Scott and Johanna Hongell-Darsee

Thanks to the Friends of the Santa Fe Public Library for funding this show!

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Part of the Santa Fe Library's Summer Reading program! Unearth a Story at Santa Fe Public Library this Summer!

Scott and Johanna Hongell-Darsee are a duo who perform early traditional Scandinavian/Celtic ballads and tales.

Their wanderings have led them from Finland and Iowa, respectively, through Europe, Scandinavia, India, and the U.S. On the way they have picked up tales and songs that they perform together with the stories behind them, in particular exploring the links between Scandinavian, Celtic, North American, and other story singing traditions.

Their performances have been described as magical, inspiring, haunting, mesmerizing ...

"... the Hongell-Darsees summon ancient characters from the depths of our collective unconscious and bid you take leave of the modern world and join your ancestors, huddled together in a hut around a fire as the storyteller makes the hair on your arms stand straight up." (Mel Minter, Musically Speaking, Albuquerque, NM)

Their recordings have been nominated for 3 New Mexico Music Awards. They are currently in and have had multiple hits on The Top 40 World Music Charts by Ethnocloud consecutively for 40 months. Their songs can also be found on several traditional music compilations.

Johanna (vocals, woodwinds, stringed instruments, arrangements) was born in Finland. Apart from music she has a background in theater and dance. She studied theater in France and Bharata Natyam dance in India. She has worked as a performing artist for over 40 years in Scandinavia, Europe, India, and USA and led the dance and theater company Teater Bava in Sweden for 10 years.

Scott (stringed instruments, arrangements, composer) was born in the USA. Before relocating to New Mexico, he spent 16 years in Europe, where parallel to his artistic work he traveled the globe as a consultant with ballet companies such as Dance Theatre of Harlem, London Festival Ballet, English National Ballet, The Royal Danish Ballet and Hamburg Ballet.