Sibbe Live!: Stensöta
Stensöta is a folk music duo from Ostrobothnia with roots in the Finland Swedish tradition. The duo consists of Amanda Harald (violin, viola and vocals) and Jacob Sundström (bouzouki, violin, guitar and vocals). Stensöta was founded in the summer of 2022 and since then has been working to revive Finnish folk music with new modern arrangements.
One of the duo, Amanda Harald, is from Nykarleby. Folk music has run in the Harald family for several generations, and Amanda has strong roots in the Socklot fiddle tradition. Since autumn 2023, Harald has been studying music education at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki. The other member of the duo, Jacob Sundström, comes from Karleby. Sundström has folk music roots in Kronoby and Esse. Jacob is studying music education at Novia University of Applied Sciences in Jacobstad.
The duo’s diverse repertoire includes everything from medieval ballads and folk songs to violin music and original compositions – all performed with captivating joy of performing. The programme focuses on the northern parts of Ostrobothnia, from Oravais to Karleby.
In spring 2023 the duo released their first single “Svallvågor”, which has been played a lot on Finland Swedish radio. The duo has performed all over Finland, from Kaustis to Helsinki. They have also performed abroad in Sweden and Estonia. For their precise and beautiful collaborative playing, the duo was awarded the Medelpad Folk Music Association’s Bronze Collaborative Playing Medal at the Collaborative Playing Week in Sundsvall in autumn 2023.
At the concert on 10 April, the audience will be able to enjoy the best of the folk music tradition of Ostrobothnia, as well as songs uncovered in the dusty recesses of old archives. The programme includes everything from violinist Jakob Högdahl’s grandiose minuet to the upbeat schottisches of the Kokkola region, interspersed with folk songs about love and longing.