“Vals after Sven Nyhus” by Paul Wilson & Mary Abendroth with Skål Klubb
| Link to Paul & Mary’s personal site Link to Skålmusik Link to Skål Klubb |
Link to Timmerhus Productions Link to Nisswa-Stämman Link to MN Folk Arts Directory |
Dynamic husband and wife team Paul Wilson and Mary Abendroth of Brainerd, Minnesota have been performing and working in the area of Scandinavian and Scandinavian-American folk music for many years. Both are multitalented musicians; Paul plays the two-row button accordion, fiddle, guitar and pump organ, and Mary sings and plays the pump organ and guitar. Paul is the founder of the groups Skålmusik and Skål Klubb, and in 1999 founded the Nisswa-Stämman Scandinavian Folk Music Festival in Nisswa, Minnesota. The couple also performs with Ole Olson’s Oldtime Orkestra, has toured all over America and Scandinavia playing music and collecting new tunes, and has been involved with several recordings put out by the groups with which they are actively involved. Engaged in several stages of the music-making process, Paul Wilson makes a special variety of violins called Drone Fiddles, which are similar to Hardanger violins but with some features of Italian violin construction. Paul and Mary also maintain their own recording label, Timmerhus Productions, which has produced albums by various groups they play with. In addition to all this, Paul and Mary have worked in schools for over 25 years to educate children about folk music and dance, specifically in the Scandinavian tradition, by leading discussions, demonstrations, and sometimes working with the children to arrange performances for their schools.