"The Sound of the North" in focus Førdefestivalen 2017
Musical director of the Gudbrandsdølenes fiddlers' group, Aslak Brimi, and orchestral genius Karl-Johan Ankarblom will be central when the 40-piece Nordic Sound Folk Orchestra opens Førdefestivalen 2017. Photo: Knut Utler
- This has never been done before, says director Hilde Bjørkum, when she presents the major initiative on "The Sound of the North" as the theme for Førdefestivalen 2017. The main focus is the project "Nordic Sound Folk Orchestra", an all-Nordic string orchestra of forty musicians and soloists, who will perform specially written music from four Nordic composers.
- We want to present the sound of the Nordic region in 2017, says Bjørkum. This means that the Nordic world music scene will also have its place in the program. And even though the festival has a major focus on the Nordics, a number of artists from other parts of the world will be on stage in Førde , also in 2017, promises the director.
Nordic Sound Folk Orchestra – folk music in a big format
40 folk musicians, 4 composers and 8 soloists will make up the "Nordic Sound Folk Orchestra", the first project of its kind, where the mission is to highlight solo traditions in an orchestral format based on folk music.
The basis of the project is an all-Nordic orchestra put together by the fiddlers in Gudbrandsdølene's Spelemannslag (Norway), members of the folk music band Folk All-in Band (Sweden), Baltic Crossing (Finland/Denmark) and the Harald Haugaard quintet (Denmark). Soloists are Olav Luksengård Mjelva on harding fiddle (Norway), Olov Johansson on nyckelharpe (Sweden) and star vocalists Ulla Pirttijärvi (Sapmi/Finland), Lena Willemark (Sweden) and Berit Opheim (Norway). In addition, the composers will also be soloists in the project.
Folk All-in Band is Karl-Johan Ankarblom's folk music big band that will have its own concert during the festival, in addition to being part of the large Nordic Sound Folk Orchestra.
Premiere at the opening concert 2017
Four leading Nordic composers within folk music will create new music for the project; namely Antti Järvelä (Finland), Mia Marin (Sweden), Harald Haugaard (Denmark) and Jorun Marie Kvernberg (Norway). In addition to new compositions, traditional material from the Nordic countries will also be performed in a new guise.
“ – We often say that a concert is “unique”, but this time it really is true! It will be several decades before anyone succeeds in gathering so much cutting-edge expertise within the Nordic folk music tradition on one and the same stage again, says Ankarblom. ”
To conduct the whole thing, the festival has secured the Swedish Karl-Johan Ankarblom, one of the hottest names in the Nordic region when it comes to arranging and orchestration. He has projects with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the BBC Symphony Orchestra and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Stockholm on his CV, but even for him, he surpasses Førde -the project the most!
Leader of the Gudbrandsdølenes fiddlers' group, Aslak Brimi, who was recently named Folk Musician of the Year in Norway, shares the enthusiasm. - This will be a melting pot of some of the best Nordic folk music has to offer. It's going to be fantastic, he says, adding that the Gudbrandsdølenes are incredibly excited to be part of the giant project.
“ - This is one of the largest project initiatives we have ever undertaken, says festival director Hilde Bjørkum. ”
- This is one of the largest project initiatives we have ever undertaken, says festival director Hilde Bjørkum. The Riksscenen in Oslo is a partner, and the concert will also be performed there in the autumn. - We are also pleased that both Kulturkontakt Nord and the Nordic Culture Fund wholeheartedly support the project, she says.
Baltic Crossing - with Finnish sisu - is on the program for Førdefestivalen 2017!
Many of the Nordic artists, including Baltic Crossing, Harald Haugaard Quintet and Folk All-in Band, can also be experienced in their own concerts throughout the festival. Dance enthusiasts can look forward to driving dance performances by the Gudbrandsdølenes fiddlers' group, who have won Landskappleiken, the Norwegian folk music championship, eight times, and have been almost exclusively at the top of the charts in recent years.
Music Norway launches "Nordic Folk"
In collaboration with folk music organizations and export offices in the Nordic countries, Music Norway has taken the initiative to establish the brand "Nordic Folk". - The goal is to make Nordic folk music more visible in the world outside the Nordic region, as well as to strengthen the common Nordic market for our own artists, says Director of Music Norway, Kathrine Synnes-Finnskog. The hope is that the initiative will create more jobs for musicians and improve the framework conditions for industry players.
At Music Norway, which Førdefestivalen has a close and long-standing collaboration with, launching Nordic Folk in parallel with the festival's focus on the Nordic region, Bjørkum sees it as a win-win situation. - We want the same thing; to get Nordic folk music up, forward and out!
Also new Nordic sounds
The folk music landscape in the Nordic countries in 2017 also has strong elements of music from other parts of the world. - Over the decades, musicians with roots in other traditions have established themselves here in the North, enriching us with their music, says the festival director, who is looking forward to hearing the group ComboNations in Førde until the summer. In ComboNations, the Norwegian-Iranian musician Javid Afsari Rad has brought together leading immigrant musicians in Norway; Jai Shankar, Aissa Tobi, Harpreet Bansal, Diom de Kossa and Solo Cissokho. Javid Afsari Rad was appointed a state scholarship holder by the government this year, one of the greatest recognitions a Norwegian musician can receive. - We are very happy to be able to present Afsari Rad and his fellow musicians in Førde until the summer, says Bjørkum.
Førdekonferansen 2017
- Also Førdekonferansen will address issues with a Nordic perspective, but also with a view of us in the Nordic region from outside, says Bjørkum. In connection with Norway taking over the chairmanship of the Nordic Council of Ministers in 2017, Minister of Culture Linda Hofstad Helleland has, among other things, launched integration and inclusion, media economy and creative industries as focus areas within Nordic cultural cooperation. This will be the conference program in Førde follow up.
Olav Luksengård Mjelva is one of the soloists in the large Nordic project Nordic Sound Folk Orchestra in Førde for the summer. Photo: Aron Mattson
Festival artists from all over the world
Even though the festival is focusing heavily on Nordic music this year, the program profile will be as international as ever, assures Bjørkum, who is currently working intensively on the programming of the 28th. Førdefestivalen The festival is, as always, held in week 27, and runs from 5-9 July 2017.