Bill Peterson with Kristian Bugge and Ruthie Dornfeld

On Sunday, June 22, 2025, at 2:00pm, please help us welcome to the Betty Strong Encounter Center stage Bill Peterson with special guests Ruthie Dornfeld and Kristian Bugge. Admission is free with a reception to follow.

Their repertoire spans from Danish traditional fiddle tunes and music from the other Nordic countries to old-time American and self-composed original tunes, possibly spiced up with a few Venezuelan waltzes. Much of the music was learned directly from folk music legends like Danish American Dwight Lamb (1934-2024), Danish accordion player Karl Skaarup (1924-2013), fiddler Peter Uhrbrand from the Danish island of Fanø, and many more.

Kristian and Ruthie first met each other in the Danish folk music circles in the mid-1990’s, where Ruthie had been touring regularly and grown a reputation as a well-renowned artist and fiddler since the early 1980’s. Later when Kristian was a music student, Ruthie was guest-teaching at the Carl Nielsen Academy of Music in Odense, Denmark and Kristian made sure to take the opportunity to study with her while she was there. About ten years later, they met again in and around Seattle when Kristian had started touring and performing in the USA. They formed the trio “3 Fiddlers 3 Traditions” with Métis fiddler Jamie Fox and have continued to meet and play together ever since. This summer marks a new chapter in their collaboration and friendship as they will be touring and recording as a duo the first time; excitement is running high!