LF 26: Folk Odyssey

Dirleton Kirk, 12/9/2026

Lodestar and NYOS Camerata

This was for me the standout concert so far in the Lammermuir Festival, a melange of classical and folk music, starring the fabulous Lodestar Trio, with four members of the NYOS Camerata.

The concert was called A Folk Odyssey, and since the famous Odyssey is in the news at the moment, it seemed a smart move. Basically, the idea was to wrap Scandinavian folk instruments, in particular the Norwegian Hardanger Fiddle and the Swedish Nyckelharpa, around classical pieces like Bartok’s Romanian Folk Dances and Grieg’s Holberg Suite, in the company of brilliant young string players from the Camerata of the National Youth Orchestra of Scotland (NYOS). From time to time, the fabulous Lodestar Trio (Erik Rydvall, Swedish Nyckelharpa, Olav Mjelva, Norwegian Hardanger Fiddle, and Max Baillie, violin and mandolin) would break out to play some wild dances or an introverted piece, featuring the folk instruments, but most of the concert was an exhilarating collaboration of classical and folk, using the skills and talents of Lucy Hanson (violin), Gina Wright (viola), Matilda Sills (cello) and Matthew Novak (double bass).

It was fantastic to see the rapport between the youngsters and the professionals, and I must pick out Lucy for special mention, as she was really getting into the folk idiom throughout. This young player from Huddersfield is clearly already technically excellent and the sheer joy she brings to her playing is wonderful to see. It was evident that the trio enjoyed working with her, and her splendid colleagues as well.

The trio was well matched – the virtuosity of Max Baillie, the cool Nordic restraint of Olav Mjelva and the cheeky bonhomie of the marvellous Erik Rydvall on the extraordinary Nyckelharpa, who just seemed to be having fun from the first note to the last. His instrument, part violin, part accordion, part drone, is a truly versatile invention, and both Erik and Olav attempted to explain their instruments to a fascinated audience in Dirleton Kirk, a lovely venue for a concert.

Bartok’s Romanian dances were basically taken fully formed by Bartok from the countryside, but their exhilarating excitement was undeniable, especially played with such verve by the trio and the quartet together.

These classical segments were interspersed with folk tunes and compositions by the trio members, highlighting their own instruments. Olav has spent some time playing in Shetland, or as the Norwegians call the islands, Hjaltaren, and the relationship of the Hardanger Fiddle to the Shetland Fiddle is clear.

The trio started the second half with an arrangement for their instruments of a Musette by Bach, and the sound of formal Bach played as a dance band was astonishing and was a recurring feature of the whole concert. The centrepiece of the show was an arrangement for these unusual forces of Grieg’s Holberg Suite, a consciously baroque style composition, written to mark the 200th anniversary of the birth of the humanist playwright, Ludwig Holberg, in 1684.

Grieg’s old style dances were perfect for the Lodestar Trio and the NYOS Camerata, and the good audience was bowled over by the joie de vivre on stage. If you see an advert for one of their concerts near you, don’t miss it!