Artistic Development on the Stage
Asbjørn Nørgaard, who teaches at RDAM and is the violist of the Danish String Quartet, has been exploring the use of dramatization as a method for communicating classical chamber music in his artistic research project (KUV) Show, Don’t Tell.
One of the project's outcomes can be experienced at Bellevue Theatre on May 26, when the Danish String Quartet, together with actor Lars Mikkelsen, performs the music-dramatic concert Jeg trykker varmt din hånd (I Warmly Shake Your Hand).
For this performance, Asbjørn Nørgaard has assembled words and sentences from Shostakovich’s letters into a powerful monologue, performed by Lars Mikkelsen in the role of Shostakovich. The text is accompanied by a sound collage featuring fragments and excerpts from the composer’s fifteen string quartets. An evening where all the music and words are Shostakovich’s. The entire performance forms a cohesive dramaturgical sequence—a whole that paints an intimate portrait of the composer in a way never seen before.
The collaboration between Asbjørn Nørgaard, the Danish String Quartet, and Lars Mikkelsen is a strong example of how relevant this field is in today’s music world.
Additionally, Asbjørn Nørgaard will give a presentation on the KUV project and the development of the music-dramatic concert at RDAM on May 3 as part of the annual FOKU-festival
