Peter Puma Hedlund is considered Sweden's leading traditional player of the modern chromatic nyckelharpa, having won the title World Champion twice, in 1992 and again in 2000. He earned the coveted designation Riksspelman (Fiddler of the Realm) while still in his teens.
Peter and his nyckelharpa are a commanding presence. When he has gone as far as technique can take him, Peter probes deeper to complement technique with powerful personal interpretation. His tones remind one of older sounds, and rightly so, as he has studied and played with many of the bygone masters. Strong musical traditions nurtured him as he grew up in the province of Uppland, just north of Stockholm. He played nyckelharpa for fun and states this repeatedly when asked questions about his style and interpretation. Peter's technique is unsurpassed. His exceedingly precise playing is characterized by deep murmuring tones, liquid cascades of ornaments and flourishes and gives the uncanny perception that there is more than one of him playing at once.
Justly proud of his position in the realm of Swedish traditional music, Peter is gradually expanding the horizons of nyckelharpa expression. In his frequent role as an instructor, he takes the opportunity to influence and nurture the growth and development of the next generation of nyckelharpa players. He also "makes" tunes which are quickly gaining favor among today's players. Peter's musical career spans roughly 30 years. He has been actively performing, recording and teaching nonstop just about his entire adult life. Home base is Iste, Hälsingland (a four-hour drive north of Stockholm), with Karin, also a musician, and their two sons, Jonas and Mathias. Vägen (2002), his critically acclaimed solo album, was followed in 2003 by Another Way, where he invited eight friends to join him in a masterful elaboration of his music.
— Courtesy Calabash Music
