Music

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 Composers

Rolf Wallin is one of the foremost contemporary Nordic composers, widely performed and commissioned internationally. His musical background spans from jazz, avant-garde rock and early music to traditional classical training, and this versatility is reflected in an exceptionally many-faceted list of compositions. Wallin’s compositional output covers a wide range of techniques and expressions: from strictly absolute music to music theatre and installations, from elaborate computer-aided composition in his instrumental music to strongly intuitive music for the stage. His collaboration with Ingun includes an original score for “Seven Imperatives”, Et moderne sted”, “A Solitary Shame announced by a Piano”, “Omega and the Deer” and ”Hojotoho” 2021.

Tansy Davies has been commissioned and performed internationally, by ensembles and orchestras including the London Symphony Orchestra, Birmingham Contemporary Music Group with Thomas Adès, Grup Instrumental de Valencia, London Sinfonietta, BIT 20, Tokyo Symphony Orchestra, Musiques Nouvelles, Orquesta Sinfonica de Chile, and the BBC Symphony Orchestra for the Proms in 2010. In 2009 Tansy Davies received a Paul Hamlyn Award, in 2011 her Requiem As with Voices and with Tears was nominated for a South Bank Show / Sky Arts Award, and recently Tansy was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of the University of Essex.  She collaborated on ”Omega and the Deer” in 2011 and ”Hojotoho” in 2021.

Christian Wallumrød has worked as a musician and composer since 1992, and he is considered one of the most prominent and influential musicians of his generation in Norway. Following his debut on ECM Records (“No Birch”, issued in 1996), he has released a string of albums with Christian Wallumrød Ensemble (CWE) on the same label, all to considerable critical acclaim. The latest record ’Outstairs’ was rewarded with the Norwegian Grammy (Spellemannsprisen 2013). While being the composer and leader of his own ensemble, Wallumrød also focusses strongly on improvisation with another longstanding collaboration, the French/Norwegian group Dans Les Arbres (DLA), also with two releases on ECM. CWE and DLA has been his main body of work over the last 10-12 years, and both groups are touring extensively. A quite recent project is Brutter, Christian’s collaboration with drummer brother Fredrik, a duo dive into human and machine driven pulses. Early 2015 is release time for his first solo album named Pianokammer (on the Norwegian label Hubro).

Geir Jenssen (better known as Biosphere) is one of the leading players in ambient/electronic/drone scene. He has been involved with numerous sound installations and soundtracks. In a career spanning nearly two decade, seven solo albums and a number of collaborations, Geir Jenssen has gone from one third of pop outfit to being one of the most respected names on the electronic scene. Biosphere was awarded Spellemannsprisen for “Cirque” in 2002. “Poppea” in 2009 was his first collaboration with Ingun, followed by “The Sea” in 2011 and “Hedda” in 2013 for CCN Ballet de Lorraine, France.

Henrik Hellstenius’ works are wide-ranging: chamber music, orchestral works, opera, electroacoustic music and music for theatre, film and ballet. His music is frequently performed in concerts and festivals in Europe including the Magma festival in Berlin, the Ultima festival in Oslo and the World Music Days in Oslo. One of his major works, a violin concerto entitled “By the voice a faint light is shed”, was performed for the first time at the Ultima Festival 2001 in Oslo. Hellstenius’ first opera, entitled “Sera”, was premiered in 1999 and was awarded the Edvard Award in 2000. Hellstenius composed the music for the IBP productions: “Alminnelig Olympia”, “pli á pli” and “the afternoon and the others”, “Book of Songs”, “Four pieces including Sjoa & Skjåk“ and “Praeambulum”.

Eivind Buene is currently working as a freelance composer in Oslo. He has received commissions from Ensemble Intercontemporain, Birmingham Contemporary Music Group, Fondation Royaumont and a variety of Scandinavian orchestras and ensembles among others. Apart from writing music for soloists, ensembles and orchestras, Buene also frequently engages in collaborations with improvising musicians, developing music in the cross-section between classical notation and improvisation. Buenes music has been performed at prestigious venues including Carnegie Hall in NY, Berlin Philharmonic Hall and Centre Pompidou in Paris, and he is currently working on an opera for the The Norwegian Opera in Oslo. He received a Norwegian Grammy for the album Possible Cities/Essential Landscapes in 2012. In addition to music, Buene has written music critique and essays. He composed the music for “Rotating Nora”.

Per Henrik Svalastog has composed music for film, art and performance. He was a member of the electronica duo Information and of the Norwegian performance group Baktruppen and has composed music for IBP’s “Capricorn domestic” and “Four Pieces including SJoa & Skjåk”. He also composed the music for Ingun to  “Largo” Nordwest Tanzcompagnie, “Sonata da camera”, Carte Blanche and “Eana” Dansearena Nord.

Musicians

Simon Røttingen the young talent, performed Einojuhani Rautavaraas ”Piano Sonata No. 2, The Fire Sermon” on the grand piano in  A list of things he said (2018)

Karin Hellqvist With profound engagement in the music of today Swedish violinist Karin Hellqvist is an internationally sought after soloist as well as a dedicated chamber musician. Karin is a member of several forefront new music ensembles in Scandinavia; Cikada, Oslo Sinfonietta, neoN and Curious Chamber Players, and she dedicates her time to commissioning and performing new works as well as championing the established contemporary repertoire. Regularly invited to renowned international scenes for contemporary music Karin has performed at festivals worldwide and has collaborated with many of today’s leading composers. Her performances have been broadcasted in several countries and she has contributed to award winning recordings. Karin was educated in Stockholm, Berlin, Oslo and finally at the Royal College of Music in London from where she graduated with an Artist Diploma in Performance in 2011. Karin will perform in our new production in 2016.

Violinist Frode Larsen works primarily with the Norwegian Chamber Orchestra, the Norwegian Broadcasting Company Orchestra and Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra. He is also an active free-lance musician in Norway. “Book of Songs” was the fifth IBP production Larsen took part in.

Emery Cardas has performed as a solo cellist with various orchestras in Naples, Barcelona, Bergen and Oslo. He is principally employed as a member of the Norwegian Broadcasting Company Orchestra and the Norwegian Chamber Orchestra. Emery has worked with IBP on “the afternoon and the others”, “Book of Songs” and “Capricorn domestic”.