Bjørn Eidsvåg is a national treasure in his homeland of Norway and has won the hearts of many Danes, too. Eidsvåg has a welter of awards and prizes, notably the Honourable Annual Award at the Fiddlers' Convention in 2006, Norway's most august traditional music institution. Bjørn Eidsvåg has worked with many Norwegian and Scandinavian artists, among them Swedish Lisa Nilsson and the Danish soul singer Karen Busck. In 2014, Eidsvågs famous songs were given a distinguished setting, when he sang to the accompaniment of KORK, the Norwegian state broadcasting service's symphony orchestra. This presaged sell-out concerts in Oslo Spektrum and other Norwegian concert halls, and the release of Classic Bjørn Eidsvåg with KORK. This year, Tønder Festival's audience can enjoy that very magic, when Bjørn Eidsvåg takes the stage with the Southern Jutland Symphony Orchestra. In 2004, the Southern Jutland Symphony Orchestra played at Tønder Festival, 'The Brendan Voyage' concert, with top Irish uillean piper Liam O'Flynn. "We are excited to be playing at Tønder Festival. This is a new opportunity for us to reach a wider audience. Folk music and classical music are closely related, so the idea seems natural," says Adam Stadnicki, musical director for the Southern Jutland Symphony Orchestra.