composer
UPCOMING EVENTS 2021-22
G A N Kalmar castle 26 february
GAN is a chamber piece inspired by the imagery of Swedish painter and modernist pioneer Gösta Adrian-Nilsson (GAN). Eventually the piece will be the backbone of a dance performance about facing change. GAN (1884-1965) depicted the dawn of the modern industrial age. Influenced by the dynamic art scenes of Berlin and Paris in the 1910s and 20s he created a personal blend of the modernist styles, with erotic symbolism as a salient feature. His ruptured paintings of urbanity, new technology and athletic men capture a time full of hope and promises of freedom. Today their slightly disturbing dystopic gloom comes to the fore. The images resonate with our own troubled times of transition and uncertainty. On february 26 pianist Erik Wickström and cellist Zéphyrin Rey-Bellet, artistic director of the renowned string orchestra Camerata Nordica, meet in a filmed work in progress presentation of GAN with musical excerpts at Kalmar Castle (see Calendar below). Arranger: Länsmusiken, Camerata Nordica and Byteatern, Kalmar läns teater.
With support from:
Helge Ax:on Johnsons stiftelse
County Council of Kalmar County
Länsmusiken, Kalmar
Kalmar municipality
Filmregion Sydost
ICE MEMORY
Ice Memory is an international sound art and music project about the climatological memory of glacial ice. Artist and curator Eline Kersten (NL), glaciologist and artist Lindsey Nicholson (AU) and myself set out to to transform data extracted from glacier Ice cores into sonic landscapes.
Glaciers are diminishing fast with continued human-induced climate warming. If current rates of emissions and glacier recession continue, regions such as the European Alps will be glacier-free by the end of the 21st century. The glaciers' archives contain invaluable information about the climatological and environmental historical development during tens of thousands, in some cases hundreds of thousands, of years back in time. In response to the climate change, different Ice Memory programmes have been established to save these frozen archives from extinction. Samples in the form of ice drillings are collected and stored so as to secure the ice heritage for scientific research for the coming centuries.
Working with sound and musical textures in relation to the layers of glacier ice opens up exciting perspectives on time, place and memory. Sound and music address our sonic memory and thus activate our imagination and our emotions in a direct way. The listening act means a complete immersion in a world that is at once universal and unique to every individual. Our sonic memory can be compared to the sedimented memories in the glacier ice.
Ice Memory comprises both electronics and live musicians and will be prepared for performances/exhibits in three countries: Sweden, the Netherlands and Austria. The premiere is planned to be at the new campus of Linnaeus University in Kalmar (SWE) in 2022.
With support from:
Helge Ax:on Johnsons stiftelse
A L V is a solo piece for renowned Swedish cellist Per Nyström. The piece is inspired by stories from the deserted village of Dröstorp on Öland's Great Alvar. Per is co-founder and artistic director of Old Ox Chamber Orchestra. He has a background in internationally acclaimed orchestras such as Camerata Nordica and the Yggdrasil Quartet, which he also co-founded. See calendar below.
Johan August Gustafsson (1852-1932) better known as J.A.G.S., lived all his life in Segerstad parish on the southeastern coast of Öland. Besides subsistence farming and fishing, he devoted his life to carving furniture and sculpting quaint figures from salvaged wreckage and beach timber. Johan´s artistic work was met with skepticism. He never received any recognition and died after being chilled while looking for wood for his figures. His last wish was that his work should be cared for and shown in his home area for a small fee. And so it was.
In this requiem for solo cello and mixed choir, we interpret the fate of J.A.G.S. It´s a piece about a man who, despite the ridicule of those around him, followed his vision and dared to dream beyond the horizon of village norms. Together with cellist Per Nyström and twelve singers, we continue to dream with J.A.G.S. First perfomance, Segerstads church, august 2022.
With support from:
Musikverket (Swedish Performing Arts Agency).
Organizers: Musik på Allvar and JAGS Museum & Café.
