biography

A woman in a red patterned dress stands on wooden stairs, holding a wooden string instrument with her right hand, in a dimly lit space with dark wooden walls.

Foto: Cathrine Dokken

Ingrid Lingaas Fossum (f. 1991) frå Valdres er ei av dei fremste unge langeleikutøvarane i landet. Ho har spelt langeleik sidan ho var åtte år, og har sterke røter i den levande langeleiktradisjonen. Ho er oppteken av å lyfte fram det tradisjonelle spelet, samstundes som ho utfordrar langeleikens bruksmåte. Ingrid har ein bachelorgrad i tradisjonsmusikk frå Ole Bull-Akademiet, og jobbar no fullt som frilansmusikar. Samstundes har ho byrja på ein mastergrad i utøvande folkemusikk ved Noregs musikkhøgskole (NMH), som den fyrste i historia med langeleik som hovudinstrument. Ho har alt motteke fleire prisar og utnemningar for arbeidet sitt, blant anna som årets Hilmartalent frå 2022-2024. I 2025 er ho nominert til Folkelarmpris for tre ulike prosjekt.


I 2024, under 500årsjubileet for den eldst daterte langeleiken i Norge, gav Ingrid ut ei dokumentasjonsplate med 12 gamle langeleikar – blant anna jubilanten sjølv, datert 1524. Denne plata har alt fått mange gode kritikkar, og er svært viktig som dokumentasjon av den rike og levande langeleiktradisjonen i Noreg. I tillegg til å vere ein sterk soloutøvar, gjer ho ein rekkje samarbeidsprosjekt med andre utøvarar. Hovedprosjekta hennar er duoen Himmelleite, folkesongtrioen Treak, og forestillinga “Danse mi dokke, springe min hest”.  Elles har ho jobba med å arrangere for strykekvartett, og vore gjest blant anna med Erlend Viken Trio, POING og med folkrockbandet Gangar. Ho har gjort ein rekkje samarbeid med musikarar i søraustlige Afrika, der ho budde i fleire år. I 2024 hadde ho regi på det store 500årsjubileet til langeleiken på Riksscenen, der ho òg skreiv bestillingsverket «Solrenning», eit verk for 6 langeleikar med ulik tonalitet.

Group of musicians on stage, some playing hammered dulcimers, with a female performer in a light pink dress adjusting her hair.

From the 500 year anniversary of the langeleik in 2024. Foto: Thor Hauknes

english

Ingrid Lingaas Fossum is one of the most skilled young langeleik players in Norway. The langeleik is a traditional norwegian instrument that has a 500 year unbroken tradition. Ingrid has deep roots in the living langeleik tradition, but also strives to use the instrument in new ways. She is now the first in history to do a masters degree with langeleik as her main instrument, at Norges Musikkhøgskole (NMH). Ingrid has collaborated with musicians in a wide spectre of genres, and also lived in Tanzania, where she recorded music with local musicians. She has received several awards and scholarships, and is nominated for the “Folkelarm” awards for three different projects in 2025.

In 2024 Ingrid recorded her first solo studio album, "Eit halvt tusenår", with 12 old langeleiks - including the 500 year old langeleik itself - with promising reviews. She was also the artistic director of a large 500-year celebration of the langeleik, and composed the first larger work for 6 langeleiks with different old tonalities.

One of Ingrids main projects is the duo “Himmelleite”, with church organist Vemund Olav Aukrust. Their duo is based on a unique combination of langeleik, organ, kraviklyre and folk song. She is also a part of a song trio, “Treak”, with Marit Karlberg and Ingeborg Onstad, that focuses on a harmonic folk singing. She also has a childrens performance called “Danse mi dokke, springe min hest” with dancer Brigitte Blomlie, that’s touring in schools all over the country. In addition she does a lot of guest appearences, for example with Erlend Viken trio, the contemporary music trio POING, the childrens choir Bolteløkka jentekor with Trio Mediæval, and with the folk rock band Gangar.

In addition to the langeleik, Ingrid also sings and plays the "kraviklyre", the oldest known string instrument in Norway.

Three musicians performing with string and electric instruments on stage, two playing violins and one playing an electric guitar.
Black and white photo of a group of musicians performing on stage, including a person with an accordion, a keyboard player, a singer with a microphone, and various string and wind instrument players, with a decorated Christmas tree on stage.

With Erlend Viken Trio in 2023. Foto: Anders Lillebo

With the contemporary music trio “POING” in 2024.
Foto: Knut Utler

With Gjermund Larsen and Vegar Vårdal in 2022.

Group of eight people on stage with musical instruments, some clapping and smiling, in a black and white photo.

With Edel Cruz fusion folk in Veracruz, Mexico, 2024