Teaching and online Skype/Zoom lessons
Sunniva has been teaching privately and group workshops for the past ten years in Sweden, England and the US. She teaches accordion, harmonium, singing, composition, arranging and songwriting, folk singing and folk repertoire lessons in person and online.
All levels welcome!
Rate: $ 70 per 60 minute lesson.
For enquiries, email: info@sunnivabrynnel.com
Areas of teaching:
– Accordion
– Harmonium
– Vocal improvisation and finding your unique voice, all levels welcome!
– Swedish and Celtic folk music and song + other folk styles
– Aural skills, learning by ear, music/chord theory etc
– Modal improvisation and free improvisation for vocalists and instrumentalists
– Composition/songwriting
Sunniva’s selected academic studies include:
- Masters of Music, Contemporary Improvisation (Academic Honors), New England Conservatory, Boston, US.
- BA Jazz at Leeds College of Music (1st Class Honours), UK, majoring in composition.
- BA in Pedagogy (subject – music), University of Gothenburg, Sweden.
- Deep Listening Level 1, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, US.
- Jazz Performance course, 1 year full-time. Birka Folkhögskola, Sweden.
- General Course of Music, 1 year full-time. Ljungskile Folkhögskola, Sweden.
- Course in Ethnomusicology at Uppsala university, Sweden.
- Course in Music Industry at Kalmar University, Sweden.
- Course in Music Archaeology at Linnéuniversitetet, Sweden.
- Somatic Voicework, The LoVetri Method, Level 1
- Kirtan Camp 1 & 2, with Jai Uttal
Quotes from students:
“I am a 70 year old accordion novice and Sunniva has helped me learn the basics of technique and interpretation starting with Swiss folk songs. Her deep knowledge of world music has brought enormous richness to my life.”
– Renata
“It is always a treat to sing with Sunniva. She holds a wonderful space to explore the voice. Her sharing of musical knowledge inspires me to dive deeper and brings clarity. I feel grateful for this weekly bubble of love, where I feel safe and happy in her presence.”
– Kerstin
“Hi Sunniva,
I had so much fun attending this session and learned a lot! Thanks for your positive energy – it comes through in your teaching.”
– Kate
“Sunniva has the unique ability to truly understand where a student is at, and identify what they most need to learn, in a holistic manner that takes into account not only technique and theory, but artistry and approach. She translates the great skill, expressiveness and beauty in her own playing into lessons which light a musical path for students of all levels. As her student, I felt seen, heard, and welcomed into a safe space for learning, experimentation, mistakes and growth, and I’m always grateful for her teaching.”
– Heather
“Sunniva is a wonderful teacher, empathetic and nurturing. She is
great at shaping what she does to suit her students, no matter their
ability level.”
– David
“I experienced Sunniva’s teaching in a small group at a music camp. I found her teaching to be more comprehensive and personally attentive than I expected: she addressed the way my straps were adjusted, the position of my left hand on the accordion, the tension in my left hand, and potentially the optimal size of accordion for me. Her manner was easy, patient, generous, and thorough. Her musical knowledge was extensive, not only in her beautiful performance of the repertoire, but especially in the complex chord patterns she taught us, which colored the music so evocatively, and in the expressive way in which she uses the bellows. I came away with a lot of new things to work on!”
– Melissa
“Att gå på kurs hos Sunniva är att bli väldigt inspirerad! Man får stor lust, och också kunskap, att experimentera vidare med harmoniseringar och rytmer av såväl folkmusik som visor från Sverige och från andra länder!”
– Erika
”Mitt stackars dragspel hade stått orört i sin låda i kanske 30 år. Nu upptäckte jag en nybörjarkurs under Bälgspel vid landsvägskanten i Ransäter. Vilken tur att jag tog mod till mig, åkte dit och öppnade lådan. Där bland ett nyfiket litet gäng noviser satt vår lärare med ett vackert dragspel i knät. Sunniva heter hon och vilket intryck hon gjorde. Hon mötte oss med värme som individer och som grupp. Vi blev alla närvarande i stunden, öppna och mottagliga för den guidning in i dragspelsvärlden hon gav oss. Gemensamt skapade vi och övade in små melodisnuttar som sen ihopsatt blev till vår egen ”Ingen aning-Vals”. Och ja – vi fick uppträda med stycket på stämmans stora scen! Ett sånt fint och välkommet initiativ med nybörjarkurs på dragspelsstämman. Hoppas, hoppas det kommer igen!”
– Kai
