Lodestar Trio

In 2018 Scandinavian folk musicians Erik Rydvall and Olav Mjelva joined forces with German-British Max Baillie to create the ground-breaking ensemble Lodestar Trio. Playing nøkkelharpe – a keyed, bowed fiddle with resonant strings – violin and hardanger fiddle, the trio interprets baroque classics such as Bach, Lully or Couperin with exuberant joy.

Last autumn they released their first album, Bach to Folk, which has received great critical reviews. It includes music from Bach's cello suites and solo violin works, and other baroque music by Merula and Couperin alongside traditional Nordic folk music.

According to the German folk music magazine Folker, 'every note of the trio conveys lightness and joy', while the British magazine Songlines wrote that 'Lodestar do much more than shine a different light on Bach's pieces; they make them anew.'

The trio has made guest performances at European festivals and played live on BBC Radio.

Photo: Ard Jongsma

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