2_1_ScanMag_79_August_2015_Text.qxp_Scan Magazine 1 06/08/2015 16:24 Page 56
Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Top Experiences in Denmark: Festivals and Culture
Tønder Festival – A cultural lighthouse brimming with innovation Tønder Festival is characterised by authenticity, high quality and, above all, unique experiences. Since 1974 the musical oasis has grown into the most recognised international folk-roots festival in the North, attracting thousands of guests each year. Tønder presents names that cannot be heard anywhere else, from folk and roots to country and indie-rock, that are always delivered straight from the heart by new voices and acclaimed veterans alike. By Caroline Edwards | Photos: Ard Jongsma
As much as it might sound like an old cliché, Tønder Festival isn’t like all the others. There are no pop stars and no loud electronic DJs to be seen on the music programme. Instead it is bursting with artists from a diverse musical platform, capturing traditional and newfound tunes in a genre that, according to Tønder Festival’s Artistic Director, is purely handmade. This year, featuring
56 | Issue 79 | August 2015
renowned musicians such as John Prine, Tønder Festival puts several countries in the spotlight as it journeys across the world in a search for musical mastery. A handmade performance “Folk music has many faces and can take many forms, and we have broadened its scope by not only showcasing
traditional folk but also the modern music that has been inspired by it, such as indie, singer-songwriter and roots,” says Artistic Director Maria Theessink, who uses the term ‘handmade’ to describe Tønder Festival’s unique type of music. It’s a bit like craftsmanship. Rather than choosing to use a machine to put together a product, the traditional craftsmen will use their hands, and the same goes for those performing at Tønder’s stage, each in their own way and with their own tools. “This is a place where you don’t see many electronic guitars. Tønder is a festival where new and old meet, blending tradition with innovation in a wealth of expressions,” explains Theessink,