VESTERVEG
"Vesterveg takes the listener on a westward musical journey; mixing traditional and contemporary melodies from Norway, Scotland, England and Ireland, Vesterveg create an exciting blend of lyrical and dynamic playing, all underpinned by a deep connection with their own traditions."
- Catriona Macdonald, String Sisters
ABOUT THE BAND
Uilleann Pipes meets the Hardanger Fiddle
A product of student exchanges between Newcastle-Upon-Tyne and Norway, they were brought together into an unlikely musical partnership across the North Sea.
Their music seamlessly blends original arrangements with age-old traditional melodies and modern compositions resulting in an unique and diverse sound unlike any other.
Drawing upon repertoire and musical heritage from across the breadth of the British Isles and Scandinavia, Vesterveg experiments with the shared history and fusion of the members’ traditions.
Ingrid's (NO) powerful Melodeon and Lisa's (NO) hypnotic Fiddle meets Bob's (UK) lyrical Low Whistle and Pipes, creating a dynamic medley that feels at home in their traditions but with a fresh set of eyes and ears.
BIOGRAPHY
The band was formed in 2018 when Ingrid Stand Sørheim and Astrid Garmo exchanged to Newcastle University to study Folk and Traditional music, where they met Bob Downham. The meeting of Melodeon, Hardanger Fiddle and Uilleann pipes resulted in a unique sound that melded together traditional tunes from the UK and Norway with energetic and fresh arrangements.
Today the Band consist of Bob, Ingrid and Lisa Haugeland, whom Bob met at the University of South-Eastern Norway during his own exchange to Norway in 2019.
Vesterveg = term used by the Vikings, meaning "going westward" and travelling to the islands west of the North Sea
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BAND MEMBERS
Vesterveg are Ingrid Sørheim, Lisa Haugeland and Bob Downham.
Meet the gang!
INGRID STANDAL SØRHEIM (NO)
Melodeon
Ingrid Sørheim (b. 1996) from Hardanger in Norway is a freelance folk musician and has a Bachelor’s degree from the Ole Bull Academy, with Melodeon as her main instrument. She spent the 2018/19 academic year on exchange at Newcastle University, England, where she met Bob Downham and Astrid Garmo and Vesterveg was formed. Ingrid is known to captivate the audience with her lyrical music and warm spirit. When she isn’t fusing the traditional music of Norway and the British Isles with Vesterveg, she immerses herself in her home tradition of Hardanger and composes tunes with her singer-songwriter folkband Veijr.
BOB DOWNHAM (UK)
Low Whistle and Uilleann Pipes
Bob Downham (f. 1999) plays Low Whistle and Uilleann Pipes and is from Ledston Luck, West-Yorkshire. Bob has a bachelor’s degree in Folk and Traditional Music from Newcastle University and Masters in Composition. He has a love of traditional Norwegian music and was an exchange student at USN Rauland. Currently, Bob is involved in a number of projects, notably the Anglo-French inspired Hearken Quartet and has collaborated with like-minded young folk musicians from America, Russia and Nepal.
LISA HAUGELAND (NO)
Fiddle and Hardanger Fiddle
Lisa Haugeland (f. 1993) is from Flekkefjord, South-West in Norway. She has a bachelor's and a master's degree in traditional music from the University of South-Eastern Norway, Rauland. Her main study has been the traditional music from her home county, Vest-Agder, but she also shares a love for British music. She is most active with the groups Vesterveg and Gautefald & Haugeland.
Plays: Fiddles in different clours; one fair, one dark and one red.
Likes: Jesus, folkmusic, sad and mystical melodies and crab.
Dislike: Kold ski-trips and the smell of lutefisk.
Favourite dance: Oh..Can I only choose one?
CONTACT VESTERVEG
Norwegian contact: +47 902 91 180, English contact: +447538 152731
