This summer two of my best friends and I have the privilege of making a commissioned piece for Moldejazz - one of the best jazz festivals in Europe. We have put together a complex yet beautiful piece of music, and we cannot wait to share it with you all.
In September 2017 I did the first in a series of commissioned pieces at Parkteatret - Norway’s best club.
The concert included 6 anonymous musicians, performing music we wrote together.
The involved parties were:
Axel Skalstad: Drums
Simen Følstad Nilsen: Guitar
Ellen Brekken: Bass
Marte Eberson: Synthesizers and vocals
Gunhild Ramsay Kristoffersen: Synthesizers and vocals
Jonas Barsten: Synthesizers and percussion
Live sound: Espen Høydalsvik
Light designer: Ingrid Skanke Høsøien
Visuals: Frode Fjerdingstad
Mix: Jørgen Smådal Larsen, Martin Bowitz and Erlend Mokkelbost at Malabar Studios and ARC Studios, Oslo
Master: Espen Høydalsvik at Tinnitus Mastering
Artwork: Jens Jørgen Carelius Krogsveen
Curator and producer: Erlend Mokkelbost
Photo by: Anne Valeur.
Pekula Vol. 2 - ONENESS - was the second instalment in my series of concerts commissioned by Parkteatret.
This featured a whole new sound and a new group of musicians. The concert happened September 21st, and was an amazing experience for everyone involved.
Like last time, musicians were anonymous before the show and on stage in order to give people a fresher, uninhibited approach to the music.
The involved parties were:
Heming Valebjørg: Vibraphone, alluphone, gongs and various percussion
Tobias Ørnes Andersen: Drums, percussion and gongs
Ivan Blomqvist: Synthesizers and gongs
Martin Lie Svendsen: Guitar and synthesizers
Viola Bjelland: Vocals
Sigrid Aase: Vocals
Morten Myklebust: Vocals
Live sound: Espen Høydalsvik
Visuals: Frode Fjerdingstad
Mix: Anders Bjelland at Broen Studios, Bergen
Master: Espen Høydalsvik
Artwork: Sindre Annweiler
Curator and producer: Erlend Mokkelbost
Listen to the album here: SPOTIFY / ITUNES
Artwork by Sindre Annweiler.
Photo by Frode Fjerdingstad. Design by Jens Jørgen Carelius Krogsveen.
The 3rd instalment in this series of commissioned works for Oslo’s best club Parkteatret happened Friday September 13th 2019.
It was a real fun experience, featuring 7 dancers and 2 musicians, plus an array of lights designed by Per Marius Larsen. Nils Martin Larsen was a dream collaborator on this one, so do yourself a favour and check out his solo project NML.
Can’t wait to release videos and the album.
The involved parties were:
Nils Martin Larsen: Modular synthesizers, piano, vocals and various electronics.
Natalie Sandtorv: Vocals
Natanya Helena Kjølås: Choreography and dance
Caroline Blomqvist: Dancer
Alexandra Pineros Florez: Dancer
Sara Steen Holvik: Dancer
Judith Arupa: Dancer
Klara Maj Stockmarr: Dancer
Live sound: Espen Stordrange
Light designer: Per Marius Larsen
Mix: Simon Dolmen Bergseth at Stadion Studios, Oslo
Curator and producer: Erlend Mokkelbost
The fourth instalment in the Petula-Series was a very special one for everyone involved, as it happened in the midst of a global pandemic. What a true pleasure it was to make a show full of lights and smoke again. This year the piece entered around a string ensemble and a horn section, set ablaze by a background of lasers and other visuals.
This premiered September 11th 2020, and the people involved were:
Erik Johannessen - Co-composer and trombone
Sara Övinge - Co-composer and violin
Eivind Nordset Lønning - Trumpet
Signe K. Emmeluth - Saxophone
Patrick Wilder - Double bass
Stephanie Domaschio - Double bass
Karol Cieśluk - Double bass
Bendik Bjørnstad Foss - Viola
Erlend Habbestad - Cello
Kristin Myhrvold - Vocals
KORET - Choir
Birk Nygaard - Light design
Espen Høydalsvik - Sound design
Jonas Barsten - Technical assistant
Magnus Bechmann Hansen - Assistant
Record coming out next year!
Pekula Vol. 5 - ORIXA premiered at Parkteatret on September 10th, 2021. A much needed dose of energy, sunlight and rhythm at the time. Done in collaboration with Oddrun Lilja and Celio De Carvahlo, as well as the percussive group Extended Ground. Album in the works.
Pekula Vol. 6 - Solara - was presented during Øyafestivalens 2022 at Parkteatret Scene, and was an hour long concert that featured a great bunch of musicians. The music I wrote was danceable, rhythmic, hypnotic and joyful, and I’m very happy with how it all turned out. Record due out in 2025!
Rohey Taalah - Vocals
Silja Sol - Vocals
Øyvind Blomstrøm - Guitar
Joel Ring - Bass
Ole Petter Ålgård - Synthesizers
Sigmund Vestrheim - Drums
Martin Windstad - Percussion
Kimmarius Abrahamsen - Lights
Espen Høydalsvik - Sound
