Album Notes

Named after a butterfly, musical storytelling duo Sarah Longwing's unique style brings the Norwegian experience to life with a North American perspective through traditional folktales and music as well as contemporary stories and lyrics. This musical storytelling is in a comprehensible mixture of languages (mainly English, Norwegian, and Swedish) and the instrumental music is played on traditional Norwegian folk instruments (the 8-stringed Hardanger fiddle, the Setesdalsfele (a cross between a Hardanger fiddle and a violin, which was made by Sarah Granskou), the seljefløyte (willow flute), and the munnharpe (Norwegian-made jaw harp). Performances and workshops include Norwegian singing, dancing, aspects of Norwegian history, musical improvisation, and acting/storytelling.

Sarah Granskou, is a modern ‘scald’ (Nordic bard), and makes this exotic Norwegian music accessible here and now. By living amongst the people, she has grown deep roots and outreaching branches in the ancient traditions of her Norwegian and Sami heritage, having learned to sing and compose in the tongues of her ancestors and to play and carve the Hardanger fiddle. While Sarah draws on ancient art forms, her original recitations, translations and lyrics relate to a contemporary North American audience. Sarah’s mixed-language oral works have been aired on national radio and television channels in both Canada and Norway. She has toured internationally, covering 11 states and provinces, and has performed solo extensively for all ages at schools, community venues and countless festivals, including Høstfest, the Yukon International Storytelling Festival, the Edmonton Heritage Festival, Hillside Festival, the Trondheim Literature Festival.

Fiddler and singer, Sarah Nagell, is an internationally touring folk musician specializing in traditional Norwegian singing and fiddling on both the Norwegian 8-stringed Hardanger fiddle and the vanleg fele, or violin. Her formal education includes a Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance from St. Olaf College and a Master of Music degree in Contemporary Improvisation from the New England Conservatory of Music. Nagell has also received vocal, fiddle and dance instruction at the Høgskolen i Telemark (Telemark University College) in Rauland, Norway. While there, she competed and played for dance in several folk music festivals, including the annual national competition, Landskappleiken.