Today we held our annual fall concert in Hamden. We've done Christmas concerts in the past, but we decided a fall concert would be nicer. Since it wasn't so close to the holidays, we actually pulled in a great crowd.
As a bonus, we had a soloist from Sweden. Her name is Birgitta (didn't catch her last name), and she is from Örebro - my hometown. Kind of a coincidence that we would both end up in Connecticut. Apparently, she has lived here for 40 years and is married to an American man.
Showing posts with label chorus. Show all posts
Showing posts with label chorus. Show all posts
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Chorus practice
So these are some of the old folks I sing with every other Monday. Unfortunately, you can only see one and a half woman, since the other one and a half are hidden behind the men (they are very short). We have some strays that come to join us most weeks, but this is the core group.Can't get more fun than this.
Saturday, May 17, 2008
The Swedish meatball song
My friend John and I have long joked about writing a song about Swedish meatballs. It should go something like this, he says: "Flugen flagen, flugen flagen."
Of course, that's his idea of speaking Swedish.
I was in Hartford last night, performing at Emanuel Lutheran Church. After my solo, Ken and Ellen Svengalis got up to perform their duets. In addition to a song about a Scandinavian wedding with Sven Svensson, Jan Jansson and Anders Andersson, they also performed a song about Swedish meatballs. I never knew this song by Stan Boreson existed, but was able to find an exerpt of it online when I got home:
Hulda's Good Swedish Metballs
It includes some hopping, so don't try it at home unless you're an experienced Swede.
Of course, that's his idea of speaking Swedish.
I was in Hartford last night, performing at Emanuel Lutheran Church. After my solo, Ken and Ellen Svengalis got up to perform their duets. In addition to a song about a Scandinavian wedding with Sven Svensson, Jan Jansson and Anders Andersson, they also performed a song about Swedish meatballs. I never knew this song by Stan Boreson existed, but was able to find an exerpt of it online when I got home:
Hulda's Good Swedish Metballs
It includes some hopping, so don't try it at home unless you're an experienced Swede.
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Upcoming concerts
Most of my readers aren't in the Connecticut area, but for those of you who are, I want to promote the dates for my spring concerts:
It'll be the Scandinavian Women's Chorus of Connecticut, the Apollo singers and some random singers from Fairfield, I believe. I will most likely do a solo at both concerts - in Swedish.
Sunday, April 27, 4 p.m.
Christ Lutheran Church
600 Shepard Ave.
Hamden, CT
Adm. $5, Kaffe med dopp to follow
Friday, May 16, 7 p.m.
Emanuel Lutheran Church
311 Capitol Ave.
Hartford, CT
It'll be the Scandinavian Women's Chorus of Connecticut, the Apollo singers and some random singers from Fairfield, I believe. I will most likely do a solo at both concerts - in Swedish.
Sunday, June 17, 2007
Midsummer at IKEA
The sun was blazing and the sky was clear as 15 Scandinavian singers gathered in the parking lot of IKEA in New Haven to spread some summer joy. A good 30 people in the audience gladly sang along to traditional Swedish songs like “Sköna maj” (Beautiful May) and “Hälsa dem därhemma” (Great My Dear Old Mother).
But it must have been a sight for the American onlookers (including some IKEA employees) when all those familiar with Swedish traditions eagerly got out of the lawn chairs to dance around a maypole. The pole was, of course, decorated with leaves and colorful flowers and stood about six feet tall.
Vivan Sundman, a Swede living in the Fairfield area, led the group on her accordion through “Vi äro musikanter” (We are Musicians) and the singers guided other participants through the gestures of playing the violin, the bass and the flute. To top it all off, Vivan played “Små grodorna,” a song about frogs that have no ears or tails.
I, of course, sang out loud and clear for this one, gesturing wildly with my hands by my ears (to show that frogs have no ears) and wiggling my hands over my butt behind my back (because frogs have no tails). All 50 people in a circle around the pole – the majority of them over 50 years old – gladly imitated me and jumped as I jumped while we were singing ‘kow-ack-ack-ack.’ That must have been some sight.
