About

Musique Royale announces four performances by the Halifax Rättvik Trio part of its 40th anniversary Summer Festival, from August 14-17. Featuring Jennifer Publicover (flutes); Peter Rousu (guitar, bass), and Stefan Ekedahl (cello, spelpipor, bagpipes), the trio is a trans-Atlantic collaboration and exploration of the folk genres of Sweden and Canada, including diversions to geographical points in between! Performing music from their new album Havet, concerts will include lots of polskas and Swedish tunes of various types, with original compositions of Peter’s, and tunes Quebec and the Maritimes. Maritimers who enjoy Celtic-type genres will find this a delightful and fresh new soundscape to explore!

Part of Musique Royale’s 40th Summer Festival, the Halifax Rättvik Trio’s tour invites audiences to discover Nova Scotia’s historic venues with performances in Johnstown, Antigonish, Parrsboro and Bell Island.

About the Artists

Halifax Rättvik Trio

Three friends came together in Sweden in the summer of 2023 and decided that they would share their love of the traditional music from their respective countries together as creative musical travelers. Jennifer hails from Halifax, a lively city on the Atlantic coast of Canada where many different folk genres can be heard, such as Maritime Old Time, Cape Breton, Irish, Acadian, and others. Stefan and Peter live in Rättvik in Dalarna, Sweden, an area particularly rich with musical tradition where cultural forms are passed down with pride and transformed anew with each generation. As experienced performers, recording artists, and educators each in their own right, Peter, Stefan, and Jennifer found themselves united by their passion for their own and each other’s music, and the desire to explore the folk genres of all the geographical points in between. They released their first album “Havet” in 2024.

Jennifer Publicover, flutes

From Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, Jennifer is an active performer and recording artist with many different groups on the Irish flute, Baroque flute, and modern orchestral flute. She is the owner and director of the Halifax Institute of Traditional and Early Music, and consults for the Halifax Celtic Cultural Festival, the Halifax Early Music Festival, and other initiatives.

Peter Rousu, guitar, bass

Guitarist, bassist and composer Peter has collaborated in countless varied musical contexts. He is heard in 4 albums with his band Fatang, 2 albums with Supernova, and 2 albums with Jeannett & Peter. He is co-owner of the production company Walrou Music AB and has decades of teaching experience in guitar, bass, ensembles, arranging, and improvisation.

Stefan Ekedahl, cello, spelpipor, pipes

Originally from Karlskrona and now living in Rättvik, Stefan has recorded with several legendary ensembles in the revival of Swedish traditional music, including Blå Bergens Borduner. He has decades of experience as a music educator and owns Ekedahl Folk Flutes, a company that manufactures hand-crafted traditional Swedish folk flutes, bagpipes, and moraharpas.