c o m p o s e r
UPCOMING EVENTS 2022
J.A.G.S. The Öland Pharaoh
Reqiuem
Per Nyström and Vokalharmonin
August 28, Segerstad church, Öland
The farmer and sculptor Johan August Gustafsson (1852-1932) lived all his life in Segerstad parish on the south eastern coast of Öland. He devoted his spare time to the making of ornate furniture and sculpting peculiar wooden figures from salvaged wreckage and beach timber. He never received any real recognition for his art, least of all in his native place. J.A.G.S., or Gustaf-Jon, as he was known locally, died after being chilled while searching for timber for his figures. His last wish was that his work should be cared for and shown in his home parish for a small fee. And so it became.
In our requiem for solo cello and mixed choir, we interpret JAG's life and fate. It´s a work about a man who, despite the ridicule of those around him, dreamed big and beyond the horizons of the village norms. Together with cellist Per Nyström and Vokalharmonin, twelve singers from the Swedish Radio Choir and Eric Ericson's chamber choir, we dream on with this extraordinary man. Musical direction: Fredrik Malmberg, chief conductor of Eric Ericson's chamber choir and artistic director of the Vocal Harmony. Premiere in Segerstad's church 28 August 2022.
With support from:
Statens Musikverk, Mörbylånga municipality and Cementa Sverige AB.
Organizer: Musik på Allvar in collaboration with JAGS Museum and Kalmar läns hembygdsförbund
Podcast: Kalmar County Museum
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 the European Alps will be glacier-free by the end of the 21st century. The glaciers 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. Our quest is to make the memories of the ice tangible, through sound and music.
In Ice Memory we will work both with electronically generated soundscapes and a live string orchestra. Ice memory will be prepared for performances/exhibits in three countries: Sweden, the Netherlands and Austria. The premiere is planned to be held at the campus of Linnaeus University in Kalmar (SWE).
With support from:
Helge Ax:on Johnsons stiftelse
2021
Kalmar castle february 26
G A N Erik Wickström, piano
Zephyrin Rey-Bellet, cello
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
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 laboratory of Heritage researchers and Artists. The field of research was initiated by Bodil Petersson, professor of archaeology at The Linnaeus University, Sweden. Experimental Heritage, since 2022 a non-profit organization, explores the meanings of Cultural Heritage for us living today through
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.
C A L E N D A R
2022
28 august 18.00
Segerstads church, Öland
J.A.G.S. The Öland Pharao
Requiem
Per Nyström and Vokalharmonin
Organizer: Musik på Allvar in collaboration with J.A.G.S. Museum, Mörbylånga municipality and Kalmar läns hembygdsförbund
2021
26 february
Kalmar castle, Gröna salen
Festival: Avantgarde 101
G A N - work in progress
Erik Wickström, piano
Zéphyrin Rey-Bellet, cello
GAN is a chamber music piece inspired by paintings 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 Camerata Nordica, in a concert with excerpts from the piece. In the film I give a talk on the creative process.
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.
Organizers: Länsmusiken, Camerata Nordica and Byteatern, Kalmar läns teater.
Spring
Gatenhielmska Huset, Gotheburg
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 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 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
Work in progress 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.
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
2 december
Kalmar County Museum-online
Podcast about J.A.G.S.
Podcast from Kalmar County Museum about the farmer and sculptor and farmer Johan August Gustafsson (J.A.G.S.). The Historian Peter Danielsson, Kalmar County Museum guides us in a program about the peculiar folk artist who lived all his life Segerstad parish on Öland. In the 30 minute program cellist Per Nyström and myself present our 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
Sounds of the Cultural Heritage
Streamed presentation of J.A.G.S.
In this brief pecha kucha presentation I talk about the ongoing work with a requiem for the folk artist and naivist sculptor Johan August Gustafsson (J.A.G.S.) from Seby, Segerstad parish, Öland.
Organizer: Unika historiska Kalmar län
2020
25 february
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 march
Linnaeus University, Växjö
Aesthetics and Science
Faculty seminar
Panel discussion and film
Archaeologist Bodil Petersson and composer Hans Gurstad-Nilsson present transdiciplinary 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
Je suis ta soeur
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 june
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
8 july
World Heritage Week
The World Heritage Southern Öland
The Outfield
A short film portrait of the desterted village Dröstorp on the Great Alvar of Öland. The film is created for World Heritage week 2020.
Cissi Svärdström: Concept, paintings and sculpture
Hans Gurstad-Nilsson: Film, music and sound design
Organizers: World Heritage Southern Öland and Experimental Heritage Öland
10 october - 1 november
Ölands Museum Himmelsberga
Memory Portals
Experimental Heritage exhibition. 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. Amber (work in progress). Installation/EAM piece in collaboration with irish artist Patricia McKenna.
Memory Portals online:
patriciamckenna.ie
Memory portals online:
www.experimentalheritageexhibition.com
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
With support from Riksbankens jubileumsfond and Hainska Stiftelsen
Organizers: Linnaeus University, Kalmar art museum, Ölands museum, Himmelsberga, and Experimental Heritage Ireland.
17/07 2019
EXPERIMENTAL HERITAGE
Soundwalk in Eketorp 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 FOR BØLGERNE - A PODCAST ABOUT NEW 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 was the tension between past and 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: SVENSKA DAGBLADET
OPEN EARS TO NEW SOUNDWORLDS
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
NORRKÖPINGS 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.
Listen to interview in Swedish Radio P1>
14/05-2016
THE EARTH BOOK
AN ORATORIO OF THE CHANGING CITY
GOTHENBURG OPERA
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..