Kristin Danielsen's opening speech
Kristin Danielsen opens Førdefestivalen 2019. Photo: Lieve Boussauw
Opening speech Førdefestivalen 30 years - July 4, 2019
Kristin Danielsen, Director of the Culture Council
Welcome, and congratulations! Thirty years of festival represents quite a journey. I have been given the honor of opening this year's festival and saying something about this journey up to today.
Førde The International Folk Music Festival was first held in 1990. Since then, the festival has established itself as a unique arena for international traditional and world music, a unique mix of both well-established and completely new artists. The festival is a platform for multicultural expression and a springboard for new voices and impulses.
The journey to today began with the first festival in 1990, and a well-timed focus on Eastern Europe, then moved musically to the Far East, into the Celtic family, across the Silk Road and out to the Caspian Sea. Along the way, one has also heard tones from Latin America, the Black Sea, Brazil, France, and from Fado to Flamenco.
The long line of festivals remains as a roadmap of the world's journey to Førde .
Folk music in Norway has changed over the past thirty years. From being a narrow genre that was performed in relatively closed environments, folk music can now be studied at the colleges in Oslo and Telemark, and at Voss, which has opened up to those from other valleys, other families, other peoples and other countries.
“ The long line of festivals remains as a roadmap of the world’s journey to Førde . ”
TRIAKEL Photo: Lieve Boussauw
The folk music community is vital, open, playful and characterized by a willingness to experiment. The young musicians find it just as natural to improvise across genres as it is to delve into the archives to learn about what once was. It is now completely natural, some would say common, to engage in experimental music based on folk music. At the same time, people are proud of their traditional knowledge, the fact that they know a few tricks from this or that fiddler. Music thrives on being open, and there is a huge recruitment drive for the folk music community. For the first time in history, a girl won a halling class during the National Beauty Contest. We have come a long way since we "dressed folk music in denim clothes" in the 70s!
But music is also politics. For many of us, music is a life force and a joy in itself. But music can also be political, something Førdefestivalen showed in the 2000s. Here we see how the festival opens up, takes risks and focuses on what can be difficult to say and work with, in what was a turbulent time internationally. Freedom, oppression, the world of women, coexistence, music and nature – these are the themes that the festival raises in the 2000s, with fearless artists and challenging music.
Furebotten, Amper, Haltli - photo: Lieve Boussauw
Førde is far from the world's music metropolises – but the Festival reaches out both nationally and internationally. The program shows great variation in expression, broad representation of nationalities, and consistently high authenticity and communication ability in the features presented.
You stand firm in your commitment to both traditional and world music and Nordic folk music, without this range seeming to come at the expense of the quality of the individual parts. The quality we are talking about here is something that is felt in the rest of the world.
The leading world music magazine Songlines has repeatedly Førdefestivalen on its list of the best internationally oriented festivals in the world. On the occasion of its first 25 years, Songlines had the following to say: “For 25 years the Førde Traditional and World Music Festival has been presenting some of the finest international artists from around the world, together with acts from the Norwegian and Nordic Traditional and contemporary music scenes".
The Forbidden Orchestra - photo: Lieve Boussauw
There have been many reports and articles, in Rolling Stone Magazine, BBC, Radio France, as well as the People's Daily in China (!) … Førdefestivalen has also been highly rated by both The Guardian and National Geographic. That's why it's extra special when the festival this year is nominated for the prestigious European Festival Award, which is awarded by the European Festivals Organization. And it's no exaggeration to say that just being nominated is an honor, in competition with over 700 European festivals. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
The festival has meant a lot to many, who have experienced music they didn't know existed, that they didn't know they would love. And they come back year after year. 26,000 visitors each year testify to this. Behind such numbers lies idealism, and other, no less important numbers. 350 volunteers are in full swing every year with rigging, showing, organizing, selling food, drinks, tickets...
Sara Correia, the fado singer from Portugal. Photo: Lieve Boussauw
As it is said at the festival's volunteer center:
Volunteering is probably the best trade you can make. Let us know if you are considering joining the ranks of heroic people who are happy to sacrifice a few hours or days in the service of folk music.
One of these heroic people, who has sacrificed many years in the service of folk music, is Hilde Bjørkum. She has been part of the festival's journey from its early beginnings with one 50% project position, to today, where the festival is a large and well-oiled machine, with seven employees and a turnover of several million kroner.
A wonderful children's choir performed the birthday song at the opening concert. Photo: Lieve Boussauw
Many artists who have played here are trying to come back, and the list of those who want to play here is long. Førdefestivalen has been visited by an incredible 7300 musicians from all over the world. And in connection with this year's anniversary, an exception is being made to the rule that you can only play here once. And I know that many are looking forward to seeing artists who have given experiences that you have only been able to dream of. It is ready for seeing and hearing again with, among others: Kroke, Larsen / Hemsing - To Damer To Herrer, Marko Markovic Brass Band, Mahsa & Marjan Vahdat, Samurai Accordion and Otava Yo.
