About

     Washington’s Spelmanslag is a group of musicians who love to play traditional Scandinavian music. We get together twice a month (every 2nd and 4th Saturday afternoon) at members’ homes in the metro DC area. We rehearse, jam, and perhaps even enjoy some fika (the Swedish custom of taking a break with kaffe, drinks, and snacks). Membership in the ‘Lag includes all rehearsals and jams, performances, and special workshops with renowned guest artists. All levels of musicians and all instruments are welcome to join.

     The Spelmanslag has performed at the Washington Folk Festival, the Takoma Park Folk Festival, the Bowie International Festival, the House of Sweden, IKEA, the American Scandinavian Association, Drott Lodge, the Swedish ambassador’s residence, and other private occasions. ​

     The group’s artistic co-directors are Catherine Chapman and Sonia Pearson White. Catherine is the groups manager and an active fiddler in the local folk music scene known for her ability to find the heart of the tune. Sonia plays nyckelharpa, the Swedish national instrument. She has studied nyckelharpa with many of the top Swedish players at music and dance camps in the United States. She studied with Olov Johansson of Väsen, Ditte Andersson, Mia Marin, and Sonia Sahlström during a year-long course at the Eric Sahlström Institute in Sweden in 2014-2015. Her blog describing this experience is at http://www.soniasvikt.org. Sonia is also an accomplished dancer; she earned her Big Silver medal in Swedish polska dancing in 2015. This dance experience helps her find the right tempo and “swing” when she plays her nyckelharpa for dancers. Sonia is one of  the featured musician for Scandia DC, a Scandinavian folk dance group serving the Washington, DC area.

     For information on how to join our Spelmanslag or to attend a workshop, please visit our contact page or email dcspelmanslag@gmail.com.