Nordic tradition with an explorer’s vision

Emilia Amper is one of Sweden’s most sought after folk musicians, Swedish and American Grammy nominee, Norwegian Grammy winner, Artist of the Year at the Swedish Folk & World Music Awards, World champion on the nyckelharpa, awarded National fiddler of the realm and winner of the Nordic Composer’s award the NPU Prize. In her music, a deep knowledge and love for traditions meet an endless, open-minded exploration of the nyckelharpa’s possibilities. With her charisma, virtuosity and energy she moves with ease across stylistic boundaries and touches people in both small and big venues across the world.

Emilia Amper Band features her own music for nyckelharpa, vocals, string ensemble (in arrangements for everything from trio up to full symphony orchestra!) and percussion. She also plays with various Nordic folk and world music ensembles such as ODE, Furebotten/Amper/Haltli, Frode Haltli’s folk/impro/contemporary classical piece Grenseskogen and in trio with jazz clarinet player/singer/composer Lisa Grotherus and classical cellist Jakob Koranyi. She has performed as a soloist with classical orchestras such as Västerås Sinfonietta, The Trondheim Soloists, Camerata Nordica, Musica Vitae and Trondheim Symphony Orchestra, with the international band promoting musical freedom of speech The Forbidden Orchestra, with the Swiss flamenco company Flamencos en route and Ballett am Rhein in Düsseldorf, with Kurdish, Indian, West African, Persian and Arabic musicians, as a studio musician and with pop/rock and jazz musicians (including Jon Lord from Deep Purple, who wrote a song for her, featured on the album and live DVD Beyond the notes). She has performed all over Europe, in Canada and the US, Brazil, Namibia, China, India, The United Arab Emirates, Hongkong and Iran. She is also a popular teacher in Sweden and abroad, and has given workshops in nyckelharpa and Swedish folk music all over the world and taught at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm.

In October 2016 her second solo album Lux was released at venerable classical label BIS Records (Emilia is BIS’s only folk music artist), following her success debut Trollfågeln. On Lux, Emilia shines as a composer, arranger, ensemble leader and soloist, and we get to meet influences from all over the world, in music for nyckelharpa, vocals, string ensemble and percussion.

It was everything I want in a gig. If only more orchestral performances were like that!
I enjoyed it more than any I've ever been to
Andrew Cronshaw fRoots

The strings on Emilia Amper’s nyckelharpa cuts like high voltage lines
through open Swedish landscapes
Jan Gradvall DI Weekend

Brilliantly well-made
PO Tidholm Dagens Nyheter

Guaranteed one of this year’s best folk music albums
Kalle Tiderman, Lira

I have never experienced anyone, anytime, who could so transfix an audience
Robert von Bahr founder and owner of BIS Records