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The Bert Stromholm Band (AKA The SAHS Band) feature Bert and Eric Johansson on the accordion, violinist Jeanette Baker, Walter Eriksson Jr.on drums and nyckelharpa, and Roy Johnson on guitar. They are one of the leading Scandinavian bands on the East Coast.
Elly Erickson
Elly Erickson, an American soprano of Scandinavian descent, has performed over twenty leading roles in operas and musicals to much critical acclaim, in addition to winning more than twenty awards from foundations and competitions over the last several years. As an American winner of the prestigious Jenny Lind Competition, Ms. Erickson recently performed a concert tour in Sweden, including a performance at Skansen, the oldest open-air museum in the world. The award also led to concert performances with the P.T. Barnum Festival, Connecticut's Playhouse on the Green, the Greater Bridgeport Symphony Pops to an audience of over 5,000, and a performance of the Star-Spangled Banner at the Special Olympics. Passionate about her Nordic roots and cultural heritage, Ms. Erickson has returned to Sweden to research and perform Scandinavian music on awards from the American-Scandinavian Foundation, Swedish Council of America, Ambassador John L. Loeb, Jr. Foundation, Martha Boschen-Porter Fund and the Swedish Institute on the recommendation of the Swedish Consulate and Swedish Embassy. Ms. Erickson featured the breathtaking melodies of Scandinavia in several concerts and recitals since her return from Sweden, her first sponsored by the Joyce Dutka Arts Foundation with the late Maestro William Yannuzzi of the Baltimore Opera at the piano. Ms. Erickson will travel to Oslo in 2007 to research and perform Norwegian songs. Upon her return, she will perform A Nordic Tapestry, an Evening of Scandinavian Song, in several Scandinavian festivals, in addition to a performance at Victor Borge Hall at Scandinavia House in New York City. Her distinctive recording of "Ack, Värmeland, du sköna" has been featured on WMNR Fine Arts Radio. Please visit Elly's website to read more about her! www.ellyerickson.com
A young blind virtuoso accordionist. Brent is of Finnish and Swedish descent. He performed on our stage a few years ago and was very well received. Since then, he has graduated from the renowned Berklee College of Music, in Boston, Massachusetts and recently got married. He has toured throughout the country with the Stratton Mountain Boys from Vermont, has been a guest performer with the Grammy-winning "Polka King" Jimmy Sturr Orchestra and performed at accordion conventions throughout the country. He has also performed at Scandinavian celebrations in Oregon, Maine, Texas, Michigan and other states. Brent was featured on the Sally Jesse Raphael TV show. He also has played at Disney World and at the Finnish Embassy in Washington DC and has recorded three CDs. He will be performing for us in the afternoon and evening and also sitting in with the Bert Stromholm Band for dancing. His wife, Crista, a fine musician herself, will
be performing with Brent. For more information about Brent check
out his website: www.brentbuswell.com.
Ulla Suokko Carlos Revollar
Romantic, charming, elegant and entertaining, this duo is committed to bringing beauty, passion and joy to the world through their custom-designed performances. Their program Lemminkäinen's Daughter Travels the World is inspired by Finnish music and mythology, though the journey into the mystery of love which it contains is a universal one. Ulla Suokko, a native of Finland, is active both as a soloist and chamber musician. She has been featured in some of the world's most prestigious concert venues. Recipient of the Finlandia Foundation National Trust's Performer of the Year-award, Ulla has toured the United States with her creative and cherished programs of stories, music and poetry. Showing her versatility, Ms. Suokko has many credits also as an actress, including the title role in an award-winning short film Dolores, as well as multiple appearances on NBC's Late Night with Conan O'Brien as Conan's Finnish wife. She holds the degree Doctor of Musical Arts from The Juilliard School. Flamenco guitarist Carlos Revollar
is one of the most sought-after flamenco artists in New York City,
performing regularly with some of flamenco's top dancers and singers.
An accomplished composer, Carlos has won American Music Center Award
Grant three consecutive years for his compositions. He is currently
the Musical Director of the Alborada Dance Theater. As winners in
the Artists International 35th Annual New York Debut Award Auditions,
the duo Ulla Suokko and Carlos Revollar will be presented in their
official New York recital debut in Carnegie Hall on February 10,
2008 in Artists International's Special Presentation Winners Series. Read more about Ulla at her
website: http://www.ullasuokko.com
Rolf Kristian Stang Rolf was with us in 2005, when he gave our young folks a great program as Hans Christian Andersen. A translator of note, he also sings, acts, lectures, and writes about Scandinavian culture, particularly Norwegian. King Harald V has decorated him with the St. Olaf Medal in recognition of his years of interpreting Norwegian culture so effectively. You may have seen Rolf on TV in the CBS Thursday night series "Promised Land".
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Children's Club Skansen
Children's Club Skansen #147 was chartered in the summer of 1959 and included
children from 5 to 13 years old. Membership has averaged from 15-40 children,
many of who continue on to Vasastjarnan Junior Club. The club meets once
a month at Viking Hall at Vasa Park.
Vasastjärnan Junior Folkdancers
Vasastjärnan Junior Club was chartered by the Vasa Order of America in 1952, and is the only teenage group in NJ District 6. The club has been continuously active for 55 years.
Our members are of Scandinavian descent, and between the ages of 12 and 21. We rehearse at Vasa Park several times a month, depending on our performance schedule.