Join us in Duluth on June 13th & 14th for Duluth-stämman 2025, a wonderful weekend of music, dance, learning, and community. A tradition that originated in Sweden, a stämma gathers musicians and dancers together to celebrate their tradition! This is an all-inclusive event that is designed to be family friendly and widely open to the public!

Ann Streufert & Beth Rotto

Ann Streufert and Beth Hoven Rotto have been arranging and playing their favorite Scandinavian tunes on twin fiddles for over 30 years. They feel that making music with each other is truly “playing.” They have performed at Nisswa-Stamman many times and have worked on numerous music projects together. Since 2008, they have led the Burning Bright Fiddlers, an ensemble of all ages who offer a medley of Scandinavian tunes at an annual holiday benefit concert.

ASI Lilla Lag

The Lilla spelmanslag is a youth fiddle/cello folkmusic group made up of young musicians ages 8 through 18. We learn traditional Swedish folkmusic, for example walzes, schottis, and polskas. We welcome new members. In 2022 we traveled to Sweden to connect with three youth folk music groups in three different parts of Sweden and attended a folk music festival and a fiddle camp. We learn by ear with the help of rehearsals and on-line recordings.

ASI Spelmanslag

The ASI Spelmanslag, or ‘fiddler’s team’ plays traditional Swedish folk music. Founded in 1985 by Paul Dahlin, the group’s repertoire centers around Dalarna, but has grown to include new and old tunes from many parts of Sweden.

Button Boxers

Feleboks

Feleboks is Mia Burgstede on two row accordion and Jim Bannon on hardingfele and fiddle. They play tunes old and new from Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland and beyond. Both Mia and Jim are dancers as well as musicians and strive to play music that they themselves would love to dance to. Feleboks hopes to find the places where traditions overlap and explore the interplay of the drone of the Fele and the pulse of the Boks.

Fyra

Minneapolis-based Nordic folk quartet, Fyra, showcases works connected to women musicians like Finland’s Maria Helena Spoof, Sweden’s Ida Gustafsson, and Norway’s Ingunn Bjørgo. Fyra was created by Renee Vaughan (nyckelharpa), the ensemble includes Renee, Sarah Pradt (Hardanger fiddle) Erin Walsh (cello) and Laura MacKenzie (wooden flutes, säckpipa).

Hütenänny

Hütenänny was formed in 2007 by a group of friends that play regularly in the Northern Roots Session in Northfield, Minnesota. Always looking to the North for their inspiration, Hütenänny primarily plays old-time dance music from the Nordic countries, but might also throw in a tune from the British Isles, the Shetlands, Canada or the American Midwest. A typical Hütenänny set includes waltzes, polkas, schottisches, hambos, polskas, and marches. Since several of our members are also singers, you might hear a folk song or sea shanty thrown in for good measure!

John Agacki

People in the Duluth area will recognize the name John Agacki, the smooth-voiced troubadour who brings sea chanties and Celtic ballads, as well as original music to Duluth area venues and music festivals. In fact, his original music won first prize in a Garrison Keillor talent contest that led to his music being used for Keillor’s Halloween and St. Patrick’s Day events. He’s currently under contract writing music for TV and film. His Finnish heritage led him to become the founding editor of the Työmies’ Finnish American Reporter. He’s been a regular at the Julebyen Scandinavian Christmas Festival in Knife River. John will be performing some Finnish songs and Scandinavian-inspired instrumentals accompanied by his 12-string guitar and button box accordion.

Kanteleen Soittajat

Kristian Bugge & Bill Peterson

Kristian Bugge 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. He has specialized in the strong Danish folk music traditions, and is recognized for his work with groups like Baltic Crossing and Habadekuk. He’s also playing in: Wenzell & Bugge with classical percusionist Ronni Kot Wenzell Jensen & Bugge with the accordion player Mette Kathrine Jensen. Gangspil, Danish traditional duo with Sonnich Lydom (Accordions, harmonicas and vocals).

