Who is Helga Myhr? A 24 year old musician. Grew up in the small village of Torpo in Ål, but lives in Oslo. Loves books and always tries to live up to the amount of reading I had as a young person. Often there is too much music in my thoughts and too little time for other things, but I have put my […]
/ 03/04/2020 / Kristian DugstadWho is Helga Myhr?
A 24 year old musician. I grew up in the small village of Torpo in Ål, but live in Oslo. I love books and always try to live up to the amount of reading I had as a youngster. Often there is too much music in my thoughts and too little time for other things, but I have put my love for yoga, then I always have completely free time.
Tell us about your musical background?
I have parents who work as musicians and dancers, my mother was my first Hardanger fiddle and singing teacher, and both of them taught me to dance folk dance. I have two older sisters who also work in art and culture. I have played the fiddle and sang for as long as I can remember and as a child I listened to a lot of Katie Melua. Now I listen to everything from old archive recordings from Hallingdal to Joni Mitchell, Frida Ånnevik, Valkyrien Allstars, Christian Wallumrød Ensemble and Sherrifs of Nothingness.
Last year you released your debut album "Natten veller seg ut". The roots in folk music are clear, but it is undeniably innovative and experimental. Can you tell us about your vision?
During my studies at the Norwegian Academy of Music (NMH), I was increasingly drawn towards contemporary music and improvised music, something I had absolutely no knowledge of before coming to Oslo. It felt very right to move towards that part of the musical life, and during my last two years at NMH I had the fantastic Tanja Orning (cellist and composer) as a teacher. She has taught me an enormous amount, primarily within improvisation. In the space between folk music and contemporary music, I now feel very comfortable. The urge to learn more about improvisation and at the same time be an active folk music nerd has been a way of finding my musical identity. On the solo album "Natten veller seg ut", you can hear the result of about three years of exploring this. In a way, I have asked myself the question: "How would a folk musician from Hallingdal perform contemporary music?" The goal was to make a contemporary music album from a folk music perspective. I have learned that folk music is an extremely strong genre and therefore very suitable for respectfully stretching and pulling in all directions. The music has so many layers and offers endless possibilities. In addition, the Hardanger fiddle itself is an instrument that is undeniably very fun to explore sonically.
Do you think a folk musician thinks differently than other musicians and composers?
It is difficult and strange to comment on how other musicians think. The only thing I can answer is that there are perhaps more folk musicians who are interested in (local) history than other musicians, without being too assertive about that. Ultimately, all musicians are (hopefully) interested in music in different ways and everyone is different.
You are registered in TONO with a wide range of works. Where is the balance between being a tradition bearer and a composer?
Arranging and composing music, as well as being a tradition bearer, are somewhat intertwined. It is difficult to separate these two. Although I feel responsible for promoting folk music from my area, I actually really like to think of everything as just music.
What made you start writing music?
After a gap year at folk high school with little music, I felt a great need to play a lot and find out things. I started arranging songs for the folk song group Kvedarkvintetten and started playing the Hardanger fiddle a little again. I needed to find new inspiration in the Hardanger fiddle and gradually realized that it is possible to use the instrument in countless ways. Something else that has been important for me in the development of creating new music was when my classmates at NMH Rasmus Kjorstad and Selma French Bolstad started playing together. With great enthusiasm, we started arranging folk music together and exploring what worked and what didn't. Gradually, it became Morgonrode, which also consists of Andreas Winther and Fredrik Luhr Dietrichson.
What does music writing mean to you?
Developing and creating is absolutely essential to my joy of making music. Everything from finding unused and old melody forms and putting them together into my own form, to working on works that are based solely on the sound possibilities of the Hardanger fiddle. Writing music for me also means working on new and old music collectively in a band, which we do a lot in the band Morgonrode, for example.
Where and how do you write?
When I sit alone and make music, I use a lot of recordings. It is absolutely essential for me to document through sound and then bring up old ideas and hear what works and what doesn't when I have gained some distance from it, and have almost forgotten what I recorded. I can often be surprised by how it sounded and what I played. When I make new vocal arrangements for the folk song group Kvedarkvintetten, I sometimes use the Sibelius music program and other times just recordings where I improvise my way to the different sounds.
Do you have any equipment or tools that are indispensable in the writing process?
Garageband (haven't bothered to buy a "professional" program yet) and my nice zoom.
As a Hardanger fiddle player, do you feel a kind of responsibility for a uniquely Norwegian musical heritage?
There are not many of us who play songs from Hallingdal on the Hardanger fiddle and who bring unused and forgotten music from there back into the light. Each and every one of us who plays has a responsibility since there are so few of us. Nevertheless, it also gives me a freedom, because there is a lot that is not played by others, so you simply have an enormous chest of treasures waiting to be taken up by someone. That is why I have the opportunity to shape the music very freely. Preserving important and distinctive elements in the music feels like an important task, at the same time as showing that music is actually about being free.
This year you have been nominated for Spellemann in Folk/Traditional Music with two albums. Both your own solo debut and the group Morgonrode's self-titled debut album. How does that feel?
It feels really good, of course. I'm very happy with both albums, but I still wasn't prepared for them to be nominated. It's extra cool that both albums are debut albums (in addition to Moenje's album, which is also nominated). Spellemann is a great arena for us musicians. There, several musicians get great and positive attention. That's why it was incredibly boring and sad that Spellemann 2019 had to be canceled or postponed, like all other possible cultural events this spring due to the coronavirus. I've had some heavy and depressing days from the whole virus situation, but I think we'll eventually learn something good from it. For us artists, it can be nice to have to stop our busy lives and be forced to feel how we actually feel. But it's very difficult to think about it right now, when suddenly our whole job and life are put on hold and vital money isn't going to come in for a while. It's so clear now how vulnerable the freelance life is, and I'm thinking of everyone who will have hard times ahead.
What does 2020 look like for you?
This is a bit difficult to answer in the past. Some people say, a bit ironically, that the whole of 2020 is cancelled. Like all other freelance musicians, the year suddenly looks very uncertain. A lot has been cancelled, but I have plans to play some duo concerts with Tanja Orning, release a new album with Morgonrode on April 3rd (single coming March 20th!), play more solo concerts and play concerts with other bands, such as Karoline Wallace's project "Lang vinter". I will also play some duo concerts with my fantastic teacher who I have had since childhood, Egil Syversbråten, if the summer festivals don't have to be cancelled *fingers crossed!!!*. Otherwise, I have exciting plans coming up that involve some composing.
What is your career highlight so far?
The biggest thing I've done so far is releasing my solo album "Natten veller seg ut". It was extremely scary and a big kick at the same time. Very happy that the record company Motvind Records wanted to release it. The record company is part of the umbrella organization Motvind Kulturlag, and if you haven't done so yet, check them out! They organize festivals and concerts, release lots of cool records, have their own catalog and stand for extremely nice and important things.
Can you share your greatest music experience as a listener?
Oh, this is a difficult one to answer! One episode I remember very well was the first time I heard the trio Slagr, it was like life before and after that.
And finally – Would you like to recommend one Norwegian artist you are currently listening to?
Listen to the new album by Andreas Røysum Ensemble! The album is so timeless and alive that I am completely captivated.
