Arnhildur Valgarðsdóttir 'Adda' on the Power of Choirs in Iceland

Arnhildur Valgarðsdóttir or 'Adda' (the name she performs under) is an extraordinary women of song and music. Linda Buckley and producer Helen Shaw met up with her at a church in Iceland where she plays organ, piano and leads the choir.  She is a multi-instrumentalist, a composer and a performer. She took her musical show inspired by the Icelandic Sagas to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival this year and as she says herself she always has half a dozen projects on the go at the one time.  Adda talks about the power of choirs in Iceland and how the church in Iceland is not so much about religion as community.  She talks about folk music and the influence of singer and folklorist Bára Grímsdóttir who we talked to in a previous episode. Theme music in the episode is Linda Buckley 'Numarimur' You can see a video of Adda on our website www.mothersbloodsistersongs.com

Om Podcasten

How the genetics of Iceland reveals its Irish motherhood; an exploration of the connections between Iceland and Ireland presented by composer Linda Buckley and produced Helen Shaw at Athena Media. Acclaimed Irish composer Linda Buckley has a personal and professional affinity to Iceland and in this radio series she teams up with documentary maker Helen Shaw to trace the connections between the two places. The Icelandic female line goes directly back to gaelic women, mostly taken as slaves, by Norwegian Vikings who settled the land over a thousand years ago. http://mothersbloodsistersongs.com