Barbara Helsingius
Encyclopedia
Barbara Helsingius is a Swedish-speaking
Finnish
olympic fencer
, singer and poet.
She participated at the 1960 Summer Olympics
. Trained as a gym teacher, she took her masters in pedagogy
at Stanford University
(1963). Interested in American art and folk music
, she began to record, and her first release, (1966) was a collection of American folk songs, translated to Finnish. She became well-known internationally, and is a member of Visens venner in Norway, of Visans Vänner in Helsinki and Yrkestrubadurernas Forening in Sweden, part of the Svenska Visakademien (1999, its only Finn) and the joint Nordic cultural organisation NordVisa. From 1969-1975, she lived in Oslo
with her husband, Hank Koski, a diplomat at the USA's embassy. Her family now live in Espoo
.
Barbara's works as an author are immense, currently more than 700 works in four languages.
Swedish language
Swedish is a North Germanic language, spoken by approximately 10 million people, predominantly in Sweden and parts of Finland, especially along its coast and on the Åland islands. It is largely mutually intelligible with Norwegian and Danish...
Finnish
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
olympic fencer
Fencing
Fencing, which is also known as modern fencing to distinguish it from historical fencing, is a family of combat sports using bladed weapons.Fencing is one of four sports which have been featured at every one of the modern Olympic Games...
, singer and poet.
She participated at the 1960 Summer Olympics
1960 Summer Olympics
The 1960 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held from August 25 to September 11, 1960 in Rome, Italy...
. Trained as a gym teacher, she took her masters in pedagogy
Pedagogy
Pedagogy is the study of being a teacher or the process of teaching. The term generally refers to strategies of instruction, or a style of instruction....
at Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
(1963). Interested in American art and folk music
American folk music revival
The American folk music revival was a phenomenon in the United States that began during the 1940s and peaked in popularity in the mid-1960s. Its roots went earlier, and performers like Josh White, Burl Ives, Woody Guthrie, Lead Belly, Richard Dyer-Bennett, Oscar Brand, Jean Ritchie, John Jacob...
, she began to record, and her first release, (1966) was a collection of American folk songs, translated to Finnish. She became well-known internationally, and is a member of Visens venner in Norway, of Visans Vänner in Helsinki and Yrkestrubadurernas Forening in Sweden, part of the Svenska Visakademien (1999, its only Finn) and the joint Nordic cultural organisation NordVisa. From 1969-1975, she lived in Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
with her husband, Hank Koski, a diplomat at the USA's embassy. Her family now live in Espoo
Espoo
Espoo is the second largest city and municipality in Finland. The population of the city of Espoo is . It is part of the Helsinki Metropolitan Area along with the cities of Helsinki, Vantaa, and Kauniainen. Espoo shares its eastern border with Helsinki and Vantaa, while enclosing Kauniainen....
.
Prizes
- Hambestipendiet, Sweden 1989
- Norsk-finsk kulturpris 1993
- Nils Ferlin-prisen, Sweden 1994
- NordVisa-statuetten "Liv" 1995
- Pro Cultura EspooEspooEspoo is the second largest city and municipality in Finland. The population of the city of Espoo is . It is part of the Helsinki Metropolitan Area along with the cities of Helsinki, Vantaa, and Kauniainen. Espoo shares its eastern border with Helsinki and Vantaa, while enclosing Kauniainen....
1995
Books
- Vill du visor min vän?
- Kanske en visa" (Schildts)
- dikt av Eino Leino, collection
- Songs Finland Sings, Warner/Chappel Music Finland (2000)
Barbara's works as an author are immense, currently more than 700 works in four languages.
Discography
- Barbara (1966; American folk songs in Finnish)
- Det var en gång (1977; own songs)
- Olipa kerran (1978; Finnish version of the above)
- Speiling (1981; Finnish songs in Norwegian)
- Barbaras blandade (1981; own songs)
- Kahlaajatyttö (1982; musical settings of the Finnish poets Aale TynniAale TynniAale Maria Tynni-Haavio was a Finnish poet and translator and wife of fellow Finnish poet Martti Haavio....
and Aila Meriluoto) - Fra Barbara med kjærlighet (1982; Finnish songs in Norwegian)
- Reflection. Songs from Finland (1984; Finnish songs in English)
- Drøm og bekjennelse (1986; her own and Finnish songs in Norwegian)
- Spegling (1986; Finnish-Swedish songs)
- Rakkaudella (1986; Finnish version of above)
- Tuulen niityillä (1992; Nordic songs in Finnish)
- Sånt är vårt liv (1996; own and Finnish songs in Swedish)
- Songs Finland Sings (2002; double CD of Finnish poems and songs, classics and songs which she translated to English. Contains 30 artists, including the Serena choir)
Prizes
| Year | Prize |
|---|---|
| 1994 1994 in literature The year 1994 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-New books:*Kevin J. Anderson - Champions of the Force, Dark Apprentice and Jedi Search*Reed Arvin - The Wind in the Wheat*Greg Bear - Songs of Earth and Power... |
Trubadurprisen |