THURSDAY 31. AUGUST
Opening concert: “Untold Stories”
“Untold Stories”
Performative marathon with music for voice, ensemble, and electronics in three parts.
Curated by Martyna Kosecka
VårFEST 2023 opening program includes the world premieres of compositions by Oslo-based composers Mirsaeed Hosseyni Panah (IR/NO) and Vanessa Isobel Black (AU/GB/NO), electroacoustic works by Oslo-based Mariam Gviniashvili (GE/NO) and Gyrid Nordal Kaldestad (NO), and music theater works by central-European composers Iris Szeghy (SK), Lucie Vítková (CZ), Gregory Vajda (HU) and Elżbieta Sikora (PL).
VårFEST’s international guest vocal artist, mezzo-soprano Anna Molnár from Hungary, and the Norwegian soprano Amalie Kongssund will perform the compositions together with the Norwegian saxophone quartet Strax, Mirsaeed Hosseyni Panah on santur, pianist Sanae Yoshida, clarinetist Josh Spear and Martyna Kosecka on electronics.
This is an opportunity for the Norwegian audience to experience European contemporary musical theater trends and approaches from the so-called Visegrad group countries: Hungary, Czechia, Slovakia, and Poland.
Door opens:18:30
Concert starts:19:00
Program
PART 1: CONNECTIONS (40 MIN)
Elżbieta Sikora (PL) - On the line for soprano and electronics (1992)
Anna Molnár - voice, Martyna Kosecka – electronics
Mariam Gviniashvili (GE/NO) - Daydreaming acousmatic work (2023)
Martyna Kosecka – sound diffusion
~ break 10 minutes ~
PART 2: POETICS (35 MIN)
Lucie Vítková (CZ) - gROWING uP for voice, clarinet, soprano saxophone, and loudspeaker (2014)
Anna Molnár – voice, Josh Spear – clarinet, Astrid Jenssen Solstad – soprano saxophone
Martyna Kosecka – electronics
WORLD PREMIERE: Mirsaeed Hosseiny Panah (IR/NO) - Shur Gashti in three movements for soprano, santur, and saxophone quartet (2023)
Amalie Kongssund – soprano, Strax Saxophone Quartet, Mirsaeed Hosseiny Panah – santur
Gregory Vajda (HU) - Medals for female voice, clarinet and piano (2022)
Anna Molnár – voice, Josh Spear – clarinet, Sanae Yoshida – piano
~ break 10 minutes ~
PART 3: STORIES (35 MIN)
WORLD PREMIERE: Vanessa Isobel Black (AU/GB/NO) Underworlds & Otherworlds for soprano, baritone saxophone, and tape (2023)
Amalie Kongssund – soprano, Eivind Holmboe Leifsen – baritone saxophone,
Martyna Kosecka – tape control
Gyrid Nordal Kaldestad (NO) - Losing Control acousmatic work (2014)
Martyna Kosecka – sound diffusion
Iris Szeghy (SK) - Story for soprano and tape (1995)
Anna Molnár – voice, Martyna Kosecka – electronics