Skye Consort & Emma Björling

media release: Skye Consort & Emma Björling perform trans-Atlantic music from Scandinavia, Ireland and the British Isles, French-Canada, and tunes of their own devising. They find enchanting stories and melodies, then bring them into the 21st century with worldly chamber-folk settings.

Voices, fiddle, nyckelharpa, cello, bouzouki, banjo, and percussion riffing on whirling polskas, groovy reels, passionate love songs, breathtaking hymns, and original compositions.  

Skye Consort and Emma met during a La Nef project in Montréal in October 2017. At the end of the project a HUGE storm in Iceland cancelled all of the flights from North America to Europe. Emma and the members of Skye consort spent the next several days listening to tunes, jamming, and joking about starting a band. By the time Emma went home, the BAND had actually been STARTED!

Emma Björling (lead voice, percussion & shruti box) is an award-winning Swedish singer, composer, and arranger, active in the renowned Scandinavian bands Kongero and Lyy. She has toured the world with numerous bands and stays busy on the European folk/trad scene. Emma is a board member of NASC (North Atlantic Song Community) and conducts workshops all over the world.  

Seán Dagher (lead voice, Irish bouzouki & banjo) is an active performer, arranger, and composer of music from various folk and classical music traditions. He plays with The Swindlers, The Reese Witherspoons, and Gairloch, and is co-artistic director of La Nef. Seán is the curator of the Zone Musique Place d’Armes summer music series and has provided music for video games including the Assassin’s Creed series.   

Amanda Keesmaat (cello & vocals) is a vibrant presence in the Montréal early music community. She has recorded and performed with many prominent singers, instrumental soloists, and renowned ensembles. She is the founder of Space Time Continuo and a regular collaborator with La Nef. She has toured extensively in North and South America and in Europe.  

Simon Alexandre (fiddle, nyckelharpa & vocals) is an accomplished chamber musician and orchestral violinist. He plays with the Ximenez String Quartet and is a member of the Orchestre Philharmonique du Québec. At age 17, he moved to Sweden to study nyckelharpa. He plays in the violin, nyckelharpa, and Hardanger fiddle