Week 18: The Global Spikens Vals

Posted on 2 May 2023 by Vicki
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Hello!
It's finally here! The Global Spikens Vals is complete! Hurrah! It came together really nicely! A full range of players, from those just starting their nyckelharpa journeys to those further down the road. Thank you everyone that sent in a video!

So what's new this week?

On the nyckelharpa we have Polska efter Henrik Henriksson.
On the flute we've reached Y and The York Assembly
On the fiddleharpa we have What Shall We Do with the Drunken Sailor
For the Scottish Smallpipes it was time to do a drone tuning video and Highland Pibroch.

More next week!
:))
Vicki

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Week 17: After World Nyckelharpa Day

Posted on 25 April 2023 by Vicki
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Hello!
That was a weekend! I spent the weekend in medieval garb, whilst also making sure that World Nyckelharpa Day went smoothly! It was a lot of fun and I've had a lot of fun watching the videos from the playlist! Check out last week's entry for the list of things that I did. The concert with David was such fun to put together and I'll miss doing the Nyckelharpa News Network - so I'll have to see if I can come up with an excuse to do another one!

So what is new this week?

In Folkie Flute we are at X and XYZ, it was quite tricky to find X! I'm very close to the end of that series. so this week I'm going to do a new one! Watch this space to see what it'll be! For the Scottish Smallpipes this week we have The Eavesdropper.

I worked very hard on the Fiddleharpa-4-a-Day and now we have a full week Week 2.

For nyckelharpa we have Griffenfelt. This went out for World Nyckelharpa Day from all the participants, including those that had only been playing 4

More next week!
:))
Vicki

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Week 16: World Nyckelharpa Day

Posted on 20 April 2023 by Vicki
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Hello!
It's finally here. The week that contains World Nyckelharpa Day! As a result everything this week has been about preparing for that. There will be new things next week!

I have been working hard behind the scenes and has made a YouTube playlist of videos that will be premiering every 15 minutes as the day goes on! Check out the full list at on the World Nyckelharpa Day website. To follow the videos that I've had a direct hand in check this list. All of this will remain up after the event, so don't worry if you can't watch at the time. It'll stay up once the premier has happened.

06:00 – Nyckelharpa News Network – News Bulletin
09:00 – Fångset – For as many as will!
10:00 – Griffenfelt – The Spring Weekend Harpas at Halsway Group
11:30 – Kadrill Kozaken by the ‘harpas at Halsway Crew
11:45 – Start of the Global Spikens Vals videostream
12:00 – The Global Spikens Vals (edited version with added ensemble)
13:00 – Tunes and a Chat with David Chadwick and Vicki Swan (38 minutes)
14:00 – The Halsway Manor Session for World Nyckelharpa Day
15:00 – Why the Moraharpa has Hearts Eyes – Vicki Swan
16:45 – Byss-Calle 34 – Vicki Swan
21:00 – Byss-Calle 51 – Vicki Swan

Enjoy and see you on the other side!
:))
Vicki

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Week 15: Back from Dover Castle

Posted on 14 April 2023 by Vicki
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Hello!
We had an amazing time down at Dover Castle last weekend! I filmed some shorts there and as you can hear the acoustic in this underground room we were in on the last day was immense! I filmed quite a few of these, so they'll keep coming! I have spent a lot of time in front of the camera this week, filming fiddleharpa tunes, pipe tunes and most of all World Nyckelharpa Day stuff! This time next week I will be on the road and everything will have to have been done!
So - if anyone wants to send me Fångset for the large catch - now is the time to send it!

On nyckelharpa we have Polska från Rödeby
On flute we've reached W and The White Joak.
On fiddleharpa we have The Cuckoo.
Scottish Smallpipes is Rocking the Baby

World Nyckelharpa Day next week! If you haven't sent anything in yet - now's the time!
:))
Vicki

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Week 14: World Nyckelharpa Day Preparations

Posted on 6 April 2023 by Vicki
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Hello!
The heat is on here, full of preparations for World Nyckelharpa Day!! I spent this week filming and editing stuff for the day - which is in two weeks time! So what are my main projects for that day?

The Halsway Manor Session was a big thing this week. I originally filmed this in March 2022 and the files have languished on various memory cards ever since. So I thought it was time to get them edited together and premiere it on World Nyckelharpa Day!! We chose five well known tunes at the time and you can see all the details on the blog entry page.

I want to create a really long catch of Jonny's tune Fångset - so please film yourself playing this and send it in to me and I'll see how long we can make it!! I'm going to edit and upload this to premiere on the day.

The Global Spikens Vals is taking shape - but you do have until the 30th April to get your video in. This won't go out on the day - but as soon as it is ready after the event.

We've reached V on the flute and Volpony and on the Scottish Smallpipes this week we have The Piper's Wedding March.

