Sara Pajunen wsg Frances Olson
Sara Pajunen was one half of a Finnish duo that stole people's musical hearts at a past East Lansing Great Lakes Folk Festival. Now based in Minneapolis, Sara has only enhanced her concert repertoire adding songs and commentary to her stunning Finnish fiddle pieces. Sara will share the stage with special guest and fellow Minnesotan, fiddler / pianist Frances Olson.
“Extra elusive appeal” – fRoots (UK)
“Swoons lovingly” – Rolling Stone (US)
Sara Pajunen is a violinist/hardanger d’amore player, sound artist and composer-improviser. Born and based in Minnesota (USA), Pajunen’s work is motivated by the interaction between her deep connection to ancestral roots and her experience of current American culture. Steeped in Finnish folk music since her childhood, she has released six albums using folk and traditional music as the basis for singular collaborations. Pajunen’s interests also lie in blurring human perceptions and cultivating presence through listening, using sound to shift our relationships to our landscapes and accepted histories. Longterm project Mine Songs: Sounding an Altered Landscape employs environmental recordings, image, and composition/improvisation to create a variegated depiction of Minnesota’s Mesabi Iron Range, her childhood and ancestral home.
Pajunen has performed extensively in Europe and North America and her work has received funding from the Jerome Foundation, Minnesota State Arts Board, Kone Foundation, New Music USA, American Scandinavian Foundation, and the Arts Council of Finland – amongst others. She holds classical music degrees in both the United States and Finland, and a Master of Music in Contemporary Improvisation from New England Conservatory. In addition to presenting solo material, she will be joined by Frances Olson on keys/fiddle.
“Extra elusive appeal” – fRoots (UK)
“Swoons lovingly” – Rolling Stone (US)
Sara Pajunen is a violinist/hardanger d’amore player, sound artist and composer-improviser. Born and based in Minnesota (USA), Pajunen’s work is motivated by the interaction between her deep connection to ancestral roots and her experience of current American culture. Steeped in Finnish folk music since her childhood, she has released six albums using folk and traditional music as the basis for singular collaborations. Pajunen’s interests also lie in blurring human perceptions and cultivating presence through listening, using sound to shift our relationships to our landscapes and accepted histories. Longterm project Mine Songs: Sounding an Altered Landscape employs environmental recordings, image, and composition/improvisation to create a variegated depiction of Minnesota’s Mesabi Iron Range, her childhood and ancestral home.
Pajunen has performed extensively in Europe and North America and her work has received funding from the Jerome Foundation, Minnesota State Arts Board, Kone Foundation, New Music USA, American Scandinavian Foundation, and the Arts Council of Finland – amongst others. She holds classical music degrees in both the United States and Finland, and a Master of Music in Contemporary Improvisation from New England Conservatory. In addition to presenting solo material, she will be joined by Frances Olson on keys/fiddle.