ROOTS will be the theme for Førdefestivalen 2024
TUVA FÄRDEN WRITE TO THE Parliamentary Assembly FØRDEFESTIVALEN 2024.
Photo: Signe Fuglesteg Luksengard
Press release December 14, 2023
With Roots as our theme, we go straight to the very core of Førdefestivalen , says director Sølvi Lien. Since its inception in 1990, the festival's vision has been to showcase the great diversity of the world's musical cultural heritage. This summer, the festival is placing a special focus on cultural heritage and tradition, and what it takes to make these relevant for the future. Roots will be the theme of the music festival itself, and at Førdekonferansen On Thursday, July 4, the theme will be expanded to cover the entire field of art. The conference has been titled Roots and Feet .
Musical meetings in turbulent times
In a time when the world is characterized by polarization and conflict, it makes extra sense to create musical encounters across cultures and other divides. We look for stories that can build bridges between the unknown and the known, between tradition and innovation, between the individual and the group, between the universal and the personal. - Førdefestivalen will present musical traditions that have very special characteristics, but also show how folk music from completely different cultures can have something in common, says Lien. In our modern, globalized society, cultures and traditions meet more than ever - and influence each other.
Roots for the future
Our roots help define our cultural identity or stance. Roots have to do with the past, but roots also point to the future. Among musicians, and not just folk musicians, the interest in delving into archives is greater than ever. -Archival material is an important source of innovation. We see many examples of this, both here in Norway and in other cultures, says Lien. This is how traditions are further developed and updated for the future. On Førdefestivalen 2024, you will meet artists from all over the world who are doing just that - passing on traditions to future generations and new audiences.
TUVA JOURNEY
Photo: Signe Fuglesteg Luksengard
Tuva Færden with the zoning office Greiner
-Tuva Færden is an artist I have followed since she was part of the international talent project on Førdefestivalen in 2012, says the festival director. She is a musician, singer, dancer and composer, a sought-after artist who has also returned to the stage in Førde on several occasions. The festival wants to promote young, ambitious folk musicians, and this time we wanted to give Tuva the lead.
- When Sølvi Lien called me and asked me to be in charge of the court system for Førdefestivalen at 24, I first thought: Do I dare? So many talented artists from all over the world have shone on this stage! But, getting such a question also gave me courage. It opened up a space and gave me a chance to do something I like best, meeting people across different cultures, through musical communication, says Tuva Færden.
Our roots extend far. Farther than we think. Music is a primordial language with roots that can extend all the way from Norway, to Persian and Indian music. From Japan, to Brazil and all the way back to the Norwegian Hardanger fiddle, she continues. The musicians I have chosen to have with me in this project all have, in addition to strong roots, a very unique ability to stretch out their branches and move us just by being present: Javid Afsari Rad on santur, saz, vocals, Luiz Murakami on guitar, shakuachi, vocals, Jo Berger Myhre on double bass and electric bass and Michaela Antalová on percussion, fujara. -I will use simple scenic tools and a little dance, but the main focus will be on the music - where I really want to explore the beauty that exists in the constellations between deep roots.
-It's always exciting to work on a piece of art, and we are of course very happy that Tuva Færden said yes, and that she has found such a nice title for her work: Greiner, says Sølvi Lien.
SØLVI LIEN - DIRECTOR FØRDEFESTIVALEN
Photo: Lieve Boussauw
Roots and feet – on Førdekonferansen
We pray to our roots, and they create a common ground. Roots are important for our identity, many would argue. What kind of roots? What kind of identity? What is cultural heritage and world heritage? These are the questions we ask and the topics we discuss. Førdekonferansen The conference is led by former TV personality Astrid Versto from Vinje, who has also been Head of Information at the Royal Court, Head of Communications at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and EU Counsellor at several of our embassies.
Sigbjørn Nedland, the creator of Jungeltegrafen, the radio program with 'the other music', has also been confirmed for the conference. Nedland came out in the fall with the book Culture – return: music's journeys in history and geography . Another person coming to the conference is author and leader of the Norwegian Writers' Association, Brynjulf Jung Tjønn. He participated in a feature curated by Tekstallianse and Rom for ord. -The program for the conference will be updated gradually, and opens for registration early in the new year.
- Førdekonferansen has established itself as an important cultural conference in our region. It is an important contribution to the festival, and makes it possible to delve deeper into the festival theme. We invite both Norwegian and international presenters, and seek to make the conference program relevant to the entire cultural life, according to the festival director. She looks forward to releasing more tidbits from both the festival program and the conference program as soon as we enter the new year, and of course to presenting the entire program around Easter time.
Contact persons Førdefestivalen :
Sølvi Lien , director - email: solvi@fordefestival.no - mobile 41 69 23 78
Torill Gundersen , communications manager - email: torill@fordefestival.no - mobile 90 73 85 27