A string of releases

Artistic research (KUV)
by Peter Herresthal

Background

My artistic research and recording project with contemporary violin concertos, “ a string of releases” has been connected to the Oslo academy for many years and before that to The Royal Academy in Stockholm, where I was professor 2002-2008.

I would like to continue this project at the Royal Danish Academy, connect the school and the students with composers I work with, and develop a new Répertoire.

For me, the many CD releases in this project have been the optimal form to show collaboration with a composer and the performance practice we developed together- not only in the recorded material but also in booklets and observations from music critics worldwide. Therefore, a record label like BIS is one of the most important tools as they have such a worldwide distribution. Also, the fact that recordings are never paid - rather a huge non-profit project- tells me that this is a very natural part of my FOKU time. No doubt it gives the school and me a larger international network and, therefore, also our students. In the last few years, both New York, Oberlin and LA schools have been a part of my artistic work and have included collaborations with new and existing partnership schools.

As I get more experienced, it’s easier to schedule concerts with a specific repertoire with my London management. The latest recording of Saariaho with Oslo Phil is a good example: After more than 15 performances worldwide of the work since I started working with her three years ago, it’s now recorded in my “a string of releases “ series for BIS. Just out this fall, it’s already the “ Concerto recording of the month» in BBC Music Magazine and Grammophone, nominated for International record awards and Norwegian Grammy. Last but not least, an important part of my collaborations is to bring the composers into the Academy to teach and lecture about their music.

There have been several workshops with me and the following composers; Kaija Saariaho , Per Nørgård, Arne Nordheim , Rolf Wallin, Eivind Buene, Jon Øyvind Ness, Thomas Ades, Harry Birtwistle, Unsuk Chin and many more.

Before I go through the plans for next year at DKDM, this is the rough content of “a string of releases” so far ;

« a string of releases»

Peter Herresthal Violin

Recordings and premieres of contemporary Violin Concertos (BIS /SIMAX/Lawo)
16 violin concertos recorded;

  • Antonio Bibalo «Concerto Allegorico»
  • Arne Nordheim Concerto
  • Olav Anton Thommessen «Bullseye»
  • Henrik Hellstenius 1 «By the Voice»
  • Henrik Hellstenius 2 «In memoriam»
  • Gisle Kverndokk «Initiasjon»
  • Jon Øyvind Ness « MadCap Tootling»
  • Nils Henrik Asheim «Catch Light»
  • Rolf Wallin « Under City Skin»
  • Eivind Buene «falling angels»
  • Ørjan Matre Concerto
  • Ørjan Matre «konsert for orkester»
  • Per Nørgård «Helle Nacht»
  • Per Nørgård «Borderlines»
  • Thomas Ades «Concentric Paths»
  • Kaija Saariaho «Graal Theatre»
  • Kaija Saariaho «Vers Toi es si loin»

Orchestras

BBC Philharmonic, Oslo Philharmonic, Bergen Philharmonic, Arctic Philharmonic, Stavanger Symphony, BIT 20, Norwegian Radio Orchestra.

10 nominations /5 wins for Norwegian Grammy

“ spellemannspris”,” Editors Choice” in The Strad Magazine, International Record Review, Nørgård Concertos nominated for Grammophone Award.

Upcoming

  • Nørgård Double Concerto ,BFO
  • Missy Mazzoli Concerto ,Artic Philharmonic

Other collaborations in the project

Harry Birtwistle on his Concerto ( Portuguese premiere, Casa da Musica)

Henry Dutilleux on his 2. concerto ( Norwegian premiere with Oslo Phil)

Editions for Chester music by PH;
Nordheim, complete violin music
Hellstenius 1/2
Nørgård «Helle Nacht»
(Chamber orchestra versjon)
Thommessen «Bullseye» and «Etyde Cadenza»
Kverndokk « initiasjon»
Jon Øyvind Ness « Mad Cap»
Ørjan Matre «Concerto»
Asheim «Catch Light»
Saariaho « vers toi»

Published articles

  • Master class in the Strad Magazine ;
  • Nørgård violinconcerto «Borderlines»
  • Thomas Adés Violinconcerto
  • Strad Magazine, Favourite works; Saariaho «Graal Theatre»

«A string of releases» at DKDM 

After my first meeting with Anne Gry Haugland, we decided to focus on the best ways to include and involve DKDM in my close collaboration with some of the world’s leading composers. One of the composers I have done the most outreach and teaching with is Kaija Saariaho. We have done projects where I perform her Concerto “Graal Theatre” with students and attend rehearsals and concerts.

