The third Nordic Harp Meeting was held in Gjøvik, Norway, from 4th to 7th November 2010. The project assembled 61 musicians, researchers and instrument makers who are specialised on traditional plucked string instruments of the Nordic countries, who participated in various workshops, lectures and allspel. The programme included even a public concert on Saturday night.
Gjøvik was the perfect choice for such a meeting, since a considerable number of Norwegian folk harps, langeleiks and other folk instruments has been manufactured in the instrument making workshop of Gjøvik Spelmannslag during the past 30 years.

The focus of this meeting was on Nordic music traditions: Since the oldest traditional music in the Nordic countries is played on langeleik and kantele, we made use of musical styles in these living traditions, and transferred tunes to harps, lyres and other instruments.
Read more about the programme of the NHM 2010.

Participants came from all Nordic countries (33 from Norway, 9 from Finland, 5 from Sweden, 2 from Denmark, 2 from Iceland) and even some from England (3), Germany (5) and Bohemia (2). Everybody appreciated this possibility to interact with other enthusiasts and share our passion for traditional stringed instruments: “Many expressed the sentiment that they feel completely isolated and considered half mad in their respective countries and were relieved and thrilled to find so many kindred spirits in Gjøvik.” (Nancy Thym, pers.comm.) Read more quotes from various teachers and participants.

The Nordic Harp Meeting 2010 was supported by the Nordic Culture Fund and the foundation Rådet for folkemusikk og folkedans, and was arranged in cooperation with Gjøvik spelmannslag and Tradisjonsmusikkarkivet Mjøsmuseet.