Lena Willemark is a prominent personality in Swedish folk music and a pioneering cross-genre performer. Willemark grew up in Älvdalen with a distinct musical talent influenced by her teachers. The journey and exploration of music continues with undiminished power, and Lena Willemark emerged as one of the Nordic countries’ most versatile performers throughout the years, thanks in major part to her unique ability to shape variances into an inseparable whole.
Composing is another aspect of her work – she has composed and organized a significant amount of music in many constellations over the years. Willemark received multiple awards, including five Grammys, and is a member of the Royal Academy of Music and Riksspelman.
Willemark’s album Swedish Songs has interpretations of Swedish modern folk songs by Marie Bergman, Eva Dahlgren, Cornelis Vreeswijk, Ola Magnell and others. She moves with both lightness and weight in her profoundly own interpretations, using a unique style that is vibrant and wild, subtle and fragile. The album received a Grammy for Best Folk Music Album.
Some of these interpretations will be performed during the Midsummer Eve concert.
Simon Nyberg is a freelance folk musician with jazz background. He performs music from all latitudes and longitudes of the world on various stringed instruments, notably a 12-string guitar, which can be termed as “strange folk music”. Nyberg has previously performed with Jonas Knutsson, Jaron Freeman-Fox, Jenny Ritter, Six String Yada and Sébastien Dubé.
Since his graduation from Stockholm’s Academy of Music, Anders Johansson has performed as a freelance musician in a variety of genres. His recurring commissions include the Radio Symphony Orchestra, Anders Berglund, Louise Hoffsten, Jill Johnsson and Hans Ek.
