Benedicte Maurseth

Benedicte Maurseth is a highly acclaimed Hardanger fiddler, composer, and author, recognized for her significant contributions to traditional music. As a long-standing apprentice of master fiddler Knut Hamre, she specializes in Hardanger traditions and has performed extensively as a soloist both in Norway and internationally, including notable venues such as the Sydney Opera House and Carnegie Hall. Her collaborative work spans theatre, art,and music, partnering with distinguished artists including Jon Fosse, Anne Marit Jacobsen, Rolf Lislevand, Mats Eilertsen, Kronos Quartet, and others. Maurseth has composed commissioned works for a range of organizations such as Kronos Quartet, Prague Music Ensemble, Ensemble neoN, Marvel Studios, the National Theatre, festivals, television, and film productions.

Maurseth has produced multiple albums for Hubro Records & Heilo (Grappa Musikkforlag) and ECM Records, and published books, articles, and essays. Her solo album Hárr (2022) won the Nordic Music Prize and was ranked among The Guardian's top ten folk music albums globally in 2022. That same year, she published the non-fiction book Systerspel - Om spelet som var og spelet som vart borte, a pioneering account of female fiddlers' history from the 18th century onward. For this work, along with related concert performances and museum exhibition, she received the Folk Musician of the Year award in 2023 and the SFF prize for her substantial impact on Norwegian folk music.