Nathan D. Gibson (University of Wisconsin, Madison)
In 2022, traditional fiddler Beth Hoven Rotto spent the spring semester as UW-Madison's Musician-In-Residence. Beth’s knowledge and mastery of Upper Midwestern fiddle traditions enhanced the university’s archival collection guides and her residency provided undergraduates with firsthand access to Upper Midwestern fiddle and dance traditions, offered pedagogical opportunities to enhance fieldwork skills, and provided students and community members alike an opportunity to learn Scandinavian-American old-time tunes from Beth’s repertoire and the Mills Music Library collections. This presentation highlights the resident-musician, institutional, and communal benefits unlocked when Universities incorporate folk musicians and traditional artists into their existing, and often distinguished, residency programs.
Part of 06-14 Nordic American Folklore: Revitalizations and Implications, Friday, October 14, 2:30 pm–4:30 pm