New Nordic Folk Music

Music may be the art form we experience most deeply together. When we listen, play and sing with one another, moments of genuine presence emerge – moments where we create something that did not exist before: a mood, an expression, a sense of community.

In New Nordic Folk Music at Vestjyllands Højskole, we begin with the music that inspires you and sparks your curiosity. At the same time, we explore genres such as jazz, world music and experimental music, challenging familiar conventions and discovering new ways of creating sound. We experiment with electroacoustic music, use effect pedals in unexpected ways, and play with instruments, textures and musical interaction.

New Nordic folk music is at the heart of the course. We immerse ourselves in Swedish polskas, Finnish jenkkas, Faroese ballads, and Danish traditional fiddle music and drone traditions. But we do more than preserve these traditions – we explore how they can speak to the present. What does folk music sound like in 2027? What happens when it meets funk, electronics or improvisation?

Together, we'll ask bold and curious questions: Can you create a rave using only acoustic instruments? Can the lullaby be reinvented? Can a concert take place on a hike? Can traditional folk dancing find new life through the grooves of funk or jazz?

New Nordic Folk Music is about much more than becoming a better musician. It is also about daring to let go of perfectionism, overcoming stage fright, and keeping an open mind to the unexpected. Listening. Creating. Being present.

The course is open to both experienced and beginner musicians and singers. What matters most is not how much you already know, but your curiosity and your desire to play, sing, experiment and create music together with others.