October 5 - 8, 2023

6^th October, evening: Conference on "Recent Developments"
7^th October, 8:30 pm: public Nyckelharpa Concert

… more than just a weekend of playing!

Nyckelharpa Builder and Bow Maker
Exhibition, consultation, trying out of different instruments
Small on-site repairs and attaching new bow hair

Holger Funke, Germany (www.nyckel-harpa.de)
Annette Osann, France (www.annetteosann.fr)
Tino Mixan, Austria (www.facebook.com/Fjaeder/)
Aurélie Georges, France (www.aureliegeorges.com)

et al.

Prior notice 2024:
21^th International Days of the Nyckelharpa, October 3 – 6, 2024

The nyckelharpa (Schlüsselfidel, viola d’amore con chiavi, keyed fiddel) is a string instrument played with a short bow and keys that change the pitch. Its resonance strings contribute to its unique sound. From Late Middle Ages the nyckelharpa emerged in Europe. However since the Baroque Period it has only been played in Sweden mainly around Upland as a folk instrument. Thanks to innovative musicians in Sweden, especially Eric Sahlström (1912-1986), and inspired musicians in continental Europe, the nyckelharpa is being rediscovered all over the world and being used in many musical styles.

More information on the nyckelharpa see: www.nyckelharpa.eu

This invitation is intended for people from everywhere with all levels of nyckelharpa experience (as well as people motivated to learn) to play, share experiences, and take lessons together.
Instruction will be given mostly in English. Additional languages are possible depending on the teachers. Some help with different languages is usually available by participants in the single workshops.

Instruction will be given mostly in English. Additional languages are possible depending on the teachers. Some help with different languages is usually available by participants in the single workshops..

We are planning (subject to alterations):

• Workshop for beginners and slightly advanced players
  (Some instruments are available for rent at a fee of € 50. Please don't forget to tell us at time of registration if you need one.)


• Annette Osann
• Handling the nyckelharpa
• Fundamentals of using the bow
• Use of the left hand
• Easy repertoire



• Continuous Workshops with special topics for advanced players
(These courses are designed to enable themed work and require basic playing skills. For less experienced players participants should attend the more appropriate workshop given by Annette Osann.)


• Vicki Swan
• A road trip through British folk tunes.
  An easy musical journey with beautiful melodies that help to develop tone, technique and musicality.


• Jule Bauer
• Nyckelharpa and singing
  Techniques, tips and tricks to accompany yourself with the nyckelharpa while singing and to find beautiful song accompaniments.


• Magnus Holmström and Markus Svensson
• Swedish folk music and different playing techniques for nyckelharpa



The two following courses are aimed at somewhat more advanced nyckelharpa players and require preparation using previously sent sheet music, audio samples and/or exercises.

• Marco Ambrosini
• "Nuove Musiche" – contemporary compositions and improvisation for nyckelharpa, solo & ensemble


• Didier François
• Baroque ensemble

• Short workshops with the other teachers for even more sharing


• Conference on recent developments (Friday, 6^th October, evening)
• Public nyckelharpa concert (Saturday, 7^th October 8:30 pm, free entrance)



• Free playing together and sharing of experience
• Playing in different groups
• and in different styles


• Exposition about the nyckelharpa
• History of the nyckelharpa, from the mora to the e-harpa – Holger E. Funke
• Exchange with the nyckelharpa and bow makers
• Opportunity to try out
• Repairs
• Consultation service


• Forum for instrument makers
  
• Exchange of experience among the participating builder and presentation of their own developments
• Discussion of different instrument styles and their implications building and acoustics
• Exchange with the teachers and participants of the playing workshops to their requirements of the instruments
• Visits of participants in the exhibition
• Expansion of the own network in the nyckelharpa scene
  The number of places for instrument and bow makers is limited, early application is recommended.

Planning and overall direction: Marco Ambrosini and Karsten Evers

The nyckelharpa teachers:

Marco Ambrosini, Eifa/Hatzfeld (Germany), studied violin and viola, theory and history of music and composition in Ancona and Pesaro. In 1982 he founded the famous ensemble " Oni Wytars " together with Peter Rabanser and in 1991 the "Katharco Consort" together with Katharina Dustmann. He works as a soloist and composer in many international ensembles for early and contemporary music. He was the pioneer for nyckelharpa in continental Europe. In 2012, he published a book of daily exercises for the nyckelharpa.
More at: www.marcoambrosini.eu

