Kari and the Sheep Tibia Flute

Jeg gik meg ud is a16th Century Danish tune with 18th Century lyrics. Kari learned this tune from her teacher, Aksel Striim, while  making the flute you hear.

Song Translation:
"I went out on a summer's day and hearing

little bird songs touched my heart and stirred me.

In the deepest valley, between the nightingale and me

All the other little birds, they say things"

Lake Grass Flute and Swan Feather

This is the story about the swan who died so that Kari could make flutes from her bones. You will hear two lake grass flutes made from the lake where the swan once lived. 

Lake grass flutes are very fragile. They must be soaked in water to make them playable. Kari's longer flute played a tune while Jack's two note flute sounds like a duck.

Nature instruments are unpredictable.

Swan Wing Radius Flute and  Feathers

Sacred Songs on the Swan Radius
Our most sacred tunes are played on a single tube, in nature tones. "Taps" is a ritual tune for taking down the flag as the sun sets and for honoring warriors who have seen their last sunset. To play Taps on a swan's wing brings to mind the Valkyrie in swan hide escorting the fallen to the other side.

Elderberry Tree Denmark

Elderberry Charm:
“Mother Hulda, if you please, give me some of you and I'll give you some of me."

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​Photo of the Elderberry tree in Denmark and track photo is of the flute and PVC replica made from this tree.

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Bored core style flutes - PVC and Elderberry Branch (2023)

Overtone Duet -  in this performance both of the flutes are of pvc. Kari plays the one she made in Denmark, pictured left. Jack plays one made in Minneapolis, 2025.

PVC flutes are consistent in performance settings where natural materials sometimes fail.

The Elderberry branch flute pictured above right is the one Kari made in Denmark.

2 Lake Grass flutes, 4 sheep tibia flutes, the knife, one swan radius flute, and 2 ulna flutes that Kari made in Demark, 2023

From Kari's album "Ljos" (2016)

Kari is playing the PVC seljefløyte she purchased in Norway. This and her neverlur (birch wrapped lur) and prillar bukkehorn (fingered billygoat horn) were made by Magnar Storbækken (1956 - 2022), a master builder of Norwegian nature instruments.

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Vårfløyte means Spring Flute. Some players refer to the plastic replica as spring flute rather than willow flute.

Photo below shows the seljefløyte made of true willow bark.

Sharing my flutes, Drammen Fjord, Norway 2023

From the album "Nykken and Bear" (2013). The poem and the PVC selje (willow) style flute you hear were created by Kari at North House Folk School in 2009.

Playing nature tones in the nature is a profound experience.

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