Launching Organotopia - a 12-hour event, 17.sept 2022
We are extremely excited to announce Organotopia, a large-scale event happening during Ultima Oslo Contemporary Music Festival. On September 17, 2022, a 12 hour long concert conceived by composer/organist Nils Henrik Asheim will take place in Paulus Church and at the same time be mirrored in the adjacent Birkelunden park. The architects Søstra100 are responsible for visual installations in the park.
The music is an open score based on fragments and elements from works of classical composers, interpreted by an ensemble of organists an keyboard musicians, joined by singers from different traditions. A simultaneous electronic remix of this is performed over a loudspeaker array in the park. Dancers will perform actions among the public, and as the sun sets, video projections will take over the scene in the park.
Explore the project's website organotopia.no (Norwegian only, for now) which follows the development of the project both in music, visuals and stories. It contains an evolving archive of stories from the Birkelunden park, told by the public and serving as material for development of the artistic content of the project.
Nils Henrik Asheim – concept, artistic direction, music
Søstra100 (Mira Hahn, Stina Molander Skavlan, Julie Barfod) – visual design, process
Boya Bøckman – projections, light
Roza Moshtaghi - choreography
Øyvind Brandtsegg - sound design and programming
Organists, keyboard players and vocalists will to be announced.
Collaborators and supporters:
Khio, NTNU, Notam, Elvebakken skole, Grünerløkka skole, Paulus kirke, Norsk kulturråd, Bergesen-stiftelsen, Siemens, Oslo kommune and more.
New work: Weightless Gold for organ, strings and percussion
On January 27, 2022, Nils Henrik Asheim's piece Weightless Gold was premiered in Kongsberg, during the Gloger festival. It is scored for organ, string orchestra and one percussion player. The Trondheim Soloists performed, conducted by Per Kristian Skalstad, with Eirik Raude on percussion and Nils Henrik himself on the historical Gloger organ of Kongsberg church.
The radio broadcast can be heard here - and the piece starts about 27:00.
Premiere: Se Skogen (See the Forest)
On Oct.17, 2021, more than 150 young musicians premiered Nils Henrik Asheim's "Se Skogen" (See the Forest). The 18 minutes piece is scored for orchestra with extra groups of oboes, bassoons, harps, double basses and two organists. Se Skogen was commissioned as a recruitment project for these so-called endangered instruments. The number of players in the "focus groups" is flexible, only limited by space in the hall, and on the premiere both beginners and experienced players joined forces. Torodd Wigum conducted the NUSO - Norwegian Youth Symphony Orchestra.
Excellent reviews for new album "Hornflowers"
I really like this album. Lawo has compiled five works of Nils Henrik Asheim (f. 1960) involving brass instruments [...] and what a lively and varied programme they make up.
https://www.klassiskmusikk.com/cd-anmeldelser/hornflowers/
Nils Henrik Asheim develops a lively and varied language [...] he shapes his music in a narratively poetic way.
https://www.pizzicato.lu/die-untersuchung-der-schonheit/
The ease in Asheim's handling of musical ideas, often tied to a construction of interesting tensions, are felt from the first note [...] presented with skill and assurance.
https://www.morgenbladet.no/kultur/musikk/2021/09/17/blomster-i-messing/
On this recording, NyNorsk Messingkvintett are presenting some new and some slightly older pieces that really enrich the repertoire. [...] a musical result that is both descriptive and fascinating to listen to.
https://klassiskcd.blogspot.com/2021/08/messingens-vide-klang.html
Here Asheims shows his individuality as a composer. He makes this seeming chaos sound beautiful. Wild outbursts without tonality alternate with recognizable chords, arpeggi and melodic fragments. The balance between the unsettling and the soothing is wonderful.
https://www.ballade.no/kunstmusikk/heftige-primalskrik-og-pastellfarget-musikkbotanikk/
Musikkforleggerprisen til Nils Henrik Asheim
Nils Henrik Asheim fikk tildelt Musikkforleggerprisen 2021 som "Årets opphaver" i klassen klassisk/samtid. I samme klasse gikk prisen for Årets verk til Helge Iberg for «Songs from the Planet of Life» og Årets gjennombrudd til Kjetil Djønne.
Kurator for Jazzknappleik 2021
Nils Henrik Asheim var kurator for Jazzknappleik 2021 på Tou Scene i Stavanger. Konsert 1 onsdag 16.juni var på Scene 2, det rommet hvor Tou Scenes første konserter fant sted nøyaktig 20 år tidligere. Konsert 2 torsdag 17.juni var i Maskinhallen, rommet som ble innviet for nøyaktig 10 år siden. Jazzinorge sendte Filip Roshauw som skrev to svært grundige og interessante anmeldelser:
https://jazzinorge.no/anmeldelse/friimpro-pa-samleband/
https://jazzinorge.no/.../tjue-musikere-med-papirposer.../
Jazzknappleiken ble til på initiativ av Paal Nilssen-Love og Jens Borge, og involverte dessuten musikerne Agnes Hvizdalek, Dorothea Økland, Gro Austgulen, Bjørnar Habbestad, Simen Kiil Halvorsen, Heidi Kvelvane, Elisabeth Lid Trøen, Aksel Ø. Røed, Kristoffer Alberts, Per Zanussi, Øyvind Skarbø, Kristian Enkerud Lien, Sigbjørn Apeland, Isach Skeidsvoll, Pål Asle Pettersen, Adrian Tvedten og John Hegre.
New release: Angrusori
New disc out on Hudson Records. "Angrusori", a collaboration between Slovak Roma musicians and Kitchen Orchestra, led by Iva Bittová and Nils Henrik Asheim. Full release May 7 2021. Already acclaimed by critics:
"The result is a mesmerizing and moving glimpse of the soul of a secluded society, told through a musical fusion that foregrounds tradition: timeless songs of heartbreak, illness and poverty take centre stage, augmented by the subtlest of improvisatory gambits". (The Wire Magazine)
"I would say that within the framework of Angrusori a new, multi-layered aesthetics got life, [...] All in all, an amazing project that I sincerely recommend to all lovers of non-standard music." (Jazzquad, Russia)
"The result is a spontaneous and fascinating work. Lyrics and popular narratives blend with melancholy and unbridled rhythms. Significant." 5/5 (Il Manifesto, Italia)
"Brilliant musicianship, vocalists with soul, inventiveness, guts, courage, perfect balance between past and present." 6/6 (Stavanger Aftenblad, Norway)
New release: Grader av hvitt / Degrees of white
Grader av hvitt (Degrees of white), a monodrama for speaking voice and orchestra, by Johan Harstad (text) and Nils Henrik Asheim (music). Laila Goody / Petronella Barker, The Norwegian Broadcasting Orchestra / Christian Eggen. Electronic sounds by Lasse Marhaug. Double CD (Norwegian & English version). LAWO classics LWC 1206.
