Context//Lunch lecture 19.09.25 - 12:15-13:00// Dynjandi, Skipholt 31, 105 Reykjavík
Atli Freyr Hjaltason and Vegar Vårdal present Jónas' Dance Songs, an edition of an Icelandic dance song script from 1864. Atli Freyr will discuss the dance culture in Iceland in the 19th century, and Vegar discusses the playing style of Icelandic folk violinists from the 20th century and how to interpret the songs in the script. Vegar places the content of the script in the context of music from Denmark, Norway, the Shetland Islands, Orkney and the Faroe Islands.
Atli Freyr Hjaltason and Vegar Vårdal will introduce the publication of Jónas' Dance Songs (Eng. Jónas’ Dance Tunes), a publication of an Icelandic dance music manuscript from 1864. Atli Freyr will speak about the dance culture of Iceland in the 19th century and Vegar will speak about the playing styles of Icelandic folk-fiddlers of the 20th century and how to interpret the material from the manuscript. Weighs will put the material in the manuscript in context with music from Denmark, Norway, Shetland, Orkney islands and the Faroe islands.
Atli Freyr Hjaltason is an Icelandic ethnologist, folk dancer and musician. He lives in Reykjavík and works for the various folk cultural and artistic associations in Iceland and the Nordic countries. Atli Freyr is a board member of the Home Industry Association of Iceland, the Iðunni Poetists' Association, the Väkufélagin, the Icelandic Dance Studies Association and sits on the executive team of the Reykjavík Folk Dance Association. Atli is also on the board of the Nordic Folk Dance Studies Association and the Nordic Dance Studies Association. Artists for regular folk dance events and festivals. Atli has been involved in research and dissemination of Icelandic folk dances, music and crafts.
// Atli Freyr Hjaltason is an Icelandic Folklorist/Ethnologist, Folk dancer and musician. He reports in Reykjavík and works for various folk arts organizations in Iceland and the Nordic countries. Atli Freyr is a board member of the Icelandic Handicraft Association, Kvæðamannafélagið Iðunn (An association dedicated to traditional poetry and performance), Väkufélagið (Folk arts association), the Icelandic dance research association and runs the day-to-day operations of the Reykjavík Folk Dance Association. Atli sits on the board of the Nordic Folk Dance Research Association as well as the Nordic Forum for Dance Research. He hosts regular folk dance events and festivals.
Vegar Vårdal is a Norwegian musician, dancer and composer with over 25 years of experience on stage and in teaching. Vegar lives in Vågå in Guðbrandsdal, but his field of work spans Norway and the whole world. He studied both normal and hard violin at the Norwegian Conservatory. Vegar is described as a dynamic, playful and versatile musician who moves between diverse musical genres. In 2020, he was awarded the title „folk musician of the year“ in Norway and received „Himarprisen“ for his work within Norwegian folk arts.
//Musician, dancer and composer with more than 25 years experience performing, as well as teaching. Wegar reports in Vågå in Gudbrandsdalen, but has the whole of Norway and the world as a place of work. He plays both regular and hardanger fiddle, with education from the Norwegian Academy of Music. Wegar is characterized as an energetic, playful and versatile musician - and moves across a wide range of genres. In 2020 he became the „Folk musician of the year, and received“ Hilmarprisen„ for his work.