Otherwise, I have found several personal favorites in this year's program. I would especially like to mention Johanne Flottorp. She is one of many examples of how young performers are currently orienting themselves – both that they stand strongly in tradition and are among the foremost communicators of solo, traditional playing, while at the same time they orient themselves towards other genres and are part of various collaborative projects. This is a versatility that few of the previous generations of folk music performers had. Johanne and several other Norwegian musicians at the festival are examples of where Norwegian folk music stands today. A tradition is being maintained, but at the same time an interest in the new is being cultivated. In other words, we have a lot to look forward to.
Seckou Keita. Photo: Knut Utler
Celebration telegrams for the jubilee
On the occasion of the 30th anniversary, we have collected some greetings from the festival's friends:
We know what it takes for a festival to stay relevant and innovative for 30 years, and applaud Førdefestivalen for their quality work with, among other things, Sami music on the program over a number of years. Congratulations on your 30th anniversary! Hui ollu lihkku!
Sandra West, festival director at Riddu Riddu, sends greetings from Sápmi.
Greetings also come from another 30th birthday celebrant:
Hurray for Førdefestivalen and hurray for the Telemark Festival, which is also celebrating its 30th anniversary this year! Not all festivals get to experience that, so we must be very proud of that! Since the start, Førdefestivalen been a guiding star for other Norwegian festivals within folk music and world music. The Telemark Festival is impressed by and grateful for all the good work that Førdefestivalen has done to make the world smaller - and the music bigger!
Kristoffer Mosfjeld, General Manager, Telemark Festival
We have also spoken to the National Broadcasting Corporation itself:
Arne Berg, presenter of Jungeltegrafen on P2, sends his warmest congratulations to Førdefestivalen on the occasion of the anniversary. Their attitude towards the global and the local at the same time has helped to show the world that music can break down walls and create understanding where the world around us can seem like it is only about conflict. My greatest experience at Førde is still Raduza, the Czech accordionist and singer who had been discovered by our colleagues at Czech Radio when she was playing for pennies on Charles Bridge in Prague. They chose her to represent the Czech Republic in Førde , and NRK made a recording of that concert that I still listen to – and still get goosebumps from. And it's just one of a number of fantastic concert experiences over the years. Happy birthday and keep the flame alive!
Finally, another festival with the same mission as Førdefestivalen ;
"In many ways, Førdefestivalen into a new era. Hilde Bjørkum, a friend, colleague and role model, is stepping down after her 30th anniversary and what she has built up will pave the way for, so to speak, a new generation of Førdefestival. I cannot help but pay tribute to Hilde. What she has done with Førdefestivalen , what she has done for Førde , for Sogn og Fjordane, For Norway in the World and the world in Norway is so big. Førdefestivalen started with a goal of bringing the world to Førde through unique musical experiences. The festival has grown in parallel with new, sometimes harsh discussions about how Norway should relate to the rest of the world - whether it is about immigration, integration, commercialization or growing inequality. Førdefestivalen has attempted to solve its part of the task by cultivating the quality of music - regardless of its origin. Førde has kept a sensitive finger on the cultural pulse through enormous societal changes since its inception 30 years ago. To bring “the whole world to Førde " was farsighted pioneering work. Musical diversity has become richer today. The world is different. Førdefestivalen has contributed to that. Good luck with the next thirty and happy birthday!
Festival director Alexandra Archetti Stølen in Oslo World.
We congratulate the outstanding Førdefestivalen with 30 years! Throughout Riksscenen's 9 years as a national stage for Norwegian and international folk music, Førdefestivalen has been an important partner in the national landscape. Many great projects have been created, which we would not have been able to realize individually. It gives meaning and added value, and we look forward to continuing the good collaboration in the years to come for the benefit of Norwegian cultural life. Hurray for the lighthouse of folk music in Førde !
Ane Carmen Roggen, Managing Director of Riksscenen
The congratulations each depict in their own way what I believe the festival has built up and stood for over these 30 years. To see opportunities across borders, whether they are geographical, musical or personal. The key lies in the universal language of folk music. We find the same odd time signatures, harmonies and breathless tempos, the deep sadness and the trembling longing, in the folk music of all countries. Førdefestivalen has shown us much that is different, but also created an understanding that surprisingly much is the same. In challenging others and oneself, one becomes aware of the fragile balance in respecting both personal boundaries and tradition. And in this balance lies the true art; which preserves, but also challenges. Thanks to Førdefestvialen who reminds us every year that Norwegian culture is, and always has been, borderless.
With this, it is a great pleasure to declare Førdefestivalen 2019 for opened.
Congratulations to the festival and may everyone in the audience have many good experiences!