Swedish Folk Band 'Jaerv' Instructs Local K-12 Students

Be the reason future generations know what mattered in Decorah. Fund Decorah News today. DECORAH — More than 1,000 Decorah Community School District students participated in a Nordic Folk Music Residency Oct. 27-30 led by the Swedish folk band Jaerv and organized by Vesterheim. During the four-day residency, Jaerv worked with K-4 elementary students; middle and high school orchestra and choir students; and middle school band students. The residency was supported in part by a gift to the Vesterheim Annual Fund from Bob and Mary Jane Lake. Jaerv performed traditional Swedish music for each group. Music students in grades K-2, along with middle school band and orchestra students, received live performances. Vocal students in grades 3-12 learned to sing a traditional Swedish song, with older students adding layered harmonies. The Decorah High School Concert Choir learned a traditional Swedish "follow-the-leader" style line dance and then learned to sing the tune in three-part harmony. Two high school orchestra students had the opportunity to try the nyckelharpa, a medieval stringed instrument widely used in Scandinavian folk music. "It was amazing to experience the piece of Swedish culture that they brought to us," said Caleb Johnson, a senior in the Decorah High School Concert Choir. "I loved the songs that they played for us, and we had so much fun with their activities, both the songs they taught us and the dance we did." Jaerv, an award-winning Swedish quintet, performs energetic and heartfelt folk music influenced by jazz and pop. The group is internationally known and has toured the United States, Japan, Spain, Scotland, Ireland, Finland and Norway. "I am always grateful and thrilled to be able to welcome professional musicians to my classroom, exposing students to the wide range of possibilities that music offers," said Sarah Kowitz, director of the Decorah Middle School Orchestra. "And the students are always enthralled! Jaerv and the OK Factor did not disappoint – they held the students' attention and were inspiring!" Jaerv's visit also included a Center Stage Series performance with The OK Factor on Tuesday, Oct. 28, at Luther College. Through a partnership among Vesterheim, Luther College and the Decorah Performing Arts Boosters, more than 60 students and their families received complimentary tickets. "When young people get to learn from and work alongside professional musicians like Jaerv, it helps them see music not just as something they do in school, but as a meaningful path they can pursue throughout their lives," said Andrew Ellingsen, director of folk art education at Vesterheim and a former public school music educator. "Partnerships between Vesterheim, Luther College, and the Decorah Community School District make opportunities like this possible, experiences that no single institution could offer alone. At Vesterheim Folk Art School, part of our mission is to keep folk art traditions alive and vibrant, and that begins with helping the next generation see themselves as part of that living tradition." Don't miss out on important updates! Subscribe to the newsletter for free and stay informed about local topics that matter most to you.