s Swedish fiddling heritage and knowledge that he has shared with me, and will be sharing with our audience. It is always magical to perform with someone when there is mutual musical admiration of each other. We’re both looking forward to November 22nd!
The Fika Sound Series is presented with support from the Barbro Oscher Pro Suecia Foundation.
The SCC is a proud participant in the City of Newton’s Festival of the Arts planned for this coming spring. We plan to showcase an interactive multimedia installation featuring the felted sculpture of Swedish fiber artist Anna “Kristina” Goransson and the music of American Swedophile/percussionist Maria Finkelemeier.
The plan is an interactive multimedia installation inspired by the sights and sounds of summer in Sweden.
Save the date! Our event is planned for Thursday, May 7th with a reception planned for 5:30-7:30 and a performance at 7pm.
Here is a blog post penned by Maria after she and Kristina had an initial meeting to discuss their project…
Sound + visual art, where to begin?
Meeting with Kristina for fika to brainstorm the vision for our 2015 collaboration at the Scandinavian Cultural Center has been a blast! It’s always great to sit down with another artist and learn about their creative process – what sets an idea into motion? How do you make choices? How do you balance it all, and what is your timeline?
At the time of our meeting, we had each just returned from trips to Sweden, and began by recalling our experiences. I was very inspired by Kristina’s description of her adventure – she described an undercurrent of a “buzz” in the air paired with the overwhelming sense of calm. After a long conversation about the endless days and bathing in the crisp water, it was clear that we both were inspired by the contrast between the energy that the nature in Sweden emulates, paired with the serenity that the people embody. It was obvious that we both longed to spend more time in a place that we love!
To create our collaborative piece in the spring of 2015, Kristina and I will explore this duality – buzz vs. calm – chill vs. warmth – energy vs. tranquility. Through my music, I will start experimenting with contrasting timbres by using a range of mallets, or various instruments that complement each other. I am very excited that Kristina often uses one bold color paired with white in her work – this lends itself to very vibrant imagery that will drive my compositions. We will use both live and recorded music, and get together often in the new year to share each other’s work. For now, we are staring at pictures of our summer adventures and imagining what our project will both LOOK and SOUND like.
Stay tuned for more from Maria and Kristina as their ideas germinate, and we hope you’ll join us in May to see the final product!
Check out this recording of “900 Miles” featuring Anna-Frida Abrahamsson and her quartet from A Nordic Valentine, a concert presented here in the Nordic Hall on Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 11th!
On Friday I had the pleasure of visiting Scandinavia House on Park Avenue in New York City.
Established in 2000, its ground floor entrance opens into restaurant Smorgås Chef and a shop stocked with a variety of products from chocolate and candy to clothes and books, showcasing Nordic brands such as Marimekko and Tretorn and icons such as Pippi and Dala horses.
The Cultural Center is thrilled to have a new website to share its events and activities, and we look forward to using our new blog to share behind-the-scenes stories of our activities. Stay tuned…
