THE NEWS FROM BRUNER’S BROOD: OSTERØY FIDDLE AND DANCE TROUPE50TH ANNIVERSARY CONCERT IN OSLO AND CANADIAN THANKSGIVING MONDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2026

Hi everyone! As I write this article for my Facebook pages and www.trentbruner.com, our family completed a successful trip to Oslo for a rich traditional folk music weekend with the Osterøy Fiddle and Dance Troupe. I hope all is well for you and yours on the second Monday in October. For those who have recently liked and followed my artist page since my last posting, thank you very much for your interest and kind support, as I warmly welcome the new followers who have come onboard. Please share this page with others, tell those you know that this page and website exists, and let them know that activities and events continue throughout Fall 2026 and onwards. Here’s the latest. After two years of planning and coordination, the Osterøy Fiddle and Dance Troupe gave a 50^th anniversary concert at Riksscenen, Norway’s national performance stage for traditional folk music, in Oslo on Friday, October 9^th. Over 70 members of the troupe between hardanger fiddlers, button and keyboard accordionists, accompanists on piano, guitar and stand up bass, and traditional folk dancers were on stage for an audience that were warmly welcoming. I cannot recall a time in my music career where so many traditional folk musicians, dancers and supporters from one geographic area gathered as one group and shared a common bond of music, dance and fellowship. 50 years of existence does leave an imprint of history that allows for overview, reflection, and goal setting for a future at both the individual and community level.

What was impressive about this gathering was that many families who made up the troupe membership were either playing, dancing, planning events ahead of time or working backstage as a part of the anniversary celebration. Parents and their kids were on button accordion at the same time on stage for both concert and dance spots throughout the evening and during the Oslo Traditional Folk Music and Folk Dance Competition the next day. Siblings were either on hardanger fiddle or button accordion on the same stage. Some parents took their turn to play hardanger fiddle with the various age groups for the concert. I got to play piano on two tunes with the mass group halfway through the concert and for the closing tune. Tunes from the hardanger fiddle albums I produced in team with the troupe in 2003 and 2012 were included as part of the concert. The button accordion group selected tunes from their three earlier album releases as well. Past members were honoured for their efforts throughout the fifty year period in video tributes, tune selections and various musical arrangements.

Members also found and shared stories, essays and photos to assemble and edit for a history book on the troupe that was released that same weekend from the troupe’s beginnings in 1976. The name of the book, “Spel og dans på Osterøy” (Folk Music and Dance in Osterøy) was the final result of this historical work. When one examines the members’ history in this history book and the troupe’s archives, it reveals how many musicians have won district, regional and national folk music championships in both traditional folk music and traditional old time dance music. The list of winners through the years speak volumes for the talent of this island where I now call home. When I look at musical accomplishments from my own family, their history is included in this folk music thread, both nationally and internationally, since the mid 2000s.

In addition, the Oslo Traditional Folk Music and Folk Dance Competition took place the next day, with troupe members competing in various music classes. Members of all ages participated in the mass group class, where the troupe received fourth place. Tori Elida Rongved won junior button accordion, and together with Runa Revheim Birkeland, they won junior small ensemble group. In the adult accordion class (button and five row/keyboard), Vegar Hansen and Vegard Kvestad got second and fourth place, respectively. Ingrid Sofie competed in the adult hardanger fiddle class and received sixth place. Hannah Moira competed in adult standard fiddle that weekend and received second place. I was glad to be in the audience as our family competed in solo fiddle classes without accompaniment that weekend. And yes, most of the members played for the two rooms where the old time dance took place either in both small group and large group settings.

Back home in Canada, the second Monday in October is a long weekend to celebrate Canadian Thanksgiving. I wish all Canadians at home and abroad a wonderful holiday Monday. Since the second Monday in October is a normal day for school and work in Norway, I do my best to hold close many memories of family and fiddle at this time of the year. Depending on the year, we would either be finishing harvest on the family farm or relaxing to give thanks for all that went well during harvest time. I remember very well the Thanksgiving supper at home where we would eat turkey with homemade dressing, vegetables from our home garden, and pumpkin pie with ice cream and other desserts served at home. In later years, I would attend fiddle contests in Miami, Manitoba, where I would accompany various fiddlers enjoying the same Thanksgiving supper at the Miami Community Hall until my move to Norway in 2004. And regardless of whether I was at home or on the road with fiddlers, family and friends made a point to be in church on Sunday morning of that weekend to give thanks for all the good things we received through the year.

The next report will come later this fall as our family has more musical news to share. Until then, work continues as normal with various music work and projects. Have a good day where you are and I’ll see you somewhere down the musical trail!

Musically yours, Trent