Lauluaika

Lauluaika, Finnish for “Song Time”, is a group of musicians who share a passion for singing and playing Finnish folk tunes for audiences who enjoy listening or dancing. Their repertoire includes Finnish couples dances such as waltzes, polkas, humppa, jenkka, mazurkka, and hambo, as well as lively group dances for all ages to enjoy. Lauluaika musicians play a variety of instruments including mandolin, two row button accordion, violin, guitar, bass, octave mandolin, harmonium, jouhikko, kantele, nyckelharpa, and percussive instruments such as tambourine, and pimpparauta.

Laura MacKenzie

Laura has learned from many tradition bearers on both sides of the Atlantic, and has herself been recognized as a Master Folk Artist (Minnesota State Arts Board). She has been lauded as a “Celtic music wizard” by the Minneapolis Star Tribune and a “High priestess of Celtic music” by Minnesota Public Radio.

Loretta Kelley

Loretta Kelley is the foremost American performer on the hardingfele (the traditional Hardanger fiddle), an intricately decorated fiddle native to Norway with sympathetic strings, a nearly flat bridge, and a 300-year unbroken aural tradition. Loretta specializes in slått music, dance tunes rooted in the 18th century with sometimes unique asymmetrical rhythms, modal scales with “floating” intervals, and haunting tonalities.

Lynx Lynx

Vidar Skrede and Patrik Ahlberg join their Scandinavian fiddle forces together in this Norwegian-Swedish folk music duo. The variety of strings includes fiddles, Hardanger fiddles, guitars, and even a mandolin. The mix of tunes is put together by both their original and traditional Nordic fiddle tunes.

Ole Olsson’s Oldtime Orkestra

Ole Olsson’s Oldtime Orkestra (usually referred to as O.O.O.O.) is a fun loving group of musicians who first met at the Good Templar Hall in Minneapolis, Minnesota playing for Scandinavian dances in times gone by. Nowadays, they still play some pretty darn good Scandinavian music for oldtime dancing and/or just plain enjoying. They play fiddles, accordions, pump organ and guitar, and sing some funny Scandinavian vaudeville songs that may occasionally make Lutheran ladies smile. They play for festivals and lutefisk feeds all around Minnesota and even make it out of the state once in awhile in their old yalopy to perform in far flung places. They have traveled from New York City to Thousand Oaks, California; from Minot, N.D. to Swedesburg, Ia., all in their quest to spread the joy of Scandinavian folk music and perhaps find the perfectly formed piece of lefse.

Paul Dahlin & Reprise

Paul Dahlin is a Swedish-American fiddler from Minneapolis, Minnesota. He was heir to a rich tradition of music from the Swedish province of Dalarna. His maternal grandfather is Ivares Edvin Jonsson. His uncle is Bruce Johnson. By the time he was 17, Paul was performing regularly with his elders at Swedish American events. As he mastered the idiom, he moved into the lead role while playing with his grandfather, who had Americanized his name to Edwin Johnson, and Uncle Bruce. The three fiddlers called their group the American Swedish Spelmans (“folk instrumentalist”) Trio. Dahlin began teaching Swedish instrumental music at the American Swedish Institute in Minneapolis. In 1985 he developed his class into the ASI Spelmanslag (“fiddlers’ team”). When the group performed in 1989 at Sweden’s largest folk music festival, Musick vid Siljan, Dahlin was hailed by his Swedish colleagues as an important keeper of a deep musical tradition that includes wedding tunes and dance melodies that are more direct and less ornamented than some strains of contemporary Swedish fiddling. His original composition “Danielpojkens Polska” was selected from 40 entries as the most outstanding composition in its genre at Sweden’s Dalarnas Hemygdsrings competition. The tune is in the traditional polska form. Not to be confused with the polka, it is the “oldest dance rhythm in Sweden” and is considered by some scholars as a predecessor of the triple-meter waltz.

