Harald Haugaard

• country:Denmark
• style(s):Scandinavian, Traditional
• label:Pile House Records / PFM Management Aps
• type:Solo, Composer/Songwriter
• gender:male
• instrumentation:instrumental
• artist posted by:Pile House Records / PFM Management Aps

Line up

• Kirstine Elise Pedersen (DK) (Cello)
• Krister Jonsson (S) (Guitar)
• Rasmus Zeeberg (DK) (Guitar/mandolin)
• Sune Rahbek (DK) (Percussion)
• Tapani Varis (SF) (Double bass/various flutes)

Links

• Official website of Harald Haugaard
• Record Label

"Haugaard is a brilliant fiddler, one of the very best in the world." (Chris Nickson, fRoots)

Harald Haugaard, fiddler, composer, producer:
British roots magazine fRoots declared him one of the three best fiddle players in the world; he played a central role in the establishment of the folk music programme at the Carl Nielsen Academy of Music in Odense, Denmark and was head of the department for five years; he formed half of the most successful duo in the history of Danish folk music, Haugaard & Hirup; he's a well-renowned music teacher and has his own international fiddle school in Germany... and the list goes on. It is safe to conclude that Haugaard has played and still plays a prominent role on the contemporary Danish folk scene in more than one way.

Harald has played the fiddle since the age of 7 and his first and greatest inspiration was the traditional dance music played by his grandfather Johannes, a local wood carver and traditional accordion player. Harald's style as a fiddler is playful, light and elegant, but also dramatic, melancholic and sometimes diabolic. His passionate love for music comes to life whenever and wherever he performs.

Haugaard has released several albums with Haugaard & Hirup, with the folk-fusion band Serras, he has performed on a wide range of albums as a musician, and received nine Danish Music Awards for his efforts, but not until recently did he release his debut solo album "Burning Fields". Harald describes it as an ambitious album: "one that crosses lines between the tradition and the modern, and acoustic and electric music".

In connection with WOMEX 09 Harald Haugaard furthermore plays an essential role as artistic producer and idea maker behind the Opening Concert "The Great Nordic Night". "The Great Nordic Night" will be the largest Nordic arrangement for traditional music ever, and Harald has collected a range of Nordic star artists to create a once-in-a-lifetime musical experience allowing all WOMEX delegates to get a glimpse of the rich musical and cultural heritage present in the Nordic music tradition.