THE NEWS FROM BRUNER’S BROOD FRIDAY, JULY 24, 2026 FIDDLING SISTERS FROM OSTERØY Johanne Flottorp, Folkemusikk Magazine, Oslo, Norway: June 2026, English Translation & Editing-Trent Bruner

Hi, everyone! As I post this article from Valestrand, on the Norwegian island of Osterøy, I trust all is well with you and that your musical experiences again have been enjoyable and pleasant. For those who have recently liked and followed my artist page since my last posting July 8, 2026, thank you very much for your interest and kind support, as I warmly welcome all 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 are happening for August 2026 and beyond. PRE-INTRODUCTION

This article is an English translation that featured Silje Midtbø-Vevle, Hannah Moira Midtbø-Bruner and Ingrid Sofie Midtbø-Bruner accomplishing one common feat: They all won the junior hardanger fiddle class at the Norwegian Traditional Folk Music Championships between 2006 and 2025. Three siblings from one family? Quite the feat! One note to the reader: I did my best to make sure the article kept a heavy “Norwegian accent” to preserve the authenticity and spirit of how Flottorp wrote the article and interviewed the girls. Because its length is longer than I usually post, the whole article is only posted here. This is the latest for my Facebook pages and www.trentbruner.com. 

INTRODUCTION

For three sisters from Osterøy, they were taught that they should not give up when practicing seemed difficult and unmotivating. They have since gone on to music studies, finding a lifelong hobby and a shared interest. 

A registration list from Osterøy at Landskappleiken (The annual Norwegian National Folk Music and Dance Competition) is always full of soloists and large group participation. Many fiddlers enter, and there is no doubt that many siblings have competed there for a long time. But three sisters who have won junior hardanger fiddle (Hardingfele C): There are not many of them.

Silje Midtbø Vevle, Hannah Moira Midtbø-Bruner and Ingrid Sofie Midtbø-Bruner are three sisters have done this.

Silje was born in 1988, Hannah Moira in 2004, and Ingrid Sofie in 2007. They also have a brother who played fiddle earlier, Hogne, born in 1993.

“There is an age difference between me and the other two sisters. I had just moved out of the house when Ingrid Sofie was born, but was often home and not far away,” says Silje.

Silje works as a psychologist and lives at Osterøy, where she is musical leader for the hardanger fiddle group with the Osterøy Fiddle and Dance Troupe. Fiddle is a fine hobby, and in the past year, she has played in a cover band with other musical repertoire.

On the other hand, Hannah Moira and Ingrid Sofie have set a course where fiddle will be an important part of their lives. Hannah Moira is nearly finished her second year in folk music studies at the Norwegian Conservatory of Music in Oslo. Ingrid Sofie will begin this fall in the same program as Hannah Moira. Ingrid Sofie says, “I believe that fiddle will be a large part of my everyday life.” At the time of publishing, she is completing her final semester at Bergen’s Langhaugen High School, in the music section, naturally.

STARTING AT AGE FOUR AND FIVE

What is the same for all three sisters is that they started playing hardanger fiddle at an early age as four and five year olds. Silje began lessons with a neighbour girl, Ingvild Kleiveland Vevle, who was years older than her and had played for a while. Silje went down from her house with her fiddle case in hand for private lessons with Ingvild. Ingvild is also one of those who have worked hard with fiddle instruction at Osterøy, so the two fiddle friends have been together since the start of the 1990s.

“It was a fellowship here that has followed me. From the start, I felt a strong sense of belonging in this environment. It wasn’t that I was glad to practice. Here, my sisters have had much more structure than I had many times. There was a time where I was unmotivated, and there were a few times I thought about packing up the fiddle for good. But I’m glad that I came out of it. Everyone has critical points they must go through,” says Silje.

But it was not just the three sisters who play fiddle. Their brother, Hogne Midtbø Vevle, was also a hardanger fiddler. He is a few years younger than Silje. Both siblings were a model for the two sisters who came later.

Flattorp: What did it say to you that Silje and Hogne played (hardanger fiddle)?

“Mamma had told me that I wanted to do the same as them. I am proud that it went that way. I was only four years old when I started, so I don’t remember everything from that time as I should.” says Hannah Moira.

Silje shared with Hannah Moira, “You were a part of most of the workshops and contests, and that involvement was what got you going with fiddling.”

BIG SISTER AS TEACHER

Ingrid Sofie says that she quickly followed the older siblings. She also had Silje as her teacher for a period of time.

