Music In the Library: An Afternoon of Nyckelharpa

Join us in the New Books area for a a nyckelharpa performance with Nacio Levey. This informal performance is free and open to all. Featuring traditional folk music of Sweden played on the nyckelharpa (keyed fiddle). Music from several different regions of Sweden that is traditionally played for dancing, as well as some modern compositions in the traditional style. The nyckelharpa consists of four bowed strings that are played with thirty-seven keys. A set of sympathetic strings resonates while playing, giving the instrument its characteristic sound. While the modern nyckelharpa is only about 100 years old, variations of the instrument date back over 500 years. In 2023, the building of nyckelharpas and the music tradition was recognized as a UNESCO intangible cultural heritage. Nacio Levey is a classically trained multi-instrumentalist based in the Upper Valley. Nacio has performed as a soloist and in community orchestras, blending a classical background with a passion for traditional music of New England, Québec and Eastern Canada, the British Isles, and Scandinavia. Nacio has studied traditional music for over a decade, and performs at concerts, camps, festivals, and traditional dances throughout New England. He has performed at the New England Folk Festival Association (NEFFA) and has competed at traditional folk music festivals in Norway. Nacio actively studies the music and traditions of the Nyckelharpa, the national instrument of Sweden. He particularly enjoys the layered melodies and complex rhythms found in the music from the Västerbotten, Dalarna, and Uppland regions of Sweden.