In addition, she has coached the composers, and we have performed student works alongside her music and in separate concerts. She is very strong-minded in her wishes for interpretation but in a very pedagogical and gentle way. We have done this in Oslo spread over a full year. Still, in Copenhagen, I can not help thinking the pulsar festival is the perfect arena and DR orchestra has shown interest in her new staged version of “ Graal Theatre” that we have performed many times in Europe and will take to the US next year. We also did a full festival with BBC Philharmonic with Graal theatre performed by me in BBC3 series “ discovering “ and concerts with students and Kaija in collaboration with Royal Northern academy. If we did a similar project, I would love to include and prepare a soloist diploma and other advanced students before her arrival for solo and duo works and, for example, a string band with her “ Terra Memoria”.

relevance

My project at DKDM will be focused on bringing the students into my close collaboration with the composers. I know some of the projects at DKDM today describe the collaboration between the composer and the performer. In my project, I would like to focus on the collaboration between soloists, orchestra, conductor, and composers and the process of communicating our experiences to the students at DKDM through workshops, concerts, and seminars.

Development of brand new repertoire with some of the world’s leading composers, publication of it and outreach to the students to strengthen their skills to meet and work with new repertoire and techniques.

form and methodology

The performing part of the project will be a collaboration between me and a composer ending in CD, Booklets, articles and videos documenting our collaboration and multiple concerts with orchestras.

The part including the DKDM students will also fit into a project I just had funding for the first time;  In Oslo, I have 20 years been a part of Summeracademy Voksenåsen, one of Europe’s largest courses for young strings, winds and singers.

I am the artistic head of the course, and a dream has been to include composers and meet professional musicians and conductors and be mentored by a renowned composer. Only a week ago, simultaneously with DKDM becoming one of our partners, I had the grant to realize exactly this from a trust called Furre Stiftelsen “

With the artistic research project at DKDM in mind, it will be a course where young composers meet mentor Kaija Saariaho, Arctic Phil Sinfonietta and conductor Tim Weiss, plus performers like myself. One weekend in 2021 and one in 2022 and performance possibilities in the Svalbard festival, Niord festival and for the DKDM students also possibly Pulsar festival. Workshops, videos of conversations, streaming and live concerts.

return flow

  • Masterclass with composers for both performers and composition students
  • Weekly teaching with me in certain periods
  • Participation in festivals Copenhagen, Svalbard, Bodø and Copenhagen
  • Concerts spread out but hopefully leading up to a visit by Unsuk Chin spring 21 and Kaija Saariaho during 20/21 and pulsar 22
  • Collaboration projects strings/composers on writing for strings.
  • Reflection and documentation will be available on the website.

collaborations

  • String department, sinfonietta and composers at DKDM
  • Composers Kaija Saariaho, Unsuk Chin and Missy Mazzoli.
  • Performers: students from DKDM, Arctic Philharmonic, Oslo Philharmonic, Oberlin CME, Bergen Phil, New European ensemble Amsterdam, Stavanger Symphony.
  • BIS records, dkdm composers and staff.
  • Bergen festival , Svalbard festival, Voksenåsen academy and if possible Pulsar festival.

Documentation

  • CD recording and concerts as described above in numerous festivals and many orchestras.
  • Teaching, seminars and meetings at DKDM with PH and visiting composers
  • Booklets in collaboration with various writers, examples below incl the Booklets written with Tom Service, Kaija Saariaho  and Per Nørgård
  • Videos of concerts
  • A website connected to the DKDM visits and concerts with reflection articles, blog, sound and video.

time-frame

Autumn 2020-Autumn 2022

Se også