Posts Tagged Music
Fredrikstad Opera Festival, 2-4 July 2010
Posted by admin in Art, culture and literature on May 14, 2010
Concerts in Østfold this summer
Posted by admin in Art, culture and literature on May 14, 2010
Some big names are coming to Østfold this summer, so if you take your music seriously, whether it’s opera, rock or pop, you might want to make a note of the following events:
- Carmen, Bizet’s famous opera, Halden Fortress, 9-11 June
- DumDumBoys, one of Norway’s most successful rock bands, Kulåsparken, Sarpsborg, 25 June
- Katie Melua, Nesparken, Moss, 2 July
- Opera Festival, Isegran, Fredrikstad, 2-4 July, www.opera-fredrikstad.com
- Deep Purple, Kulåsparken, Sarpsborg, 9 July
- Tellusalie, Månefestival in Gamlebyen, Fredrikstad, 23-25 July, http://maanefestivalen.com
- Navigators, Månefestival in Gamlebyen, Fredrikstad, 23-25 July, http://maanefestivalen.com
- Danish rock legend Kim Larsen and his band Kjukken, Kulåsparken, Sarpsborg, 21 Aug
PS. More artists will be performing up and down the county this summer, but it’s impossible to list them all here. If I’ve forgotten a really big concert please feel free to list it as a comment below 
More good music from Østfold
Posted by admin in Art, culture and literature, Photos and videos on May 7, 2010
Navigators
Posted by admin in Art, culture and literature on May 7, 2010
This band, whose members come from Halden and Fredrikstad, has been touted as the next big thing in Norwegian rock, and the lead singer, Trond Andreassen, is regarded by many as one of Norway’s best rock vocalists. He was the main man behind the successful, but now split, Ricochets, who went their separate ways three years ago.
Navigators single ‘Wall of stone’, out on Sony Music, has been getting a lot of airtime on Norwegian airwaves of late (see video above), and their debut album, The Straight And Narrow, which was recorded in Halden, has been a big success since its release in February this year. They will be performing at the popular Øya Festival in August.
More info at www.navigators.no
The Storedal Culture Centre
Posted by admin in Art, culture and literature on April 25, 2010
The Storedal Culture Centre in Skjeberg, Sarpsborg, is quite unique. Although open to all, it was designed to provide a stimulating experience for visually impaired visitors by engaging all the senses, not just sight. The centerpiece, the 19.5m high metal sound sculpture ‘Ode to Light’, which was designed by artist Arnold Haukeland and represents arms reaching out towards the sky, comes to life through 28 loudspeakers connected to light receptacles. The more light, the more complex the music, and vice versa – in other words, avoid visiting on a really dark winter day, as the sculpture will be almost completely quiet. The complex also has an outdoors amphitheatre and a herb garden featuring over 250 different plant species, which you can touch and smell, as well as replicas of the rock carvings along nearby Oldtidsveien, with descriptions and explanations in Braille.
Storedalveien 215 (off Rv110 between Skjeberg and Fredrikstad). Tel: 69 16 92 67, www.storedal.no (Norwegian only)
In the Hall of the Mountain King (Dovregubbens Hall)
Posted by admin in Art, culture and literature, Photos and videos on April 9, 2010
This is one of the most popular music pieces written by Edvard Grieg, Norway’s most famous composer (1843-1907). Taken from the Peer Gynt Suite (the music Grieg wrote to accompany Henrik Ibsen’s play of the same name). Both are classics! The troll pic is by Norwegian artist Theodor Kittelsen (1857-1914).
And here is take 2: The techno remix
Posted by admin in Uncategorized on April 9, 2010
And this is a techno remix (!), presumably to appeal to a younger audience. Proof that the old classics can’t really be improved on, but that their popularity endures, if the number of such videos on youtube is anything to go by. Many other versions are available, from black metal to jazz, if that’s of interest (Oh, and no, I have absolutely no idea what the story’s about…)
Norway’s first professional orchestra, Halden
Posted by admin in Art, culture and literature on March 24, 2010
The Norwegian Wind Ensemble (Blåseensemblet)
Posted by admin in Art, culture and literature on March 24, 2010
The Norwegian Wind Ensemble was Norway’s first professional orchestra, founded back in 1734 (it celebrated 275 years last year). The ensemble dates back to the early days when musicians were first contracted at the Fredriksten Fortress in Halden, Østfold, and the current ensemble is the last one in an unbroken line of professional orchestras since that time. They are known for their focus on early music, and some of the instruments they use are almost 150 years old, which is very old for wind instruments. The ensemble, which currently counts 23 windplayers and 3 percussionists within its ranks, is still based in Halden, and collaborates closely with both the Norwegian Academy of Music and The Norwegian Opera and Ballet. It is the only one of its kind in Norway.
For more info about the Norwegian Wind Ensemble visit www.dnbe.no