Ponyfolk

Ponyfolk was founded in 2014 by Clifton Nesseth and Paul Sauey. Rooting their sound in a mutual appreciation of folk, rock, and orchestral music, the pair’s multi-instrumentalist abilities and vocal harmonies have carved them out a reputation of creating maximalist soundscapes that are defined by droning layers of guitars, strings, and synth textures – undergirding emotionally evocative lyrical imagery. Ponyfolk builds musical bridges at the intersection of old time Nordic music, Americana, and modern rock, performing in a variety of styles and ensemble configurations. They are often joined by Lewis Franti (percussion), Alex Nelson (pump organ), and Mikey Marget (cello).

Ross Sutter & Art Bjorngjeld

Two guys with accordions playing tunes, singing songs and even telling a few jokes. Art’s Norwegian ancestors played for dances all over North Dakota and Minnesota and Ross’s focused more on church music. For the past few years they have been playing together combining their repertoires from their families and adding a lot of new music they’ve collected along the way. Expect almost anything to happen.

Skål Klubben Spelmanslag

Skål Klubben Spelmanslag is a Scandinavian/Nordic fiddling group centered in the Brainerd Lakes area of Minnesota. Founded in 1990, the Skål Klubb is a “village folk orchestra” of 11 musicians that play traditional Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish & Danish music on fiddles, accordion and pump organ. Skål Klubben has performed widely around the midwest at Scandinavian-American festivals, dances and lutefisk feeds. They have traveled and performed in Sweden and Norway, and they have been featured in a Smithsonian backed documentary filmed aired on PBS called “River of Song, Music on the Mississippi”.

Stoney Brook Strings

Back by popular demand, Arnie Arneson leads this crowd-favorite youth group through a musical journey of traditions. Part chamber-orchestra, part dance band, part comedy troupe, you’ll find yourself mesmerized by these talented youth. For many years, Arnie has been a huge inspiration for countless students, and his work to keep traditional and orchestral music accessible in and around the Brainerd area has been deeply inspiring. Don’t miss this group when they perform at the festival!

The Sutter Brothers

Ross Sutter is best known as a singer of Scandinavian, Scottish, and Irish songs, and for his wide repertoire of American traditional and popular songs. He accompanies himself on guitar, dulcimer, button accordion, and bodhran. He has performed at countless venues throughout the region and beyond, from concert halls to libraries and schools, from senior centers to international festivals. For some years now, Ross has served as the MC and leader of dancers around the majstång at Swedish midsommar celebrations, including New York City’s in Battery Park. Bart Sutter is the author of ten books, and the only writer to win the Minnesota Book Award in three different categories. He has read his poems in venues that range from Pittsburgh’s International Poetry Forum to The World of Accordions Museum, from the American Swedish Institute to Braham Pie Day. Bart has had four verse plays produced, including Cow Calls in Dalarna, the premiere of which was sponsored by the Swedish Cultural Society of Duluth. When Ross and Bart perform as a pair, their work has the kind of counterpoint and easy intimacy unique to sibling acts.

Tim Reese & Jim Parker

Tim Reese has played fiddle for contra dances for 30 years starting at Duluths very own Wild Thyme dance. He fell in love with the Nyckelharpa while touring Sweden with the Wild Goose Chase Cloggers and has slowly been learning to play with keys ever since.

Tjärnblom

Tjärnblom, Swedish for “woodland lake flower”, is a Scandinavian-style string band featuring a beautiful blend of Nyckelharpa, Octave Mandolin, Harmonium and Cello. They travel a modern “Snoose Boulevard Highway” in a musical journey, and play a repertoire of both old and new Swedish, Finnish, and Minnesota tunes for dancing and for listening. They’ve performed across the state of Minnesota, and have appeared on Minnesota Public Radio’s A Prairie Home Companion show. The name Tjärnblom is in honor of the Swedish grandfather of one of the band members.