CONTEMPORARY MUSIC AND
CULTURAL HERITAGE
Since 2018 I work with music, sound design and film within the transdiciplinary project Experimental Heritage. Experimental Heritage is an international collaborative project between Heritage researchers and Artists led by Bodil Petersson, professor of archaeology at The Linnaeus University, Sweden. The project explores the meaning of Cultural Heritage for us living today through Art. During the spring 2021 I will take part in a collaborative film project which will be presented at the Sixteenth International Conference on The Arts in Society. This year the conference is hosted by The University of Western Australia in Perth, Austraila (see Calendar below).
C A L E N D A R
2021
26 february
Kalmar Castle
G A N
Work in progress presentation
Erik Wickström, piano
Zéphyrin Rey-Bellet, cello
GAN is a chamber music piece inspired by the visual worlds of Swedish avant-garde Artist and gay icon Gösta Adrian-Nilsson (1884-1965). In this work in progress presentation we meet Paris based pianist Erik Wickström and cellist Zéphyrin Rey-Bellet, artistic director of the renowned string orchestra Camerata Nordica, in a concert with excerpts from the piece. In the film I give a talk on the creative process. Link to the film will be published here in february.
The event is part of Avantgarde 101, a one week festival celebrating the 100-year jubilee of Ballet Suedoise. Arranger: Länsmusiken, Camerata Nordica and Byteatern, Kalmar läns teater.
Spring 2021
Gatenhielmska Huset, Gothenburg
Workshop – Making Heritage available through Art
Eight artists, project managers and Heritage researchers meet for a two day workshop on making the Heritage available through art and cultural events. A collaborative project between Experimental Heritage and Historieverket, Gothenburg.
Organizers: Gatenhielmska kulturhuset and Linnaeus University.
16-18 June
Perth, Australia/online
Sixteenth International Conference on The Arts in Society. Voices from the Edge. Negotiating the Local in the Global
Appearance, editing and music in the collaboratory shortfilm project Mapping from the Edges. Together with:
Patricia McKenna, artist (IR)
Deirdre Carr, artist (IR)
Anne Hamrin Simonsson, artist (SWE)
Bodil Petersson, project manager, Linnaeus University (SWE)
Organizer: The University of Western Australia
18 september
Ölands museum
Himmelsberga
The renowned Swedish cellist Per Nyström performs my new piece for solo cello. Organizer: Musik på Allvar and scenbrottet in collaboration with Ölands museum Himmelsberga.
18 november
Linnaeus University live
Open science
Experimental Heritage - between art and science. Presentation of Ice Memory
Linnaeus University's Open Science initiative is about research benefiting everyone. What does this mean in practice, why is it on the agenda right now and why is it so important?
Bodil Petersson, professor of archeology at Linnaeus University and Hans Gurstad-Nilsson, composer, archaeologist and vice chairman of the Experimental Heritage association, talk about their views on open science and the meeting between art and science in the Experimental Heritage practice.
Participating staff from Linnaeus university:
Librarian: Mattias Rieloff
Moderator: Ted Durdel
Kl. 15.30
Omnispace, Stella, Linnaeus university, Kalmar
Free entrance
1 december
Kalmar County Museum-online
Talk and interview about J.A.G.S
Theme pod from Kalmar County Museum.
Historian Peter Danielsson, Kalmar County Museum guides us in a programme about
the sculptor and farmer Johan August Gustafsson (J.A.G.S.) from Segerstad parish on Öland. In this 30 minute programme cellist Per Nyström and myself present the project and the ideas behind the music. We also meet Marianne Hedelin, director of the J.A.G.S Museum who will give a deeper insight into the unusual life and art of J.A.G.S.
In swedish
Organizer: Kalmar County Museum
2 december
Streamed event
Sounds of the Cultural Heritage
In this minute pecha kucha presentation I give a talk on my ongoing work with a requiem for the folk artist and sculptor Johan August Gustafsson (J.A.G.S.) from Seby, Segerstad parish, Öland.
Organizer: Unika historiska Kalmar län
2020
25 02 2020
Zokker, Mörbylånga
Workshop
Theater of Sounds
A workshop about listening, memory and time. With simple sound tools we explore the relations between different sounds and the experience of time.
