Guld och silver – riksspelmän från norr

In order to use the title "Riksspelman" – Musician of the Realm – one must be awarded a golden or silver Zorn Badge, something all the musicians of this concert has done. In the summer of 2014, auditions for the title were held in Umeå and in connection thereto, the concert Gold & Silver was performed for the very first time. Now we have the honour to present a replay of this success: A highly traditional concert programme performed by northern Sweden's most prominent Musicians of the Realm. Welcome to a concert characterized by intimate songs and melodies, from both duos and in common playing, performed by some of the most beloved folk musicians of northern Sweden. 

Svante Lindqvist, Luleå 
Svante was born in Malmberget and became a Musician of the Realm in 1977, the first one to do it playing songs from Norrbotten. He´s most known as being a lead person in JP Nyströms orquestra, but he is also an active author and playwriter. In 2011 he was prized the golden Zorn badge for playing "masterful, tight and personal play of songs from Norrbotten". 

Torbjörn Näsbom, Umeå 
Torbjörn originates from Tierp in Uppland and already as a little child he got to meet and play together with legends of folk music, such as Viksta-Lasse and Eric Sahlström. After studying music both in Stockholm and Brussels he was employed as a violinist at Norrlands Opera House in Umeå, where he still works. During this time he also developed his skills in playing key harp, and has traveled the world playing at many stages. Among other co-players, one was Ann Sofie von Otter. At the national meeting of folk musicians in Umeå 2014 Torbjörn was awarded the golden Zorn badge for "virtuose, masterful and traditional play at violin and key harp". 

Siw Burman, Lycksele 
Siw can almost be compared to an institution in folk music from Västerbotten. She has been an active folk music player and a pedagogue since the seventees. Together with Gunnar Karlsson she has traveled around the region to pick up the music played on all places, resulting in the collection "Slatta fra Västerbotten" (e.g. Pieces of Västerbotten in dialect). She has been heard in groups as Burträskara and Skvattram and she has recorded a CD together with Ole Hjort. For decades she has worked as a pedagogue to spread folk music playing and fiddleplaying through the music schools of the region, but also reaching further as to Norway, Finland and Russia. In 2011 she was awarded the silver Zorn Badge. 

Fredrik Hangasjärvi, Pajala
Apart from being a national folk music player, Fredrik is a raindeer herder from Autio in Pajala. He plays different kinds of accordion and was awarded the silver Zorn Badge in 2013, one of the few awarded using this instrument. And he is also one of the few who only had to try once to make the Zorn jury award him. He also plays in the band Raj Raj from Tornedalen. 

Ida Meidell Blylod, Umeå/Sthlm 
Ida started her career back in Umeå as a student for Thomas Andersson and in the youth section of Umeå Musical School. This came to mean a lot for her love to folk music. After studying at the Conservatory of Music in Falun, and in Newcastle in England, and at The Musical High School of Stockholm, she is today a freelancing violinist and folk musician with Europe as her work place. She was awarded the silver Zorn Badge in 2012. 

Markus Falck, Umeå
Markus originates in Gällivare and since many years he lives in Umeå working as a music producer at Norrlandsoperan. He is a Musician of the Realm at violin but also loves to play accordion. Since almost 40 years he is also the tramp organist of JP Nyströms orquestra.