I’m now going to study the two next years Master of Arts in music theory at the Norwegian Academy of Music; it is never to late to learn!

Malin has taken a new photo under photos on my homepage. We like!

I´ve been using the Pilot Pencil since I was 16; after I met the great composer Olav Anton Thommessen who recomended it. The 2B lead is of greatest importance, but hard—if not impossible—to get in Norway; so I ordered the right lead from Hong Kong! The eraser is the most important tool, and—Thommessen again—uses Staedtler Mars Plastic. I need to write my compositions on paper; I do not use computer on the first hand; but I use Finale for type setting the music from the final draft. EDIT: Pilot Norsk AS do import the lead, pencil and also great erasers!

Camilla Hoitenga and Jenny Q Chai’s performance of “Homage an Edvard Hagerup Grieg – und Niccolo Castiglioni ist auch dabei” is published under “listen”.

The “Partita” and “Le tombeau de Schnittke” is published under “listen”. The “Partita” is performed by Elise Båtnes and Bergen chamber orchestra “Le tombeau de Schnittke” by Frans Helmersson, Bodø Sinfonietta and Oleg Snetkov conducting.

Madelene Berg is performing Carvings  - To rediscover the song the soul once sung. (Allan Pettersson) at the Barratt-Due Music Institute in Oslo. The subtitle refers to a letter the swedish composer Allan Pettersson (1911-80) wrote to the music critic and pianist Leif Aare (1933-) in 1968, when working on his second string orchestra concerto. The whole quote is: “The composition I´m working on is my own life, the blessed and cursed: To rediscover the song the soul once sung.” ”Det verk jag arbetar med är mitt eget liv, det välsignade, det förbannade: Att återfinna sången som själen sjöng en gång.”

I´ve updated my photo gallery with some new pictures shot by Malin from the Middle Age Park in Oslo.

Aura for string orchestra was given a performance on the 9th of September in Mikkeli in Finland. Ari Raisilainen conducting the Mikkeli City Orchestra.

For the time being am I working on several compositions. The main work is my long awaited viola concerto “Caminante”. Then a violine concerto “Melancholia” for Jan Stigmer. And I have some really interesting projects in the pipe line. So stay tuned!

The piece is written after an initiative from Camilla Hoitenga (flute), Jenny Q Chai (grand piano) and Hartmut Schulz (the festival leader of the Equinox Festival). The subtitle is “und Niccolò Castigilioni ist auch dabei”. It is a relatively short fragmented composistion with a durata of eight minutes. The piece is premiered on the 29th of April. Castiglioni has written a piece for to grand pianos called “Omagio a Edvard Grieg”, and elements from his composition are used in my composition. I´ve also used elements from Grieg’s Lyric Pieces.