Jeanett Walerholt Rousu
Musician - Teacher - Composer - Author

Jeanett Walerholt Rousu plays both traditional Swedish folk music and her own compositions, inspired by Swedish folk and Baroque music. Her music reflects her upbringing in the Swedish district of Småland and that is closest to her heart. At the same time, her interest in discovering and exploring new creative avenues has long been a driving force that engages her in any number of creative paths; music, authorship, design, and photography, but also many different music genres, such as sacred music, folk music, Baroque music and Swedish "fäbod" music.
Besides excelling on the violin (fiddle) Jeanett is accomplished on the keyed fiddle (nykelharpa), saxophone and other diverse folk instruments that were played and used in Swedish fäbodar.
Projects
Krokiga låtar och rakryggade spelmän is a book where Jeanett portrays fiddlers, their songs and histories from her own home and heritage in Markaryd, Sweden
Kraxasjön is a record where Jeanett and her husband Peter play both traditional and self-composed songs.
The concert Zorns Folkmusik resulted in even a book and a record highlighting Anders Zorns love of music, dance and Swedish traditions. Each song reflects a special event in Anders life or a specific painted that he created.
Jeanett has a Masters Degree in music pedagogy from the Malmö Academy of Music and has worked as a music teacher for more than 20 years. She has extensive experience at all levels of education including free-standing courses and leading diverse music events.
She has been the event organizer for the Korrö Festival youth course for the past 20 years. Since 2018 Jeanett has been one of the musical leaders of the summer course at Sjövik.
She is currently the operational director of Folkmusikens Hus in Rättvik, Sweden.
Her experience as an established Swedish fiddler and music pedagog along with her commitment to lifting and developing Swedish folk music has been the impetus for her work there.

On the evening of the 11th of November, I received a telephone call from the county of Markaryd. It was the chairman of the cultural department, both informing me and congratulating me for being the recipient of the county's cultural prize for 2020. It was obviously a great honor and joy to receive
this prize and recognition. Upon arriving at home that very night, I took out my fiddle and wrote the following polska in the traditional style of Småland. It received the name, Prize Polka, and is my way of giving thanks for this award.
Markaryd County's Cultural Prize
Markaryd County's Cultural Prize 2020 is awarded to Jeanett Walerholt Rousu for the following reasons:
"Jeanett Walerholt Rousu has become a nationally known and respected folk musician by continually developing and refining her musical gifts. She has spent many years documenting the folk musicians of the area around Markaryd and their music. She has accomplished this in both literary and musical form and, as such, has performed a priceless contribution to her cultural heritage and home. By spreading our region's history and culture at fiddler's conventions and other folk music events she has contributed to keeping our traditions alive from this important period in Markaryds musical history. This is especially true at the yearly fiddler's convention in Markaryd"