Too Old Cat

Too Old Cat plays charming, original folk music that blends traditional and progressive elements. Their tunes for banjo, cello, accordion, and vocals explore themes of friendship, dreamspace, and how we move through and connect to the world.

Twin Cities Hardingfelelag

The Twin Cities Hardingfelelag (TCHFL, Hardanger Fiddle Group) was founded in 1995 by Olav Jørgen Hegge, a tradition-bearer of fiddle and dance from the Valdres area of Norway. Olav Jørgen taught tunes from Valdres and other traditions, and encouraged the group to compete in Norway’s national fiddle competition in 2005. Today the TCHFL includes multiple generations, teens to grandparents. Original members of the group have been joined by many new members, including players and teachers of classical violin, bluegrass and old-time fiddle, jazz piano, church organ, and Swedish fiddling. We play for cultural events, dances, church services, weddings and memorial services, and have played in concert at various venues including the mosaic chapel at Lakewood Cemetery in Minneapolis.

Twin Cities Nyckelharpalag

Upper Midwest Folk Fiddlers

THURSDAY, JUNE 12TH

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PRE-STÄMMA JAM: 6pm-9pm

at BENT PADDLE’S TAPROOM

Get warmed up with a pre-stämma jam at Bent Paddle’s taproom!

FRIDAY, JUNE 13TH

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12:30pm – 2:00pm

Spicy Dance Tunes from the Danish island of Læsø

Kristian Bugge

The Læsø repertoire holds a special place in Danish traditional music, with many great waltzes,
Rejlænders (schottisches) and polkas. Many of them have small built-in surprises both tonal and
regarding the numbers of beats/bars. Many catchy hit tunes were collected there, but still the islandis mostly famous for their delicious sea salt. I think their tunes are even more exciting than the salt 😉 All instruments are welcome!

Not Fiddle, Folks

Mikey Marget

How do you fit into a jam, band, or fiddle tradition if you happen to play an instrument that the tradtunes were not written for? What does it look like to play traditional music on a non-traditional instrument? This workshop will include tips and tricks for learning/playing tunes, how to improvise and solo, and how to fit into a band context.

Dance Like a Pro in 2-4 Time

Elise Peters

During this workshop led by Elise Peters, students will focus on the steps and variations to get out on the dance floor when bands play schottis, polkett, and snoa. If you can walk, you can find success with these dances.

Nordic Tunes from the Prairie

Art Bjorngjeld

Art Bjorngjeld will be teaching old tunes that he learned from his relatives. Art will be playing
accordion, but all melody instruments are welcome.

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2:30pm – 4:00pm

Dwight Lamb’s Danish Tunes

Kristian Bugge

At my very first trip to the US in June 2008 I met Dwight Lamb at Nisswa Stämman! That became the beginning of countless trips across the Atlantic to visit, learn from and later tour with Dwight. Many will have heard the great story by now, on how Dwight grew up in Iowa with a Danish grandfatherwho taught him a large number of Danish tunes. Most of these tunes were forgotten in Denmark, but luckily kept alive in Iowa. I have been so fortunate to meet Dwight and spend a lot of time with him, and look forward to sharing some of his fine, old Dane tunes. All instruments are welcome!

Tango. Tarantelle. Telespringar

Carol Sersland

Three exotic dance traditions. One is from Norway and that is the dance we will focus on. A dance accompanied by a Hardanger fiddle in ¾ rhythm. Telespringar evolves through several figures (much like “Swing”) and can be a delightful alternative to a standard waltz. The workshop will feature music by master hardanger fiddler Rachel Ulvin Jensen.

Swedish and Norwegian fiddle tunes

Vidar Skrede / Patrik Alberg

All instruments welcome, suitable for intermediate and advanced players, though beginners are welcome to the exposure. Tunes will be taught be ear, so recording device are recommended. Sheet music will be provided after the workshop via email

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4:15pm – 5:45pm

Swedish Tune Starter Pack – Youth Workshop & Pizza Party

Mikey Marget (Ponyfolk & Too Old Cat) & Jorge Koenen (Lilla Lag)

Location: H150 Classroom (UMD)

Join us for a Scandinavian folk music fiddle workshop where youth will learn two traditional Swedish folk songs and build essential musical skills like learning by ear and playing in a group. Through interactive instruction, participants will explore the rhythms and melodies of Swedish fiddle traditions in a fun and supportive environment.

