About
Anna Frykstam is an emerging clarinetist and project leader in the Scandinavian folk music scene, based in Malmö and rooted in the soft hills of the Scanian plains. Educated at the Academy of Music and Drama in Gothenburg, she has a background in Swedish traditional music and has studied South Norwegian repertoire traditionally performed on the hardanger fiddle. Her artistic practice is driven by a “better bold than perfect” mindset, approaching tradition with curiosity, courage, and a desire to expand its expressive boundaries.
Her musical language unfolds as an immersive melodic landscape shaped by ambient soundscapes, extended timbres, and the use of effect pedals. Anna is a member of the trad-bending band RÅ, where unconventional instrumentation - including octave violin, bass clarinet, and baritone saxophone - creates a distinctive sonic identity that challenges conventional definitions of folk music. Alongside her performing practice, she is actively engaged in teaching and community-building, mentoring young musicians as a teacher within SkåneFolk’s youth program.
She is the creator and project leader of Skymningszonen, a trio project developed during 2024-2025. Inspired by the ocean’s mesopelagic layer - a place between light and darkness, safety and emptiness - the project reimagines music from southern Norway’s Agder region alongside songs and chorales from Sweden, Norway, and Gammalsvenskby in Ukraine. The music offers a space for reflection, comfort, and emotional release, while carving out new artistic paths within contemporary folk music.