Haugaard & Høirup

Haugaard & Høirup

'It is only two people but sounds so big – just like a full orchestra!'
– STRING MAGAZINE, JAPAN

Violinist Harald Haugaard & guitarist 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, North American and Japanese World Music festivals, has gained Danish folk music a new recognition with enthusiastic audiences, outstanding reviews and innummerable radio- and TV appearances.

- Haugaard & Høirup´s extremely personable natures shine through on stage and their musicianship is simply exquisite (...) Both are fabulous and very much in tune with each other creating a spellbinding first half. The crowd love them and it's shaping up into quite a special evening. – BBC2, SCOTLAND

Haugaard & Høirup specialize in an elegant mixture of traditional Danish music and original compositions arranged for violin and guitar. The duo has gathered their traditional material fromfamily 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 elegangt 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.

Haugaard & Høirup currently have five CDs out; "Duo for Violin & Guitar" (1999), "Let´s Dansk" (2001), "Light" (2001), "In the Summer" (2003) and "Gæstebud/Feast" (2005), and they have all received rave reviews in Denmark and internationally. In 2002 Haugaard & Høirup received a Danish Music Award (Danish "Grammy") for "Danish Folk Album of the Year" (Lys/Light), and another one as "Danish Folk artist of the Year (Traditional)". Further more Harald Haugaard received an award as "Danish Folk Instrumentalist of the Year". In 2004 the album "In the Summer" received a Danish Music Awards as "Danish Folk Artist of the Year (Traditional)", and Morten Alfred Høirup received a Danish Music Award as "Danish Folk Composer of the Year". The latest album "Gæstebud/Feast" (2005) received a Danish Music Award as "Danish Folk Album of the Year" and the duo got the award as "Danish Folk Artist of the Year (Traditional)". All in all seven Danish Music Awards since 2001, something to be proud of.

All Things Considered, The National Public Radio in The US said: "Haugaard & Hoirup´s CD "In the Summer" is melodic, accomplished and suffused with a warm beauty".

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 Music Academy of Odense where he now works as an associated professor on the only Danish education of traditional Music. Harald also works with theater music, and is known for his work with Danish bands as DUG, Serras and Sorten Muld.

Morten Alfred Høirup´s 25 years of performing have earned him a reputation as an outstanding guitarist. His unshakable swinging groove, his expressiveness, elegant phrasing and distinctive tone have 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 band The Vineyard, as well as the international ensembles The American Café Orchestra/ACO (U.S.A.) and Ouellet, Legault & Høirup (Québec, CAN). Morten´s talent for composing is showcased in his solo album Vingården (The Vineyard, 1998), as well as in numerous TV and film soundtracks.

Haugaard & Høirup will be performing in countries as Denmark, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Ireland, Canada, U.S.A. and Japan during 2006/2007.

’Haugaard & Høirup; one of the worlds greatest violin and guitar duos of our time.'
- GÖTTINGER TAGEBLATT, GERMANY