Performing Norwegian American
Laura Ellestad joins us in this forum to discuss her exciting monograph Performing Norwegian American from 2023. The thesis examines the music culture in Norwegian-American communities in the upper Midwest in the period 1900-1970. Ellestad describes how the performance of village dance music and old-time music contributed to diverse Norwegian-American identities in a time of significant change in the United States. This project gives new insights into how Norwegian identity is created and managed through music, and how immigrants can find meaning in their musical heritage.
Laura Ellestad will give a presentation in English, followed by questions and a wider discussion. It is recommended that you look at the dissertation before the forum.
About Ellestad
Laura Ellestad is a fiddle player, pedagogue and researcher. Her acclaimed solo album Valdresspel i Amerika (2014) was nominated for both Spellemannsprisen and Folkelarmsprisen. In 2023, she received a PhD in performance practice from the Norwegian Academy of Music, as the first folk musician to do so. She is currently an associate professor at the University of South-Eastern Norway.
Link to the dissertation in Brage.