So this is your call to send me tunes of your own choice, Fångset and also Spiken's Vals in preparation for World Nyckelharpa Day!
More next week.
:))
Vicki

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The Halsway Manor Session for World Nyckelharpa Day 2023

Posted on 4 April 2023 by Vicki
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Back in March 2022 we had a Nyckelharpa Course, a retreat week. We filmed a session at this time, but it was never edited or published and just languished on memory cards. So I decided to edit it together and release it for World Nyckelharpa Day! The dots are open access, but to go to the lessons you'll need a paid account. You can still play along though even if you don't have an account - so enjoy!

See you at 14:00 on Sunday 23rd April 2023 - or any time afterwards!!
Enjoy
:))
VIcki

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Week 13: The Spelborgarmärke

Posted on 1 April 2023 by Vicki
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Hello!
And just like that Halsway Manor was over! It was an amazing seven days at Halsway and I'll be posting up tunes over the next few weeks. There is some exciting news this week - but first the new tunes.

On the nyckelharpa we have Polloness ur Mattia Silvius Notbok
For there A-Z of dance tunes for the flute we have Upon a Summer's Day
On the Scottish Smallpipes we have Apples and Chairs, a tune that doesn't need any gracenotes.

So the big news! I am so proud to be able to announce the launching of the Spelborgarmärke! It's a brand new initiative to help encourage people on the road to learning tunes from memory. To gain this badge all you need to do is to play a tune from memory. Simples! I've already used it to encourage reluctant students and the effects have been incredible! You can hear more about this on the Nyckelharpa News Network news broadcast at 10am today! If you want your own badge it's available now in the shop!
Exciting times!
More next week
:))
Vicki

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Week 12: On Our Way to Halsway!

Posted on 24 March 2023 by Vicki
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Hello!
As I type this I am sitting in the van on the way to Halsway Manor for the Spring Weekend. It's been a long week of being on the road, learning new tunes to teach and thinking hard about World Nyckelharpa Day. We're at Halsway for seven days - three days teaching nyckelharpa and then five days being the band for a dancing and walking week. It's a lot of fun - but also a lot of preparation. 92 dance sets to sort through and practise!

So what's new this week?

I've added Kwirhöken to the site this week. I love this tune with its very jolly second half!

For the flute we have reached T and it's Take a Dance. It feels like we're reaching the end of the flute tunes and I'm going to need to do some more! Any requests? I can do another A-Z, that was fun to put together and I'll happily do another one! Or maybe a shed load of Swedish tunes? Let me know!

On fiddleharpa we have Flagpole Tree. It's another tune I teach everyone! Great for bowing.
On the Scottish smallpipes I was requested to teach The Badger and the Weasel. This was a fascinating tune as it includes a note that I could only get if I stopped up two tone holes with bluetac! Watch the video to see!

It's four weeks until World Nyckelharpa Day - so this is your reminder to film something and send it to me!!

More from the Manor next week!
:))
Vicki

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Week 11: Halsway Prep week!

Posted on 17 March 2023 by Vicki
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Hello!
It seems like only yesterday I came back from Halsway and here we are preparing again! Lots of lovely new tunes and lots of lovely new nyckelharpa players! It's St Patrick's Day as I post this, so it's time for my annual posting of Connaught Man's Rambles!

So what's new? We have Höökpers Vals - it's truly gorgeous! I did a bowing exercise this week - Bowing Exercise - The TaDaa. I called it the TaDaa, but you could call it a tachum in Highland Pipe music, or the Scotch snap. I call it all sorts of things as I'm trying to explain it!

I decided to do London's Burning on the FiddleHarpa this week. It might be over played as a recorder tune - but it's really effective!
We've reached S on the flute and Sellenger's Round.
On the Scottish Smallpipes we have Vännens Långdans. This isn't in the same key as the nyckelharpa version. It's a great little tune though whatever key you choose to play it in!

Enjoy!
:))
Vicki

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Week 10: Norway!

Posted on 8 March 2023 by Vicki
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Hello!
I am about to head off to Norway for the weekend! At the start of lockdown I recorded for a rock opera version of Beowulf. It was a lot of fun and now I'm heading for rehearsals for the live performance. The actual concerts are in September - I hear it's cold in Norway right now! I've embedded the YouTube playlist so that you can listen to the whole thing!

So what's new this week?

On the nyckelharpa we have Kilpolskan - I taught this at Halsway and I love it, very G minor.
In the beginner fiddleharpa course we have Clair de la Lune, I first learnt this on the recorder. Lovely simple tune.
On the flute we've reached R and Red House, I love this tune!
The Scottish Smallpipes has the unpronounceable Theid Mi Dhachaigh.

More next week!
:))
Vicki

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