Organizer:
Experimental Heritage Öland with support from Mörbylånga Municipality, Region Kalmar County, Ölands museum Himmelsberga and Linnaeus University.
17 03 2020
Linnaeus University, Växjö
(cancelled)
Aesthetics and Science
Faculty seminar
Panel discussion and film
Archaeologist Bodil Petersson and composer Hans Gurstad-Nilsson present transdisciplinary meetings between archeologists and artists in the ongoing Swedish-Irish project Experimental Heritage Explorations.
Film: Moving the Ship.
Organizer:
Linnaeus University
Departement of Film and Literature
Spring 2020
Original music for author and playwright Emeli Bergman's debut film Je suis ta soeur (I am your sister), about love between siblings. The film is a collaboration between filmmakers and actors from France, Denmark and Sweden. The lead roles are played by Mathilde Weil and Adrien Simion, both students at the Conservatoire National Supérieur d'Art Dramatique in Paris.
Emeli Bergman (b. 1988) is educated at Forfatterskolen in Copenhagen.
24 06 2020
National University of Ireland, Galway/online
Fifteenth International Conference The Arts in Society. Against the Grain: Arts and the Crisis of Democracy
Experimental Heritage-Translocal Art and Archaeology Practice in Communities in Ireland and Sweden
Editor, appearance and sound design in
filmed Project presentation:
Bodil Petersson: Professor Archaeology, Linnaeus University (SWE)
Maria Kerin: Choreographer/Curator (IR)
Hans Gurstad-Nilsson: Composer (SWE)
Organizers:
National University of Ireland, Galway and Linnaeus University
08 07 2020
World Heritage Week
The World Heritage Southern Öland
The Oufield. A short film portrait of the desterted village Dröstorp on the Great Alvar of Öland. The film is created for World Heritage week 2020. Here you can see the film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2oVW7yid6c
Cissi Svärdström: Concept, paintings and sculpture
Hans Gurstad-Nilsson: Film, music and sound design
Organizers: World Heritage Southern Öland and Experimental Heritage Öland
10 10 - 01 11 2020
Ölands museum Himmelsberga
Memory Portals
Experimental Heritage exhibition. Participation with two short films:
1. The Outfield, a shortfilm portrait of the deserted village of Dröstorp on Öland´s Great Alvar. In collaboration with Swedish artist Cissi Svärdström. 2. A work in progress presentation of Amber, an installation/EAM piece in collaboration with irish artist Patricia McKenna.
Memory Portals online:
www.experimentalheritageexhibition.com
patriciamckenna.ie
Organizers:
Experimental Heritage Öland
Ölands museum Himmelsberga
Linnaeus University
2019
EXPERIMENTAL HERITAGE EXPLORATIONS
Sweden-Ireland
Film premiere: Moving the Ship
17 09 2019
Solevi, Kivik
19 09 2019
Kalmar art museum
21 09 2019
Ölands Museum Himmelsberga
24 09 2019
Burren Storehouse, Lisdoonvarna. Co. Clare, Irland
Premiere for the short film Experimental Heritage Explorations #1. Moving the Ship.
The Stone ship Noah's Ark on the grave field at Karum, Öland stems out on a Journey to the West Coast of Ireland. Archeologists and artists from two islands meet to explore the significance of Cultural Heritage for us living today. A collaboration with Irish choreographer Maria Kerin, Linnaeus University and Experimental Heritage Öland.
Concept and project management: Bodil Petersson, Linnaeus University.
Choreography: Maria Kerin
Drone footage: Jan Hagelin
Film, music and sound design:
Hans Gurstad-Nilsson
Additional music: Danny Burke
Organizers: Linnaeus University, Kalmar art museum, Ölands museum, Himmelsberga, and Experimental Heritage Ireland.
With support from Riksbankens jubileumsfond and Hainska Stiftelsen
17/07 2019
EXPERIMENTAL HERITAGE
Sound expedition in Eketorp's ringfort, Öland.
What did Eketorp's ringfort sound like 1500 years ago? How does it sound on a summer day in 2019? Create a time capsule of sound together with composer Hans Gurstad-Nilsson and Heritage pedagogue Lotta Karlsson. Children and adults together.