In Sweden, children are the ones dancing around the maypole. One chorus member from Karlstad, Sweden, had specifically said prior to the performance that he would participate in no such thing. But when the celebration started, he was jumping around with everyone else, a big grin on his face.
But it must have been a sight for the American onlookers (including some IKEA employees) when all those familiar with Swedish traditions eagerly got out of the lawn chairs to dance around a maypole. The pole was, of course, decorated with leaves and colorful flowers and stood about six feet tall.
Vivan Sundman, a Swede living in the Fairfield area, led the group on her accordion through “Vi äro musikanter” (We are Musicians) and the singers guided other participants through the gestures of playing the violin, the bass and the flute. To top it all off, Vivan played “Små grodorna,” a song about frogs that have no ears or tails.
I, of course, sang out loud and clear for this one, gesturing wildly with my hands by my ears (to show that frogs have no ears) and wiggling my hands over my butt behind my back (because frogs have no tails). All 50 people in a circle around the pole – the majority of them over 50 years old – gladly imitated me and jumped as I jumped while we were singing ‘kow-ack-ack-ack.’ That must have been some sight.
In Sweden, children are the ones dancing around the maypole. One chorus member from Karlstad, Sweden, had specifically said prior to the performance that he would participate in no such thing. But when the celebration started, he was jumping around with everyone else, a big grin on his face.
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Singing at IKEA
My chorus, the Scandinavian Women's Chorus of Connecticut, and our guy friends in Apollo have been asked to sing at IKEA in New Haven on Saturday.
This is exciting for many reasons. First, I get to sing Swedish music for people who care about Swedish furniture and Swedish stuff. Second, I get to shop at IKEA when we are done. I really need to replenish my supply of Kalles Kaviar, Dajm and Ahlgren's Bilar.
The only problem... we have to meet at 10 a.m. for an 11 a.m. performance!!! Since I work nights, I am usually not awake before noon. But I guess I can make an exception for this very special occasion...
This is exciting for many reasons. First, I get to sing Swedish music for people who care about Swedish furniture and Swedish stuff. Second, I get to shop at IKEA when we are done. I really need to replenish my supply of Kalles Kaviar, Dajm and Ahlgren's Bilar.
The only problem... we have to meet at 10 a.m. for an 11 a.m. performance!!! Since I work nights, I am usually not awake before noon. But I guess I can make an exception for this very special occasion...
Sunday, June 3, 2007
All things Swedish
I always bump into Americans who want to know what it's like to be Swedish in a foreign country. Isn't the U.S. so different, with excitement and more freedom than anywhere else in the world? they ask.
My answer, usually, is "no."
We have McDonald's, Seinfeld, Friends and David Letterman in Sweden. There are Volvos, Saabs, H&M and IKEAs here. The United State is less different than one might think.
When I first came to this country nine years ago, I looked around critically, judging things. There are so many things we do better in Sweden, I thought. But despite the differences that stem from too many religious conservatives in power, it is easy to find a little bit of Sweden in the United States.
Not counting California and Minnesota, where there are more people claiming to be Swedes than in Sweden, there is plenty of Sweden here to make me feel at home.
The first college I went to - Westchester Community College - was located in a little town called Valhalla, N.Y. Now, those of you who know your Nordic mythology know that Valhalla is a place where slain vikings go to party. I was therefore not surprised to see the name of the school newspaper: The Viking News. It took a while before people realized the irony of it all when I became the editor, but it later became a great topic of conversation during job interviews.
One summer I walked into the giant bookseller Barnes & Noble to pick up a book or two. When I passed the rows of new books in paperback, Liza Marklund's "The Bomber" (Sprängaren) caught my eye. It had a hand-written label next to it, and I walked closer to the shelf to see what the note said. "Our staff strongly recommends this book." Since it is one of my favorites, I quickly grabbed it and decided it would make a great gift for someone.
A Thursday afternoon in 2003 I sat down on the couch to skim through the local newspaper and came across a brief that said "Swedish spring concert this Saturday." Not only were three Scandinavian choruses set to perform; the performance was in Hamden, where I was living at the time, less than five minutes from my apartment. Two days later I went to the concert and realized none of the singers knew Swedish. But I got to hear "Sköna maj" and "Studentsången."