Tunes being taught:
Låt Till Far
Slängpolska från Småland efter Magnus Theorin

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6:00pm

FRIDAY NIGHT CONCERT

at UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA – DULUTH (UMD) WEBER HALL

6:00pm 20 Minutes Intro Music – Ole Olsson’s Oldtime Orkestra / Ponyfolk

First Half

6:30pm – Kanteleen Soittajat
6:40pm – ASI Spelmanslag
6:50pm – John Agacki
7:00pm – TC Hardingfelelag
7:10pm – Loretta Kelley
7:20pm – Lauluaika
7:30pm (10 minute break)

Second Half

7:40pm – Too Old Cat
7:50pm – Renee Sarah and Laura
8:00pm – Lynx Lynx
8:20pm – Kristian Bugge
8:40pm – Final Allspel Tune!
8:50pm – Reset for Dance
9:00pm-11pm – Celebration Dance

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9:00pm-11:30pm

Dance Groups (25 minute sets)

9:00pm – Loretta
– Char & Carina –
9:30pm – Lauluaika (Friday Night Only)
– Elise –
10:00pm – Skål Ole
– Feleboks –
10:30pm – Lynx Lynx (Fri Night Only)
– Tim Reese & Jim Parker –
11:00pm – Button Boxers

SATURDAY, JUNE 14TH

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8:45am – 10:15am

Sønderhoning tunes from the island of Fanø

Kristian Bugge

Sønderho is a tiny village of only 300 people, situated on the southern tip of Fanø island on the Danish west coast. Despite their tininess, they’ve managed to keep a very strong music, dance and party tradition going for at least 300 years. And still today this is very much alive at weddings, birthday parties, new years eve etc. There are many beautiful tunes and the playing style is soft, groovy and singing, even with glissando and vibrato used on the fiddles. All instruments are welcome!

Hardingfele (All Levels)

Loretta Kelley

Loretta will be teaching an “all-levels” class in traditional Hardanger fiddle. If you have had any prior
experience playing folk music on the violin you are very welcome to join. Loretta will be exploring the
intricacies of bowing, rhythm and tone production, using simpler tunes as examples. If you do not
have a Hardanger fiddle but have a violin you are welcome to sit in; Loretta will have a couple of
“violin capos” to enable violinists to play along without needing to tune their violins up.

3 beats and 2 feet – right in the line of direction

Elise Peters

Elise Peters will teach the basic turning step principles and apply to Polska, Hambo, Pols, Sonderhoning and more so that you can get on the dance floor and have fun. Smooth soled shoes recommended.

Led Open Jam for Youth / Mikey & Jorge

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11:00am-4:30pm

Allspel (Main stage)

11:00am – Lauluaika
11:30am – ASI Spelmanslag
12:00pm – Too Old Cat
12:30pm – Loretta Kelley
1:00pm – Hütenänny
1:30pm – Kristian Bugge & Bill Peterson
2:00pm – Hardingfelelag
2:30pm – Ross Sutter & Art Bjorngjeld
3:00pm – Twin Cities Nyckelharpalag
3:30pm – Upper Midwest Folk Fiddlers
4:00pm – Skål Klubben Spelmanslag
4:30pm – Allspel

Troll Stage (Side stage)

11:00am – Button Boxers
11:30am – FYRA
12:00pm – Ole Olsson’s Oldtime Orkestra
12:30pm – Paul Dahlin & Reprise
1:00pm – Kanteleen Soittajat
1:30pm – Tjärnblom
2:00pm – ASI Lilelag
2:30pm – Stoney Brook Strings
3:00pm – Ponyfolk
3:30pm – The Sutter Brothers