Flottorp: How did the lessons go?

“I think they went well. But I’m not a professional, to tell you the truth,” says Ingrid Sofie.

“I can remember this, but I’ll say for myself that she had a responsibility to do what a student should do,” says Silje.

Around Norway, there are different practices on how early municipal culture schools accept students, but at Osterøy, students begin early, both in private lessons and lessons through the municipal culture school.

Flottorp: “What are the positives of students beginning early?”

“I had an inner desire that this is what I wanted to do. But it wasn’t enough for everyone to care about playing so young. I remember that Ingvild and I switched between Barbie dolls and playing fiddle. This was great during mornings, and the balance between fiddling games and playing fiddle had a lot to do with it. If I had a strict learning model from the start, it could have killed my interest in playing,” says Silje.

SPEECH PROBLEMS SOLVED WITH FIDDLING

Hannah Moira and Ingrid Sofie have learned to play from two of the most important hardanger fiddlers from Osterøy: Jon Jelmert and Håkon Høgemo.

“I remember when I had lessons at preschool with a friend. We were little, but there were no Barbie dolls or playtime,” says Ingrid Sofie.

“It was that way with Håkon,” recalls Hannah Moira.

“Yes, there was a little bit of Barbie time with him. But it was work, too,” says Ingrid Sofie.

Håkon Høgemo has followed all the sisters closely, especially the two youngest he has taught in the culture school from a preschool age, and from the high school music program to post-secondary education. Between these meetings, Hannah Moira and Ingrid Sofie also see Håkon at the junior fiddle workshop in Haus each year, and at other workshops.

Hannah Moira began fiddling with Jon Jelmert, a teacher who built up a strong youth fiddle presence at Osterøy. The majority of those who played fiddle during that time met at various locations. Jon was a playful teacher who saw many similarities with the students. Ingrid Sofie’s and Hannah Moira’s father is from Canada, and as a four year old, Hannah Moira had a split between two languages used at home.

“But after I began playing fiddle, my language issues were solved. That made a change for me. Jon was so preoccupied with that, and he worked a lot to try and find a connection between music and the part of the brain that influenced language,” explains Hannah Moira.

Jon Jelmert lost his life in a car accident in 2013, an event that was felt by many beyond Osterøy.

“I remember Jon being so enormously enthusiastic. He had a passion for anything he did. The youth environment was built up with many young fiddlers, and he has left a legacy,” says Silje.

He was a playful teacher who was together with the kids during breaks during workshops, and the three sisters can say that he was in the gym doing summersaults with the kids.

THE FIDDLE TROUPE SESSIONS

After Jon taught them, they continued lessons with Håkon Høgemo. Ingrid Sofie also had Silje Solberg and Maria Toppe as fiddle instructors over this period. Hannah Moira and Ingrid Sofie have also played with the Bergen Junior Fiddlers for many years.

The Osterøy Fiddle and Dance Troupe is, and has always been, important for all the sisters. They perform together with other fiddlers and button accordion players. All three also play in “Einliskarens minne”, the hardanger fiddle group of the troupe. This group has done well at Landskappleiken.

“It is great to do something together. We are a little bit spread out now,” says Silje.

Ingrid Sofie and Hannah Moira say the same thing. The fiddle and dance troupe is a fine place to meet and play tunes together.

As said before, Ingrid Sofie was writing her Grade 13 final exams when we had our interviews for this article. Afterwards, she could say that she was accepted as a bachelor student in folk music performance at both the Ole Bull Academy in Voss and the Norwegian Conservatory of Music in Oslo. She was in doubt as to which institution she should attend, but in the end, she chose the conservatory. “This was what I wanted the whole time,” she says.

It was also meaningful that Ingrid Sofie could continue with Håkon Høgemo as her fiddle teacher.

Flottorp: Is it unusual to have the same teacher as a four year old and in post-secondary education?

“Hey, is it?” asks Hannah Moira and laughs. Because she has followed the same path.

“The first year at the conservatory, Håkon said to me, ‘You will have me half the time and other half with Anne Hytta. You can’t just have me as your teacher.’,” explains Hannah Moira.

THEY ALL WON THE JUNIOR HARDANGER FIDDLE CLASS

Let’s check the statistics where the three sisters truly stand alone. In this observation, we must acknowledge where Hogne is named again. Although he has not received a top result, he often competed in this class and has also played well. But he has now taken another direction with his musical hobbies.

