Peter "Puma" Hedlund

Peter ”Puma” Hedlund is considered by many to be Sweden’s foremost player of chromatic nyckelharpa. As a teenager in 1975, he achieved the Zorn Medal in silver, for “tradition-based playing of Uppland tunes on nyckelharpa”, and since then he can call himself “Riksspelman”, or “Fiddler of the Realm”. In 2010 he was honored with Sweden’s most prestigious folk-music award, the Zorn Medal in gold, “For masterful, brilliant, and tradition-conscious playing of nyckelharpa.

Peter is rightfully proud of his musical tradition and the tradition his childhood gave him. His music is a prime example of continuity; an unbroken tradition which links together the past, present, and future.

When Peter has come as far as technique could take him, he digs deeper, seeks new paths with a powerful and personal interpretation of the music. His tone reminds us of older times, with good reason: the tone comes from the old masters he listened to and played together with, mainly his inspiration and playing companion, the legendary Eric Sahlström.

Peter taught for a number of years at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm and in his ongoing role as teacher he has the possibility to influence and contribute to the new generation of nyckelharpa players. As a nyckelharpa teacher since 1973, Peter has had a never-ending stream of both adult and younger students, amateurs as well as those who are today well-known players.

Peter has mostly taught nyckelharpa, but also more general folk-music courses and is very popular as both artist and teacher throughout a large part of the world, from Japan via Europe to the USA.