RCN’s Project Based Learning Week concluded with a Nordic Folk Music Concert in the auditorium on the evening of Saturday 15th October – an outstanding achievement to produce such a daring and inspiring programme in so many different Nordic languages.

Students from 11 different countries came together to learn about Nordic Folk Music. Over the course of five days, they learned 14 songs and joiks in 5 Nordic languages (Icelandic, Northern Sámi, Norwegian, Swedish and Finnish) as well as instrumental pieces. The students worked with two teachers on campus (Dan Silfwerin from Sweden and Lisa Jokivirta from Finland), as well as Laura Ashby (Oxford, UK) who came as a vocal coach and guest conductor. Several students were given individual singing lessons over the course of the week.

They started the week with a research session, with students each taking a country, and researching folk traditions, instruments and searching for music for the group to learn during the project. The concert at the end of the week featured an extremely diverse programme, starting with Swedish Kulning (traditional animal herding calls) and ballads; an Icelandic chant; a recitation from the Finnish national epic Kalevala; a reindeer herding joik and a joik canon; the Finlandia hymn; some Danish instrumental and dance melodies.

The stage was decked in flags of all the Nordic countries and the performance added a new dimension to the college’s Nordic Pillar. It was an inspiring performance which introduced the audience to the variety and beauty of Nordic folk music.

The students were a very diverse group, with a huge range of musical experience and ability. Despite this, they achieved an extremely high standard of music making throughout the week, due to their enthusiasm and willingness to give it a go, including learning all of the pieces in the original Nordic language.

The concert attracted an audience of over 100 people (including external visitors from the local community and visiting US university admissions counsellors. They were extremely enthusiastic in their applause! All 11 students are being encouraged to continue their musical learning by joining the new school choir, and we hope to continue exploring Nordic folk music.

On the weekend of 1st – 2nd October the UWC RCN Outdoor Leader Programme had its second overnight trip. After packing and loading canoes on the trailer on Saturday morning we left for the river to paddle down Guddalsvassdraget back to the college. The focus on the trip was to practice canoeing on flat water and in running water with easy whitewater and rapids as well as learning how to manage a group on the water. We also had time for general personal skills for being outdoors.

On the rapids

On the first day we started out by the Hovland bridge and started practicing in the currents coming into the lake to get a feel for the movement of the currents and how they effect the canoe. One canoe team also had the opportunity to learn to get rescued if you fall in. After lunch we continued with practising different paddle strokes as we paddled over the lake to the next short section of rapids. After assessing the rapids from land at Hellebust it was decided that those who were keen could paddle part of the rapids. A huge water flow after the recent rains made the bottom part of the rapids too dangerous to paddle in a canoe. So after a short portage we continued partway over the lake to then arrive at our camp spot in a sheltered cove. We put up tents and started cooking and eating our dinner. The evening was spent around a small fire – talking and having tea and hot chocolate.

Sunday morning was foggy and slightly chilly but with the promise of a beautiful day. After packing up and eating breakfast we set out over the lake down to the next set of rapids by Rennestraum. Here it was decided that the rapid was possible to paddle after an assessment on land and most paddle teams tried it. Everyone managed well down the rapids and after a short paddle over the next lake we arrived at Trollefossen. We had lunch and started the trip’s longest portage down to the fjord that would lead us back to the College. We then paddled back to the college in beautiful weather and no wind.

Click here for a collection of pictures.