European voices in "Vocal ConneXions"

Unni gathers European voices in vocal project during the Førde Festival - photo ingvil skeie ljones

In one of the major concert productions, the renowned folk singer Unni Løvlid from Hornindal will gather a group of prominent European vocalists to explore voice use, ornamentation, melody structure and more in European folk singing. -I see this as a fantastic opportunity to collaborate with singers I have looked up to for many years. Førdefestivalen is a great arena and a good framework for such projects, says Unni, adding that she has chosen from the top shelf when she has invited Scottish Julie Fowlis, French Annie Ebrel and Bulgarian Gergana Dimitrova (Eva Quartet) to Førde -project.

Director of Førdefestivalen , Hilde Bjørkum, for her part, is delighted to have this exciting project on the stage. –Here I think we are presented with something completely new, based on the old traditions of our own and other cultures. She is also very happy to have had the artistic director of the Norwegian Soloists' Choir, Grete Pedersen, lead the production. This is where the foundation for a great concert experience is laid, she believes.