Author Archives: vidar

Dear all fiddlers and fiddle music lovers! Join me and a wide range of other musicians representing fiddle styles from all over the world through 200 workshops, 35 sessions, and 35 concerts hosted by Fiddle Hell Online, April 15-18, 2021!

I’ll be doing the following events:

4/15 – 11:30 am -12:30 pm EDT
JAM: Nordic Tunes with Vidar Skrede

4/15 – 1:00 pm -2:00 pm EDT
Learn a Simple Tune from Rogaland, Norway

4/15 – 8:30 pm – 9:30 pm EDT
Scandinavian Polish Dances

4/18 – 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm EDT
Fiol Helvete Scandinavian Concert

4/18 – 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm EDT
Achieving an Authentic Touch with Norwegian Ornaments and Double-Stops

Check out all the events and find out more about sign up at:
https://fiddlehell.org/

Hope to see you there 🙂

Join me in a virtual jam session of Scandinavian tunes, Tuesday 12/8, 6 pm (CST)!

Tunes will be played at an inclusive speed, and a setlist is provided with audio links and downloadable sheet music with chords, at www.vidarskrede.com/session-setlist/

The event is brought to you by Ministry of Folk and you can join the Facebook live Session here: www.facebook.com/events/759766164610268/

Hope to see you there 🙂

CD release concert in Decorah IA, July 28th.

The New Ole Hendricks Orchestra is reviving the charming repertoire of a rare 1890s tune book compiled by Norwegian born fiddler Ole Hendricks (1851-1935.) Ole became a bandleader in Minnesota playing quadrilles, polkas, reinlenders, and waltzes. We are proud to announce our CD, “Play It Again, Ole!”

The concert is at The Lingonberry, Decorah IA, July 28th at 1:30 pm.
Free admission!

I had the pleasure of playing guitar and bouzouki on Brett Lipshutz‘ Irish whistle album that was released last month –

“Whistle for the Feis & Other Occasions”

It’s available at CdBaby: https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/brettlipshutz3 and other services like iTunes, Amazon and Spotify.

You can read the sleeve notes at Brett’s website https://brettlipshutz.com/whistle-for-the-feis-and-other-o…/

Catch us live at Milwaukee Irish Fest on August 19th – https://irishfest.com/fest-artists/558449.htm

The video is recorded on the Hank Aaron state trail within Three Bridges park in Milwaukee, WI. Video by Tyler Nelson.

Here are the dates of the tour with me and Patrik Ahlberg coming up this week! Spread the word and hope to see you there!

Further details at Events

This summer I’ll be touring with Patrik Ahlberg – a Swedish fiddler and multi-instrumentalist from Sweden, residing in America. More info about our tours will follow soon. Until then, please enjoy this new video:

Over the winter I have been sharing American and Norwegian tunes with Matt Brown, an old time musician from Chicago. You can get to know him here: www.brownsdream.us.

Here is a video with us playing a halling from Bjerkreim after Trygve Fuglestad. Enjoy 🙂

Do you love Scandinavian folk music and live in the Twin Cities area? Sign up for a special introductory weekend of lessons today!

I’ll be in the Twin Cities area this upcoming weekend, October 14-16, to teach and recruit students. I still have available time between Friday and Sunday. I offer lessons on fiddle/violin, harding fiddle and DADGAD guitar (DADGAD = guitar tuning well suitable for Scandinavian folk music), for beginners and advanced students. I will bring an extra fiddle and a harding fiddle for those who don’t have their own instrument yet, but would like to try. I also teach Norwegian and Scandinavian tunes and styles on most other melodic instruments.

If you are interested, or know anyone that might be, feel free to share this post or contact me.

My rates for this recruitment trip are:
$60 an hour
$45 for 45 minutes
$30 for 30 minutes

Special rate this trip: 2 hours for $100.

Group lessons can be shared with others at the same rates.

All the best
Vidar

Sweet Home Chicago!

I’ve transplanted from Norway to my new home in the cozy North West side of Chicago. I’m getting settled in and am excited to say that I have several new projects in the works. Part of acclimating to full time living here has brought me to the Chicago Spelemannslag and the monthly Scandinavian jam session. There’s a growing group of musicians with an interest in Scandinavian folk music in Chicago. The trad Irish sessions are also thriving, here and in Milwaukee.

In the near future my music studio will be open for business. If you, or someone you know is, interested in learning more about Norwegian/Scandinavian folk music, harding fiddle, regular fiddle, DADGAD guitar or Greek bouzouki contact me for lessons or engagements.

I’ll be posting more soon!
Best,
Vidar 🙂