In the new episode of the Nordics Unveiled, Eldbjørg Hemsing is joint by she is joint by composer Synne Skouen, without exaggerating one of the most prominent people in Norwegian music life. Celebrated as a composer, recipient of numerous awards and accolades, highly respected journalist and music critic, who continues inspiring generations of women across the cultural field.
Show Notes
The Nordics Unveiled is back after a short Christmas break, and
Eldbjørg Hemsing is welcoming you to join her exploration of the Nordic. In the new episode, she is joint by composer Synne Skouen, without exaggerating one of the most prominent people in Norwegian music life. Celebrated as a composer, recipient of numerous awards and accolades, highly respected journalist and music critic, and we could continue naming. Synne was also the first editor-in chief of the music journal Ballade and head of cultural channels at Norwegian Broadcaster NRK.
Celebrating her 70th birthday in 2020, Synne continues inspiring generations of women across the cultural field.
“I have said this a few times to some of the performers – if you are not really working with living composers and only playing the big masterworks, then you are surfing on all the previous generations of artists that have been building this tradition. And to put it simply, it is just not fine to do so and not even fun.”
Synne Skouen, The Nordics Unveiled
«…there is certainly not an easy answer to character of the North, but if you come from Europe to Copenhagen, then you come to Scandinavia or the North. If on the other hand you go from Oslo to Copenhagen, then you come to Europe. And if going from Oslo to Stockholm or Copenhagen, you can also see where the rich North has been before the arrival of oil to Norway.”Synne Skouen, The Nordics Unveiled
“… composer does not know everything about their music and it takes a musician to show them what is there. The best thing that can happen to a composer is to work with musicians, where they bring out something that even them didn’t know it is there.”
Synne Skouen, The Nordics Unveiled
“I think its important to get the opportunity at the very young age to get to see your own country and culture from the outside. It is necessary and I wish many would be able to experience it. I was very privileged to get to experience this with studying in Vienna.”Synne Skouen, The Nordics Unveiled
More information about Synne Skouen and her music on the
following link.
What is The Nordics Unveiled?
What is typically Nordic? What characterizes our history, development and who we are today?
Norwegian violinist Eldbjørg Hemsing has grown up in a village of Aurdal, in the valley of Valdres where centuries old folk music tradition had influenced and inspired composers such as Grieg, Ole Bull and Halvorsen. The so called ‘Nordic sound’ is strongly inspired by nature, moods and changes. Everything from the northern lights, to deep mountains and valleys, to water. The lyrical, melancholic and often cautious optimists are a key words to explain what can often be characterized as Nordic. The clean, simple and often pictorial. At the same time, it is a courage and a force to be reckoned with, as can be drawn from Nordic fairy tales, often with a warm humor. Many of these features also appear in other artistic disciplines. How has history shaped us and what can we learn from who we are today?
Embark on the journey to the North and join Eldbjørg Hemsing in "The Nordics Unveiled", exploring the themes of Nordic mythology, folk music, Sami tradition, discovery of forgotten Nordic works in music, philosophy, architecture and nature.