Nisse Stage (Acoustic small)

11:00am – ASI Lilla Lag
11:30am – Stoney Brook Strings
12:00pm – Kristian Bugge & Bill Peterson
12:30pm – Tim Reese
1:00pm – John Agacki
1:30pm – Loretta Kelley
2:00pm – Ann & Beth
2:30pm – Feleboks
3:00pm – Laura MacKenzie
3:30pm – Renee & Sarah

Dans Barn (Dance barn)

11:00am – Twin Cities Nyckelharpalag
11:30am – Feleboks
12:00pm – Lauluaika
12:30pm – Dance mixer at top of hour
1:00pm – Hardingfelelag
1:30pm – Skål Klubben Spelmanslag
2:00pm – Hütenänny
2:30pm – Kristian Bugge & Bill Peterson
3:00pm – ASI Spelmanslag
3:30pm – Loretta Kelley

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7:30pm-11:00pm

Celebration Dance Groups (25 minute sets)

**The College of St. Scholastica’s Theater Building**

7:30pm – Twin Cities Nyckelharpalag (Sat Night Only)
– Renee & Sara & Paul –
8:00pm – Hutenanny (Sat Night Only)
– Kristian –
8:30pm – Ole Olsson’s Oldtime Orkestra (w/ Grand March)
– Paul Dahlin & Reprise –
9:00pm – Hardingfelelag
– Beth & Ann / Ross & Art –
9:30pm – Kristian & Bill
– Char & Carina –
10:00pm – ASI Spelmanslag
– Loretta –
10:30pm – Button Boxers

STYLE	TUNE
Gånglåt And Polka	Äppelbo gånglåt – G Stenbergs marsch – G Gärdebylåten – D Noas Snoa – D Storm polka – G
Waltz	Emma – Am Metsakukkia – Am Svensk Annas – D Rapp-Kalles – D Kärleksvalsen – G Orevalsen – G The Romantic – G Somarvalsen – G Hälsa dem där hemma – C Ingela’s – D
Schottis	Johan på Snippen – G Bol Olle – Bm Ringnessen Reinlender – D Schottis from Idre Schottis från Blyberg – G
Polska	Båtsman Däck – G Hambo på Logen – G Karis Pers polska – D Edwin’s First – D Byss Kalle 32 – G Skinnbracka med lucku – D D-dur polska – D

• This year’s festival will be held at UMD.
• Friday Night Concert tickets limited to 325 (due to venue restrictions).
• Alcohol will not be available for sale.
• Workshops will be conducted on June 13th & 14th (Friday midday and Saturday morning).
• See the ticket section for details regarding the workshop and to enroll when this information becomes available.
• We are working on food options. You can bring your own food into the festival.
• We are excited to offer free Saturday admission to all youth that bring an instrument (17 and under).
• Holding the Saturday portion of the festival at UMD makes rain contingency plans very easy.
• All performers receive an all-access weekend pass. Workshops not included.
• There are significant parking options at UMD.

There are a number of options for accommodations in the area including Superior, WI.

Some housing options: (more to come.)

College of St. Scholastica (CSS) Housing

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Interested in hosting performers and instructors for Duluth-stämman 2025? Click here to sign up!

The homestay is a very important component to preserving the folk arts. By hosting members of our community, you are supporting the preservation of these traditions, an

Because we’re in a liminal space between growing our ticket revenue and being without an operational grant this year, financial support is incredibly important. A huge thanks to the folks and organizations that have been willing to help in this way.

You can support the stämma through a donation:

https://www.zeffy.com/donation-form/support-the-stamma

All Gold Lots & parking meters / app sign spaces are enforced 12 months out of the year
Parking is free in the summer in: Maroon Lots, White Lots, Pay Lot G From May 12th – August 24th.

*Performers / Instructors can load into stage areas or workshops by dropping off their equipment close to the stages and then park in one of the free lots.