Noldi Alder was born in Urnäsch in Canton Appenzell Ausserrhoden in 1953. He discovered his love of folk music at an early age, and took violin lessons at the age of seven. After training as a millwright and an intensive study of violin making, he was already 35 when he decided to devote himself completely to his great passion once more, and completed a degree in classical music with Paul Giger (majoring in violin). Since 1996, Alder has worked freelance in the fields of classical, folk and salon music, composition and arrangement. Together with his former teacher and colleague Paul Giger, he founded the “Neue Appenzeller String Music Project”. In addition to appearances at renowned festivals such as Saitenwind in Wildhaus in 2007 and ARAI 500 in Hundwil in 2013, where he figured as artistic director, Alder has also composed for film and theatre. In his concerts, he can be heard on the violin, as a singer, and also on the traditional hammered dulcimer. This instrument is especially important to him in his improvisations. He was awarded the first-ever Culture Prize of Canton Appenzell Ausserrhoden in 2008, and was also awarded the Swiss Music Prize in 2018.

Alder is regarded a “rebel” on the folk-music scene and as a constant innovator in the field of traditional natural yodelling and traditional folk music. His work constantly oscillates between the traditional and the improvisational and is strongly influenced by handed-down Appenzell dances and the natural yodelling melodies called “Zäuerli” – the original yodelling sounds of the Säntis foothills. In Andermatt, six dance music pieces will be played that Alder has either composed or arranged for string orchestra. With the exception of the natural yodel “Zitt isch gsiä”, these are all dance pieces that are also wonderfully suited for concert performance.