Sunniva Brynnel is a piano accordionist, pianist, vocalist and composer within jazz, improvised music and folk music. In 2017, she was awarded Albin Hagström Minnesfonds scholarship for accordionists through the Royal Academy in Stockholm.
Sunniva was born in Uddevalla, on the Swedish west coast in 1986. She grew up in a musical family and started to play the piano at the age of 5. From the age of ten, she went to a primary school which had a special focus on music – especially choir singing. A large repertoire of Swedish christmas songs is most of all what remains with her from these years.
Aged 18, Sunniva studied world and pop music full time at Ljungskile FHSK, Sweden.
She then went on to study Irish/Gaelic singing and music at DIT Conservatory of Music and Drama in Dublin. Her vocal teacher at DIT was Seosaimhin Ni Bheaglaoich.
After a year spent in Dublin, she moved on to study jazz performance at Birka FHSK outside Östersund, Sweden. This year; living in the Swedish snowy midlands by beautiful lake Storsjön, and having both inspiring teachers as well as brilliant fellow students, made a big impact on Sunniva’s playing and composing.
At Birka FHSK, Sunniva met guitarist Calle Jönsson, who insisted that every folk pianist should also play the accordion. And sure enough – she got herself an accordion and never looked back.
To be able to immerse herself in both jazz and the music of the British Isles, Sunniva then went on to study a BA jazz at Leeds College of Music, England, with composition as her major subject. Within her degree at LCoM she composed everything from small sized ensemble works to big band pieces. Her teachers at LCoM were, amongst others Jamil Sheriff, Rob Mitchell, Russ Van Den Berg and Dave Kane.
In England, Sunniva was also fortunate to meet and have lessons with English accordionist Karen Tweed and Finnish pianist/composer Timo Alakotila.
Sunniva graduated from Leeds College of Music in July 2012 (BA Jazz 1st class honours). She also has a Swedish music teaching degree from Gothenburg University (2016).
Sunniva is currently based in Boston, US, where she is studying a Masters of music in jazz at New England Conservatory and is active as a freelance musician.
Her current musical projects include:
Sunniva Brynnel & Timo Alakotila Duo – the duo released their debut album in July 2016.
Night Tree – folk sextet based in Boston, US
Sunniva Brynnel & Andrew Boudreau (Canada) Duo – jazz duo based in Boston, US
Druids and Androids – Danish/Swedish/Czech sextet playing mantras, bhajans freely improvised trance/dance music, plant music and much more.
Blue Ejder – originals duo with Sunniva Brynnel & English guitarist Aubin Vanns
Wingård/Bäckman/Brynnel – Swedish folk group playing traditional music and originals: https://www.facebook.com/wingardbackmanbrynnel
Mareld –Swedish folk group playing traditional music and originals
Sunniva writes music for theatre and dance, past projects include:
What Transpires – contact improvisation dance work by Neige Christenson, Boston 2017
Kollisionskurs – by Ulf G Eriksson, Uddevalla January 2013 (theatre)
How I helped put an end to communism – The Lowry, Manchester, May 2012 (theatre)
The Crossing – Leeds, October 2010 (theatre)
Sunniva’s original music has been broadcast by for example Swedish Radio 2 and Irish Radio RTÉ Lyric fm.
For interviews regarding musical background, inspiration etc – see:
http://www.bohuslaningen.se/kultur-n%C3%B6je/st%C3%A4ndigt-nya-musikaliska-%C3%A4ventyr-1.3459247
https://www.lcm.ac.uk/News/Folk-Series-3-feat-Sunniva-Brynnel