“There was a period where he didn’t play much, but suddenly, button accordion came into the picture,” says Silje.

“Yes, he is invested in this music. I believe he now has four button accordions,” says Hannah Moira.

Silje and the sisters laugh when she says, “We call him the family’s ‘black sheep’.”

20 years ago, at Beitostolen in 2006, it was Silje Midtbø Vevle who won the junior hardanger fiddle class at Landskappleiken, in her final year of junior eligibility.

“I remember I believed that Landskappleiken was big. It was something I practiced for every year,” says Silje.

Although Silje has never had a goal of winning, it was impressive when it happened. Contest settings were very comfortable for her at that time. “I have been raised with it,” says Silje.

Now she has decided to withdraw from competing in the adult class as she has not been able to play as often.

“The thought of competing again is enormous. Now I can only dream of it. I regret a little bit that I stopped competing solo, but at the same time, I’m happiest when I’m playing with others. I’m not a solo player. I delight in group playing.”

DOING THE BEST JOB POSSIBLE

Hannah Moira was also in her final year of junior eligibility (Hardingfele C) when she won Landskappleiken in 2022 at Rjukan. She explains that Landskappleiken was always a clear and early goal to practice for throughout the spring. She has had a very short period in adult hardanger fiddle class (Hardingfele B) and has moved up to championship class (Hardingfele A) at Hovden and will be competing in this class for the first time.

“Before I took it seriously, the Hordaland district and Western Norwegian Regional contests were only steps toward the national championship, and I should pick my tunes six months ahead of time. There was nobody pressuring me, but I wanted to be sure that I had a plan. My goal was not necessarily to win, but to play as well as I could,” explains Hannah.

Ingrid Sofie also won junior hardanger fiddle in her final year of junior eligibility at Eidfjord in 2025. She also won the junior standard fiddle class for the second consecutive year there as well.

There was one day in Eidfjord that she competed in six different classes, both in solo and various group fiddle classes.

“I was nervous. But I didn’t have any time to stress a lot on one thing, so there was little stress between classes. And it worked well in the end,” says Ingrid Sofie.

Like her older sisters, she didn’t have a goal of winning, but to do her very best.

WORK FIRST, PLAY LATER

With fiddling at an early age, there was a good practice routine with all the sisters. Routines were not always the same, but all three have received support and a little push at home from enduring, supportive parents.

“My parents insisted that we never give up, and that it’s an important value. Today, where is more “shopping” between different interests, there can be times when it can be difficult. So, I am glad that I was pushed a little bit,” says Silje.

Silje was the first sibling in the music program at Langhaugen High School in Bergen and had an extra practice gear there, but she knew that she did not have the drive required to become a musician. She chose another direction in life and studied psychology at the University of Bergen.

The drive to become musicians comes from the two youngest sisters, who are studying music full time.

But there are other things in the lives of the younger sisters. Hannah Moira explains that when she often didn’t want to practice either, she would often do 30 minutes of school homework and then 30 minutes of practice. Then she could have some playtime.

“Work first, play later,” said her father always. “But there was a period in elementary school where I had three music lessons a week, and I needed to practice everything. I would practice before school and after school,” says Hannah Moira.

“Hannah Moira was a little easier to handle than me, because when it was suggested that she do something, she did it. I was a little more stubborn to handle. I needed to play games a little bit first and practice later,” says Ingrid Sofie.

An important lesson that Ingrid Sofie learned is one that resonates well with Silje. “One should not give up when things are difficult.”

EXPLORING MUSIC AND THE GOAL OF PLAYING EVERYTHING

Flottorp: What motivates you all to play today?

“For my part, I often wish to try to develop myself musically. I believe it’s very good to play together with others, both in the fiddle and dance troupe and with the band. It is an experience that gives me a lot of motivation, going into new musical directions and styles. So, I believe that the desire to explore is still there,” says Silje.

“Now that I study folk music, I plan to be a musician. My core motivation is to be good enough to play the most styles possible without too much work, so that I can be able to play what I am asked to play. My main background is that I play and love to arrange things,” says Hannah Moira.

“Right now, it’s an audition, with my goal to come into the school. I’m a little bit like Hannah Moira again. My plan is to be as good as possible and play as much as I can without panicking. I want to live from this and enjoy it at the same time,” says Ingrid Sofie.

Until next time, see you somewhere down the musical trail!

Musically yours, Trent