Organizer: Experimental Heritage Öland
13/06 2019
EXPERIMENTAL HERITAGE Preview of the short film Experimental Heritage Explorations #1. Moving the Ship. Kilshanny House, Kilshanny, Co. Clare, Ireland
Concept and project management: Bodil Petersson, Linnaeus University (SWE).
Choreography: Maria Kerin (IR)
Drone footage: Jan Hagelin (SWE)
Film, music, and sound design:
Hans Gurstad-Nilsson
Organizers: Linnaeus University and Experimental Heritage Ireland
April 2018
BØLGERNE
MUSIC TO BØLGERNE - A PODCAST ABOUT NEW AND NEWLY TRANSLATED LITERATURE IN DENMARK, SWEDEN AND NORWAY
BØLGERNE is a podcast about new and newly translated literature published in Denmark, Norway and Sweden with a growing number of listeners. Permanent hosts are the authors Ida Holmegaard and Emeli Bergman. In their podcast they discuss language, characters, themes, plot, imagery and political implications of the books, as well as their relation to other literature - in short, all that gives the literature meaning.
26/08 2017
LECTURE
OLD TONES - NEW MUSIC
ÖLANDS MUSEUM, HIMMELSBERGA
The driving force behind the artistic revolutions of the twentieth century were the tension between the past and the present. What are the conditions for contemporary musical creation today? How can memories be a starting point for creating the new? I highlight the question with examples from my own creative processes.
The event is part of the Linnaeus University project: Experimental
Heritage.
24/07 2017
DEBATE
OPEN EARS TO NEW SOUNDSCAPES
SVENSKA DAGBLADET
Different kinds of music have different contexts and different functions. That´s the main argument in Hans Gurstad-Nilsson's and Ken Friedman's answer to Sofia Lilly Jönsson's text about John Cage in SvD's article series "The revaluation"
06/10 2016
MY WAY
(EVERYBODY IS A REFUGEE)
PETER BRYNGELSSON
NORRKÖPING SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA WITH SOLOISTS
DE GEER HALL, NORRKÖPING
Orchestral arrangements for three songs in Peter Bryngelsson's orchestral suite My Road. Singer Soher Choukair from Syria, violinist Mukryan Abubakr, Kurdistan and the oud virtuoso Mousa Elias, Syria meets the Norrköping Symphony Orchestra in ten songs about alienation. A collaboration with Peter Bryngelsson, Henrik Strindberg, Pelle Halvarsson and Peter Lindroth.
14/05 2016
The Earth Book is a dream play for chamber choir, song soloists, piano, percussion, double bass and live electronics. Based on archeological remains and ongoing urban changes in Gothenburg I explore the timeless dream of the city. A collaboration with Varberg Chamber Choir, soprano Karolina Andersson, tenor Tore Sunesson, pianist Jonas Olsson, percussionist Daniel Berg and bassist Adrian Eriksson. Conductor: Professor Gunno Palmquist. Direction and light design: Joakim Engstrand.
In collaboration with Gothenburg Opera, Museum of Gothenburg and support from the Västra Götaland Region, Frispel and Gothenburg city.
2016
BACH IN FLUX
A COLLABORATION WITH FLUXUS ARTIST KEN FRIEDMAN ON BACHS UNFINISHED FUGUE
The artist Ken Friedman (born 1949 in New London, Connecticut) is one of the main figures in Fluxus, an international laboratory for experimental art, architecture, design, literature and music. He has worked closely with other Fluxus artists and composers such as George Maciunas, Dick Higgins and Nam June Paik, as well as with legends such as John Cage and Joseph Beuys. In the early 1970s, he was chief editor of Dick Higgins Something Else Press.
Press
Fruitful meeting between Heritage and Art at Himmelsberga
”Cissi Svärdström's and Hans Gurstad-Nilsson's impressions from the deserted village Dröstorp presented through Cissi Svärdströms bronze sculptures and Hans Gurstad-Nilssons music, don´t resurrect the village in physical form but conveyes a strong feeling of a unique location.”
Gunilla Petri, Barometern 2020 10 13
Avantgarde 101
Program