<<

16.3, Spring 2007 Contents... Friends ofds Fossegrimen 1 Scandinavian Studies Simon Helton 1 N E W S L E T T E R From the President’s Desk 2 Fundraising Update 2 Published fall, winter & spring for the Friends of Scandinavian Studies Looking for.... 2 Graduate Instructors 3 Fossegrimen SCAN Courses 3 SCAN Events Insert Reappears for the 2007 Midsummer Picnic

Mid Summer Picnic! According to Norwegian folk lore, fossegrimen are -playing Sunday, June 24, 2007 supernatural beings that dwell noon-4 pm beneath waterfalls. The members Shelter 1, of the group Fossegrimen, Alton Baker Park, however, are members of a Eugene dans orkester that is dedicated to performing folk music from and . The group plays for monthly in Salem and occasionally in the Portland and Seattle areas. Fossegrimen was Dancing founded by David and Claire Elliker-Vågsberg. David directs the group and performs on fiddle, the NorwegianHardanger fiddle and Swedish Families . Claire plays fiddle, viola and nyckelharpa. The other members are: Kurt Elliker, fiddle; Brian Wood, guitar andnyckelharpa ; Potluck and John Blunt, bass. On special occasions Fossegrimen members wear, regional costumes from Norway, knowns as bunader. Fun The hardingfele () andnyckelharpa are the national Music folk instruments of Norway and Sweden, respectively. The feature that most distinguishes the Norwegian Hardanger fiddle from the regular fiddle or is the set of four or five sympathetic strings that run Join us! beneath the and add droning overtones to the sound. A Hardanger fiddle is typically decorated with mother-of-pearl inlay, and (Continued on page 3) Simon Helton: Continuing on after graduation!

Eugene native Simon Helton will depart for the University of California-Berkeley in the fall to continue his education as a graduate student in the Department of Scandinavian. Simon says he is thrilled about the opportunity to pursue Scandinavian Studies at Berkeley. His interest in the field was sparked by a class on Scandinavian short stories taught by Professor Ellen Rees.

He will graduate from the University of Oregon at the end of spring term with concurrent degrees in Philosophy and German with a Scandinavian Focus. As a student of Norwegian, Simon has already been to Norway a number of times. First he attended the Oslo International Summer School and after studied at the University of Oslo for a semester. In 2005, NORTANA (Norwegian Researchers’ and Teachers’ Association of North America ) awarded Simon a round-trip ticket to Oslo for his winning essay. The topic of his essay was The Norwegian Refugee Council.

Simon is interested in contemporary Norwegian writers such as Erlend Loe and Swedish “Indie Pop” music. His advisor, Ellen Rees is delighted for Simon and thinks he has real potential for contributing to the field.

Visit our website at http://scandinavian.uoregon.edu/ From the President’s Desk Endowement Fund Yet another Oregon spring is here Update – rain, then sun, and then more rain… Thank you once again for your Many thanks to naturalist (and FSS generous contributions to the board member) Whitey Lueck for Scandinavian Languages Instructor organizing a delightful Swedish Endowment. Since our last update film series during winter term. His we have received one $1000 mini-lecture preceding each film was donation, one $500 donation, and always informative and the discussion numerous $100 and $50 donations. With $15,000 from the Friends’ Friends’ President afterwards thought-provoking. We are account, concert revenue and Kathie Lindlan already anticipating his selection of films for 2008. these donations, we have met Friends of approximately $22,400 of our Scandinavian Studies Our centennial celebration for Edvard $25,000 goal. We need just another Grieg was very successful. Soprano $2600 in donations this term in order to establish the endowment! Department of Marilyn Vondra, pianist Sandy Hull,

