Junior Svea Rundman has played the violin since first grade. “Music is a way to express myself and talk about things that I don’t feel comfortable talking about normally,” she said. Music, Rundman explained, is “a way to tell stories” and challenge herself. Fortunately, she’s surrounded by it.
Her brother Paavo and her parents all play instruments and often perform together. “My dad was a touring musician for 30 years,” Rundman said. “My mom is a pianist, and she also plays accordion.” The Rundman family band often performs Finnish folk music and church hymns in restaurants and other live music sites. Sometimes Rundman plays with Paavo and his band, Wintry Elementary. “They back me up while playing my songs, and then I sing and have an epic violin solo.”
In Paavo’s opinion, Rundman’s most admirable quality is her determination. “She’s really good at starting something new but not letting that newness get in the way of what she is achieving,” he said. “Her melodies are always getting increasingly complex, interesting, and catchy.”
Rundman began writing songs around a year ago when she got her guitar. For her, songwriting is a form of emotional release or psychological output. “Svea is the type of person who always needs to be creating something. She loves to draw, paint, and write,” Paavo said. “Music is just the most recent way that she’s started to explore what she can do artistically.”
Rundman was asked if she wanted to perform with the musical group Carpet Mode, a band composed of EHS students and alumni at their concert fundraiser for the EHS Thespians. “On Friday, I am opening for Carpet Mode, the one and only Carpet Mode,” she said prior to the Dec. 22 event. “I’m going to be playing some of my songs, and I’m going to have a string section backing me up. I’m also going to be playing guitar.” Rundman played seven original songs before Carpet Mode’s set. “It got better as it went,” concluded Rundman post-event. “[The concert] was wonderful.”
This piece was originally published in Zephyrus’ print edition on January 25, 2024.
