Barbara Helsingius facts for kids
1965.
|
|
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Barbara Christina Elisabeth Helsingius |
| Born | 27 September 1937 Helsinki, Finland |
| Died | 9 March 2017 (aged 79) Espoo, Finland |
| Spouse(s) | Henry William Koski; 2 daughters |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Fencing |
Barbara Christina Elisabeth Helsingius-Koski (born September 27, 1937 – died March 9, 2017) was a talented Finnish woman. She spoke Swedish and was known as a singer, a poet, and an Olympic fencer.
Contents
Barbara's Amazing Career
Barbara Helsingius-Koski had a very interesting life with many different talents!
Fencing at the Olympics
She was a skilled fencer. Fencing is a sport where two people fight with swords, but it's safe and fun! Barbara competed in foil fencing at the 1960 Summer Olympics. This was a big achievement for her.
Learning and Teaching
Barbara first trained to be a gym teacher. She loved learning and later studied something called pedagogy at Stanford University in the USA. Pedagogy is all about how people learn and how to teach them well.
A Love for Music
Barbara really enjoyed American art and folk music. Folk music tells stories about everyday life and history. She started recording songs, and her first album, called Barbara, came out in 1966. On this album, she sang American folk songs that she had translated into Finnish.
Connecting Through Music
Barbara became well-known not just in Finland, but also in other countries. She was part of many music groups in Norway, Sweden, and Finland. These groups helped share folk music and connect people through songs. She was even the only Finn in the Swedish Song Academy!
Life in Oslo
From 1968 to 1975, Barbara lived in Oslo, Norway. She lived there with her husband, Henry William "Hank" Koski. He worked as a diplomat at the U.S. embassy. Barbara and Henry had two daughters. Her family now lives in Espoo, Finland.
Prizes and Awards
Barbara received many awards for her work in music and culture. Here are some of them:
- Hambestipendiet, Sweden (1989)
- Norsk-finsk kulturpris (1993)
- Nils Ferlin-prisen, Sweden (1994)
- Trubadurprisen (1994)
- NordVisa-statuetten ("Liv"; 1995)
- Pro Cultura, Espoo, Finland (1995)
Her Books
Barbara also wrote books, often about songs and poetry.
- Vill du visor min vän?
- Kanske en visa
- Eino Leino, sångarens visa, a poetry collection
- Songs Finland Sings (2000)
Her Music Albums
Barbara recorded many albums, often translating songs between different languages like Finnish, Swedish, and Norwegian.
- Barbara (1966; American folk songs in Finnish)
- Det var en gång (1977; her own songs)
- Olipa kerran (1978; Finnish version of the above)
- Reflection. Songs from Finland (1984; Finnish songs in English)
- Songs Finland Sings (2002; a double CD with Finnish poems and songs)
Passing Away
Barbara Helsingius-Koski passed away on March 9, 2017, in Espoo, Finland. She was 79 years old and had been ill for some time. She left behind a wonderful legacy of music, poetry, and sports.