German and Scandinavian and narrator (and FSS Treasurer) David Wurts gave their audience a truly The Friends would especially like to inspiring performance in the sanctuary thank Paul Holbo and Lynn Berg for 202 Friendly Hall of Central Lutheran Church. FSS hopes their fundraising activities during 1250 University of Oregon to offer more Scandinavian musical the past couple months. Paul, a Eugene, OR 97403-1250 events in the future. former UO Vice Provost, and Lynn, (541) 346-4051 an award-winning Hardanger fiddle http://scandinavian.uoregon.edu/ We are now in the midst of our maker, took the initiative to solicit Tuesday evening folk dancing endowment contributions from Board Members sessions at the Sons of Norway’s Sonja members of the local Scandinavian- Kathie Lindlan, President Lodge. With instructor Linda Gunn’s American community. Much of our and Webmaster assistance we’ve made considerable income this past term resulted from Line Mørkbak, Vice progress in learning the and their efforts. President and Secretary David Wurts, Treasurer . This is quite an achievement, Linda Gunn, Member as those of you who participate in It would be much appreciated Whitey Lueck, Member Scandinavian folk dancing know. if you would send your annual Tom Mills, Member David Elliker-Vägsberg of Fossegrimen membership fees and endowment Michael Raymer, Member will accompany us once again on donations by June 30th. Please use Ellen Rees, Department Hardanger fiddle at the annual May the membership/donation form Representative 17th celebration at Sonja Lodge and on the last page of the newsletter Editor the midsummer picnic at Alton Baker to mail your tax-deductible Jenny Pearce Park. Please join us for these special contributions. occasions ! Contributors Kathie Lindlan Kathie THANK YOU! Linda Gunn Ellen Rees Toralf Mjelde LOOKING FOR .... a picture of Ed Thorstenberg. Nina Laine Jimmi Nielsen Mr. Phil Hansen, a 1967 graduate of the currently-named Department of German & Scandinavian, is writing a history of the Department and has © 2007 Friends of Scandinavian been unable to find of picture of Ed Thorstenberg. Thorstenberg was the Studies. The UO is an equal-oppor- first Scandinavian professor hired at the U of Oregon in 1913. He taught tunity, affirmative-action institution Swedish, Norwegian and Icelandic until 1928 when he passed away. He was committed to cultural diversity and compliance with the Americans with the “Grandfather” of Scandinavian at the University. If anyone has a picture, Disabilities Act. This publication please contact Phil Hansen @ [email protected]. (If you can’t send will be made available in accessible formats upon request. an email, please call Kathie Lindlan @ (541) 344-6834.) Thanks for your assistance. 2 Friends of Scandinavian Studies UO Scandinavian (Fossegrim continued from front page) Graduate Instructors black pen-and-ink rosemaling, and topped with a carved head of an animal. The Swedish nyckelharpa The German and Scandinavian is a bowed instrument with a Department has three graduate keybox and played with a very instructors teaching language short bow. Three of the top four courses in Norwegian, Finnish strings play melody notes and and Danish. All three are the forth is a drone string; the native speakers! remaining twelve strings vibrate Left: Toralf Mjelde, Nina Laine, Jimmi Nielsen sympatheticlly. The nyckelharpa’s 37 wooden keys are equipped with Toralf Mjelde: Norwegian Instructor tangents that stop the string to Toralf L. Mjelde is a native Norwegian and the current instructor for produce the pitches. The player the Norwegian class at U of O. He came to the US two years ago to bows with the right hand and marry an American he met during his masters studies in Australia. His presses on the keys with the left. background is in languages and communication, and he has previously worked as a translator and teacher. Toralf loves soccer and music, and All of the that above all, teaching great students about Norway and the language. Fossegrimen plays originates directly from Norway and Sweden Nina Laine: Finnish Instructor and is performed in the authentic Originally from , Nina came the UO to complete her M.A./ style of the area of origin. This P.h. in vocational education, where she is focusing on the trust dans orkester plays music for in supervisor-subordinate relationships. She is the sole Finnish (vals, schottis/ instructor in the department and is a true nature lover. She enjoys reinlender, masurka and ) spending time in the outdoors and invites everyone to visit Finland and (regional dances and participate in the many available summer and winter outdoor such as , gangar, sports! Her favorite place is Lappland where she goes for week long and polsdans) as well as runddans hiking adventures. (couple dancing that is usually choreographed) and various Jimmi Nicolai Tidemann Nielsen: Danish Instructor “mixers.” Please join the Friends Jimmi grew up in a small community in western Zealand, Denmark. of Scandinavian Studies as we He is currently studying American political history at the UO and celebrate Midsummer with food will return to Denmark this summer to complete his thesis. He and dancing, accompanied by teaches second year Danish and finds the differences in Scandinavian Fossegrimen. countries to be interesting.

2007 SCAN COURSES The following courses for 2007 will be offered by the Department of German and Scandinavian.

SUMMER 2007 SCAN 315 - Cinema Tradit Scan, . Mortensen

FALL 2007 SCAN 250 “Scandinavian NORW 101 “First-year SWED 201 “Second-year Fantasies” Norwegian” Ellen Rees Swedish” Michael Stern Minna Pavulans DANE 101 “First-year Danish” SCAN 354 “Genres in Staff FINN 201 “Second-year Finnish” Scandinavian Literature” Staff Michael Stern DANE 201 “Second-year Danish” Staff

Spring 2007 Newsletter 3 Friends Membership Renewal Form USE THIS FORM Membership Renewal to ensurename that stays yourlist on Please charge my: our mailing Please continue your support of Scandinavian Visa Discover Studies at the UO. Nonprofit contributions are tax- MasterCard Amer. Express deductible. Name Date Card #: Address Exp. Date: / Amount: $ City State Zip : Phone: Home Work OR E-mail: Check enclosed. Amount: $ Membership Levels: Payable to: UO Foundation—Friends $1000 Benefactor (lifetime membership) (AGCDOS) of Scandinavian Studies $100 Sponsor $50 Patron $30 Family/Individual $5 Student Mail form (and check) to: UO Foundation For a Friend: A Gift of Membership P.O. Box 3346 Purchase a membership in your friend’s name, and we’ll Eugene, OR 97403-0346 send them a notification and a copy of this newsletter. Friend’s Name: Date Address (Feel free to duplicate this form.) For additional gift membership(s), please enclose your City State Zip friends’ address(es) on a separate piece of paper. Gift Membership(s) @ $25 each =

Friends of Scandinavian Studies Department of German & Scandinavian 1250 University of Oregon Eugene, OR 97403-1250