A World of Folk Music, with Olav Luksengård Mjelva
About the episode
In this episode I’m traveling to the Norwegian city Røros to speak with fiddler Olav Mjelva. I’ve been a fan of Olav’s work for a long time, so it’s a real treat to be able to have him as a guest on the show.
Olav is one of the busiest fiddlers in Norway, with a touring schedule that few other folk musicians can match. He is a founding member of the Norwegian/Swedish ensemble SVER, which happens to be one of my favorite bands. Other projects include The Nordic Fiddlers Bloc, a trio specializing in Norwegian, Swedish and Shetland fiddle music, and the duo Rydvall/Mjelva alongside Swedish Nyckelharpa virtuoso Erik Rydvall.
In out conversation we discuss his approach to musical collaborations, how to succeed as a touring musician and the importance of finding your own voice as a musician. We also talk about one of his newest projects; The Folk Music Academy, an online learning resource for folk music from around the world. We even touch on things like the future of CD sales in the folk scene!
I really enjoyed this conversation with Olav, and I hope you’ll enjoy listening to it as well.