After that, I signed up to join them for the next year. I have now been singing with the Scandinavian Women's Chorus of Connecticut for four years, and I am one of two people who speak Swedish.
A few years ago, IKEA opened a store in New Haven, about half an hour from where I live. I addition to furniture and accessories, all foreign IKEA stores have a Swedish food shop where you can buy Kalles Kaviar, Dajm and knäckebröd. Of course, you can buy Wasa knäckebröd and Ballerina cookies in the regular supermarket now. And what Swede could live without them?
Another famous thing here is Swedish Fish. It's made by Swedish candy company Malaco, I think, but in Sweden we actually have several different flavors and colors. Here, the fish is just red.
Often, you can hear Robyn, Ace of Base, ABBA or Roxette on the radio. Another hit, if you listen to the right station, is Björn Skifs' "Hooked on a Feeling." At some New York Yankee games, they play the country-Eurodance hit "Cotton-Eye Joe" by Rednex.
Sometimes the Swedish things are temporary, and sometimes they are here to stay. One this is for certain: It is nice to be a Swede in a country where Annika Sörenstam has made history. At one point, she was compared to Jackie Robinson.
If Annika can, I can. Or at least, I can try.
My answer, usually, is "no."
We have McDonald's, Seinfeld, Friends and David Letterman in Sweden. There are Volvos, Saabs, H&M and IKEAs here. The United State is less different than one might think.
When I first came to this country nine years ago, I looked around critically, judging things. There are so many things we do better in Sweden, I thought. But despite the differences that stem from too many religious conservatives in power, it is easy to find a little bit of Sweden in the United States.
Not counting California and Minnesota, where there are more people claiming to be Swedes than in Sweden, there is plenty of Sweden here to make me feel at home.
The first college I went to - Westchester Community College - was located in a little town called Valhalla, N.Y. Now, those of you who know your Nordic mythology know that Valhalla is a place where slain vikings go to party. I was therefore not surprised to see the name of the school newspaper: The Viking News. It took a while before people realized the irony of it all when I became the editor, but it later became a great topic of conversation during job interviews.
One summer I walked into the giant bookseller Barnes & Noble to pick up a book or two. When I passed the rows of new books in paperback, Liza Marklund's "The Bomber" (Sprängaren) caught my eye. It had a hand-written label next to it, and I walked closer to the shelf to see what the note said. "Our staff strongly recommends this book." Since it is one of my favorites, I quickly grabbed it and decided it would make a great gift for someone.
A Thursday afternoon in 2003 I sat down on the couch to skim through the local newspaper and came across a brief that said "Swedish spring concert this Saturday." Not only were three Scandinavian choruses set to perform; the performance was in Hamden, where I was living at the time, less than five minutes from my apartment. Two days later I went to the concert and realized none of the singers knew Swedish. But I got to hear "Sköna maj" and "Studentsången."
After that, I signed up to join them for the next year. I have now been singing with the Scandinavian Women's Chorus of Connecticut for four years, and I am one of two people who speak Swedish.
A few years ago, IKEA opened a store in New Haven, about half an hour from where I live. I addition to furniture and accessories, all foreign IKEA stores have a Swedish food shop where you can buy Kalles Kaviar, Dajm and knäckebröd. Of course, you can buy Wasa knäckebröd and Ballerina cookies in the regular supermarket now. And what Swede could live without them?
Another famous thing here is Swedish Fish. It's made by Swedish candy company Malaco, I think, but in Sweden we actually have several different flavors and colors. Here, the fish is just red.
Often, you can hear Robyn, Ace of Base, ABBA or Roxette on the radio. Another hit, if you listen to the right station, is Björn Skifs' "Hooked on a Feeling." At some New York Yankee games, they play the country-Eurodance hit "Cotton-Eye Joe" by Rednex.
Sometimes the Swedish things are temporary, and sometimes they are here to stay. One this is for certain: It is nice to be a Swede in a country where Annika Sörenstam has made history. At one point, she was compared to Jackie Robinson.
If Annika can, I can. Or at least, I can try.
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