Haugaard & Høirup - Lys (GO0501)

Violinist Harald Haugaard & guitarist and singer Morten Alfred Høirup's duo, formed in 1998, has become one of the most successful constellations ever in Danish folk music. Their concerts, both in intimate venues and on some of the largest stages of European and North American Folk and World Music festivals, have gained Danish folk music a new recognition with enthusiastic audiences, outstanding reviews and innumerable radio- and TV appearances.

Haugaard & Høirup specialize in an elegant mixture of traditional Danish music and original compositions, seasoned with a few old Danish songs in fresh interpretations. The duo has gathered their traditional material from family members, friendships with older 'tradition carriers' and from the great old Danish music collections. The Haugaard & Hoirup sound is Danish music at its most melodious: light and untroubled with its own sweetness, with a hint of the enchanted and a touch of the diabolical. The duo has renewed the power of
Danish music with fresh spirit and performs it with humour and a slight ironic twist.

Harald Haugaard is known as one of the finest young violinists of Danish traditional and contemporary roots music. His style is based in the Danish tradition but also inspired by rock, jazz and classical music. With a fiercely beautiful tone and formidable technique, Harald plays with aggressive authority, passion and imagination. Harald is a graduate from the Carl Nielsen Academy where he now works as a coordinator as well as a teacher on the only
Danish education of traditional Music.

Harald also works with theatre music,
and is known for his work with Danish bands as DUG, Serras and Grammy winner Sorten Muld.

Morten Alfred Høirup´s 23 years of performing have earned him a reputation as an outstanding guitarist. His unshakable swinging groove, his expressiveness, elegant phrasing and distinctive tone has been enjoyed by audiences throughout Europe, Canada and the USA. For years he has been a groundbreaking figure in defining the role and possibilities of the acoustic guitar in traditional Danish folk music. Høirup was a founding member of the Danish bands Danish Dia Delight and The Vineyard, as well as the international ensembles The American Café Orchestra/ACO (U.S.A.) and Ouellet, Legault & Høirup (CAN). Morten´s talent for composing is showcased in his solo album Vingården (The Vineyard), as well as in numerous TV and film soundtracks.

Haugaard & Høirup currently have three CDs out; 'Duo for Violin & Guitar' (go0199, May. 1999), 'Let´s Dansk' (Oct. 2001), and 'Light' (go0501, Nov. 2001) have all received rave reviews in Denmark and internationally.


Producer: Alan Klitgaard
Engineer & Co-producer Torben Laursen