Renee Vaughan brings Sweden’s folk music to life on the nyckelharpa, Sweden’s national folk instrument, weaving centuries of tradition and storytelling into every performance
Renee is a teaching artist with Minnesota Public Radio's “Class Notes” and with COMPAS, and has received two fellowship awards from the American Scandinavian Foundation. She recently served as Musician-in-Residence at UW-Madison, Center for the Study of Upper Midwestern Cultures (CSUMC), where she explored Nordic the music of Swedish immigrants and created the educational resource, Nordic Newcomers.
Whether performing, teaching, or leading workshops, she creates welcoming, hands-on experiences that invite people to explore Swedish folk arts while connecting with their own sense of identity, culture, and community. Renee shares her work with small community libraries and events, as well as larger venues like the American Swedish Institute, Norsk Høstfest, and the Minnesota Orchestra Nordic Soundscapes Festival.
Before dedicating herself full time to the arts, Renee spent ten years teaching elementary and college students, and twelve years as a Life Enrichment Director in long-term care, supporting elders in assisted living, memory care, and hospice. These experiences give her a unique ability to create welcoming and adaptable spaces for learners and audiences of all ages.
Read about my current American Scandinavian Fellowship here at Voyages Minnesota
Renee is a teaching artist with Minnesota Public Radio's “Class Notes” and with COMPAS, and has received two fellowship awards from the American Scandinavian Foundation. She recently served as Musician-in-Residence at UW-Madison, Center for the Study of Upper Midwestern Cultures (CSUMC), where she explored Nordic the music of Swedish immigrants and created the educational resource, Nordic Newcomers.
Whether performing, teaching, or leading workshops, she creates welcoming, hands-on experiences that invite people to explore Swedish folk arts while connecting with their own sense of identity, culture, and community. Renee shares her work with small community libraries and events, as well as larger venues like the American Swedish Institute, Norsk Høstfest, and the Minnesota Orchestra Nordic Soundscapes Festival.
Before dedicating herself full time to the arts, Renee spent ten years teaching elementary and college students, and twelve years as a Life Enrichment Director in long-term care, supporting elders in assisted living, memory care, and hospice. These experiences give her a unique ability to create welcoming and adaptable spaces for learners and audiences of all ages.
Read about my current American Scandinavian Fellowship here at Voyages Minnesota
MN Orchestra: Nordic Soundscapes
Minneapolis Institute of Art
The Cedar Cultural Center
International Music Festival of MN
Musician-in-Residence, UW-Madison
American Musicological Society and Society for Music Theory
Folklore Village
MN Children's Hospitals & Clinics
Norsk Høstfest Festival
Vesterheim Norwegian Museum
Finn Fest
Midwinter Folk Festival at ASI
Minnesota State Fiddlers Association
Duluth Nordic Music Festival
Hjemkomst Festival
Døtre av Norge International Convention
American Craft Council
Belgian Heritage Center
Mpls. St. Paul International Film Fest
Exhibit Opener Salad Hilowye
Opener for Skye Consort
Opener for FRIGG
Minneapolis Institute of Art
The Cedar Cultural Center
International Music Festival of MN
Musician-in-Residence, UW-Madison
American Musicological Society and Society for Music Theory
Folklore Village
MN Children's Hospitals & Clinics
Norsk Høstfest Festival
Vesterheim Norwegian Museum
Finn Fest
Midwinter Folk Festival at ASI
Minnesota State Fiddlers Association
Duluth Nordic Music Festival
Hjemkomst Festival
Døtre av Norge International Convention
American Craft Council
Belgian Heritage Center
Mpls. St. Paul International Film Fest
Exhibit Opener Salad Hilowye
Opener for Skye Consort
Opener for FRIGG