Didier François, Antwerpen (Belgium), studied violin, composition and Jazz in Brussels and Amsterdam. He has performed on violin and nyckelharpa with Stefane Grappelli, Gabriel Yacoub, Michel Risler, Armand Amar. He has composed for ballet, film and theatre, is a sculptor, and he has been teaching for many years.
More at: www.didierfrancois.be

Magnus Holmström, Sigtuna (Sweden), is a professional nyckelharpa player and an experienced teacher. He studied at the Eric Sahlström Institute in Tobo and at the Royal Collage of Music in Stcokholm. In 2004, he won the Worldchampionships with “Gammelharpa” (old style nyckelhapra) and in 2006 both with “Gammelharpa” and modern nyckelharpa. In 2006, he also won the award; “musician of honour” at Burträsksvängen and in 2008 the Bror Hjorth Scholarship.
More at: www.magnusholmstrom.com

Annette Osann, Dole (France), is a trained violin maker, and since 1998 specialized in building nyckelharpas. After various ensemble activities for early and traditional music as a cellist and nyckelharpa player she is using the nyckelharpa today mainly in Baroque music. 2005, foundation of the duo Arcangelo with Juliette Thiebergien (baroque cello), and since 2009, chamber music. Cooperation in the duo nyckelharpa and organ with Elise Rollin (organ). Since 2013, together with Caterina Other, Jule Bauer and Susanne Brameshuber founding of "Nyckelharpa quartett", 2014, founding of the ensemble for Renaissance and Baroque music "Le Insolite Note".
More at: www.annetteosann.fr

Markus Svensson, Gotland (Sweden), is a professional nyckelharpa player and has been teaching nyckelharpa and Swedish folk music for over 30 years. He studied at the Royal Collage of Music in Stockholm, and at Malungs Folkhögskola. Markus plays all kinds of nyckelharpas and has a wide repertoire of tunes from all parts of Sweden. He became ”Riksspelman” in 1992 and won the nyckelharpa world championship in 1998. Since 2018 he is a part of the ”Zornmärkesjuryn” (Zorn badge Jury).
More at: facebook.com/markus.svensson

Vicki Swan , Braintree (UK), graduated from the Royal College of Music on double bass. Well known on the British folk scene she is a full time folk musician performing on nyckelharpa, bagpipes and singing. Vicki Being half Swedish the nyckelharpa was a natural choice to add to her armory of instruments and is now leading the development of the nyckelharpa in Great Britain with her UK Nyckelharpa Project and spearheaded the newly formed UK Nyckelharpa Society. In addition to various duo recordings Vicki has recently published the ‘British Session Tunes for Nyckelharpa’ and also a book of Duets in the Swedish Style. Vicki also has a masters in Education (specialising in distance tuition on the Scottish smallpipes) and composes and arranges music for the nyckelharpa and other ensembles. We learnt got to know and appreciate Vicki as a participant and composer by in the ENCORE project 2013. ( www.encore.nyckelharpa.eu ).
More at www.swan-dyer.co.uk/

The International Days of the Nyckelharpa at BURG FÜRSTENECK starts on Thursday, 5h October, 2023 with dinner at 6:30 pm and ends on Sunday, 8th October, 2023 at 1:00 pm. Fee: 395 – 495 € (self-assessment including acommodation in twin room and food), youth fee 237 €, subsidized rate 276,50 €, exhibitors 276,50 € The course fees include accommodation in a twin room at the castle in and meals – also vegetarian, vegan or allergy-friendly on request. Discounts = reduced fees for young people, low-income and exhibitors Youth fee is available for young persons up to 26 years of age. The subsidized rate can be granted to people who are on a low income and are in receipt of statutory social benefits or only have a comparable low income (proof required). Exhibitors who built professionally nyckelharpa can apply for the 30%.discount. Please indicate a dicount at the time of registration and provide proof. No discount can be granted retrospectively. Rental charges remain unaffected. Registration online (You can switch the form to English above the page title. Please indicate any required loan instrument in the "Comments" field.) Concert videos from past International Days of the Nyckelharpa can be found at www.youtube.com/user/FuerstNyckel/playlists (Many thanks to the artists and to Bernd Segnitz, who produced the videos. Please also note our two-year part-time Eurpoean Nyckelharpa Training www.nyckelharpa.eu European Nyckelharpa Training CADENCE – Cultural ADult Education and Nyckelharpa Coopreration in Europe ENCORE – European Nyckelharpa Cooperation – ORchestral Experience Nyckelharpa – books BURG FÜRSTENECK Am Schlossgarten 3 D-36132 Eiterfeld Germany Tel: +49 (0) 6672-92020 Fax: +49 (0) 6672-9202-30 www.burg-fuersteneck.de