IMPRINTS, DISTANCE, DEVIATIONS. New release by the Telemark Chamber Orchestra, works by Christophersen, Tandberg, and Skjelbred.

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B. Morten Christophersen: Concerto for Violin and Strings

This concerto was written for violinist Ai-Ling Chiu, inspired by the Taiwanese song "Longing for Your Return," a song of freedom from World War II. The work explores themes of identity, musical journey, and distance, with the Taiwanese melody woven into the composition. The violin concerto consists of three movements – Unfolding, Air, and Return – and concludes as a fusion of Taiwanese and Norwegian musical traditions.

Kari Beate Tandberg: Deviations

Tandberg’s work for accordion and strings uses a modernist sound palette. The piece is based on the idea of "deviations" that create tension and variation, both musically and as a life philosophy. Through structured sections like Presentation, Development, and Transition, the deviations lead to the logical conclusion of the work, with an ambiguous tonality suggesting a new direction.

Bjørn Bolstad Skjelbred: And Then It Was Winter

This impressionistic piece is inspired by the arrival of winter in Paris in 2010. The music creates a melancholic atmosphere, with falling melodies and tonal shifts that reflect the quiet advance of winter. The piece shares musical elements with the first work on the album, contributing to a sense of a unified musical narrative.

The album, recorded and mastered by Sean Lewis (Bmus Tonmeister), will be available digitally and on CD, released on Simax.

B. Morten Christophersen (b. 1976) is a composer, arranger, and associate professor at the University of Oslo. He has composed music for orchestra, choir, film, and stage, and has received commissions from major Norwegian institutions such as the Oslo and Bergen Philharmonic Orchestras and the Norwegian National Opera & Ballet. His music has been published and performed in several countries, including the USA and Taiwan.

Kari Beate Tandberg (b. 1958) holds a PhD from the Norwegian Academy of Music and explores how visual impressions can influence musical expression. Her music has been performed by the Norwegian Radio Orchestra and the Norwegian Chamber Orchestra, among others, and has been played in Japan, Germany, and Scandinavia.

Bjørn Bolstad Skjelbred (b. 1970) is a versatile composer with over 100 works, often in collaboration with other artists. He is active as a composer, arranger, and teacher, and leads various musical ensembles, including the Telemark Chamber Orchestra and The Progression Ensemble Oslo.

Ai-Ling Chiu (violin) from Taiwan is a soloist and ensemble leader based in Norway. She has won several prestigious awards and made her debut with the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra in 2008 to great acclaim.

Andreas Angell (accordion) completed his master's degree at the Norwegian Academy of Music in 2017. He is active as a performer of contemporary music and as a composer, with projects ranging from classical to interdisciplinary art forms.

After 30 years of activity, 23 of which have been in collaboration with the county of Telemark, the Telemark Chamber Orchestra has established a strong position in Norwegian music. The orchestra, which works on a project basis, has distinguished itself as a prominent partner in contemporary music and has received wide recognition for its focus on new art music. In addition to the classical chamber orchestra repertoire, the Telemark Chamber Orchestra has regularly performed new works for chamber orchestra for many years, most of which are commissions from Norwegian composers. Many of these works have been released on six of the orchestra’s seven CDs.