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A CALENDAR OF NORWEGIAN MUSIC FESTIVALS
Berit Holth (Nasjonalbiblioteket)
This calendar includes some of the most important of the more than 200 different festivals related to music held in Norway throughout a year. The list is made in cooperation with Musikkinformasjonssenteret [the Norwegian MIC]. More information at
www.mic.no.
January
Polarjazz 78'N [Polarjazz 78 degrees north], Longyearbyen in Spitsbergen. Held annually at the end of January. At this time of the year it is dark both day and night in this arctic landscape, and the sun does not appear on the horizon. But the Northern Lights (aurora borealis), which can be observed now and then over the horizon, make for a fascinating atmosphere and an exciting backdrop to a jazz festival. The festival lasts four days. More information at
www.svalbard.com
February
By:Larm. This festival moves from town to town in different years, and is similar to "In the City" events in England. It is a large gathering especially for the music trade. It usually takes place in February, but sometimes occurs in March, and includes concerts and "showcases", seminars and debates. It lasts four days. More information at
www.bylarm.no.
Ilios / Festival for samtidsmusikk
[Ilios / Festival of Contemporary Music and Arts] takes place in Harstad, which is situated in the county of Troms, north of the arctic circle. The festival is arranged at the time when the sun again appears on the horizon, at the end of January/beginning of February. It is north Norway's most important festival of contemporary music, and lasts for four days. More information at
www.ilios.no.
Vinterspillene på Lillehammer
[Winter Festival at Lillehammer]. This festival, which was established at the beginning of the 1990s, has profited from the interest in the area caused by the holding of the Olympic Games in Lillehammer in 1994. It is an all-round festival that focuses on the winter atmosphere. It aims to show that Winter can be beautiful, poetic, exciting, a way ahead to a renewal in nature. One of its main projects is the "Frozen Waterfall Concerts". The festival lasts six days. More information at
www.vinterspillene.no.
March
Oslo Kirkemusikkfestival
[Oslo Church Music Festival]. This event lasts ten days. More information at
www.oslokirkemusikkfestival.no.
Vinterfestuka i Narvik
[The Winter Festival Week in Narvik]. Narvik is situated in the northern county of Nordland. More information about this nine-day festival may be found at
www.vinterfestuka.no.
April
Inferno Metal
Festival. This festival of black metal rock. The festival takes place in Oslo at Easter, and lasts three days. More information at
www.infernofestival.net.
Fartein Valen dagene / Kammermusikkfestivalen
[Fartein Valen Days / Chamber Music Festival] at Haugesund and Sveio in the county of Rogaland on the southwestern coast of Norway. This in an important festival for contemporary music in Norway, and also focuses on the music and the memory of the composer Fartein Valen (1887-1952). It lasts four days. More information at
www.farteinvalen.no.
Ole Blues in
Bergen. A nine-day blues festival in Bergen. Information at www.oleblues.net.
Påskefestival i Kautokeino
[Easter Festival in Kautokeino]. Kautokeino is situated in the north Norway county of Finnmark. This festival is the Lapps' own festival and is connected with the reindeer of the Finnmarksvidda (the mountain area in the utmost northern part of Norway). The Lapps, who move with their herds of reindeer throughout the year, divide the year into eight seasons, and they regard Easter time as a kind of New Year: light and warmth are returning, and the reindeer are prepared for their move towards the coast. The small town of Kautokeino is the location of a great public feast: the Easter feast includes weddings and confirmations. Besides that, theatre plays, concerts, reindeer races and snowscooter cross events are arranged. More information is at
www.saami-easterfestival.org.
Vinterfestspill i Bergstaden
[Winter Festival at Røros]. Røros is a picturesque old mining town that in 1980 was added to UNESCO's World Heritage List. Winter plays an important part in this four-day festival. More information at
www.vinterfestspill.no.
Vossa Jazz. Voss lies in the county of Hordaland, a place with a strong folk music tradition. The festival includes folk music within jazz performances, and lasts three days. More information at
www.vossajazz.no.
May
Den norske folkemusikkveka
[Norwegian Folkmusic Week]. This week-long festival is held at Ål in the county of Buskerud. More information at
www.folkemusikkveka.no.
Festspillene i Bergen
[Bergen International Festival]. This two-week festival takes place at the end of May and is the most prominent of the Norwegian festivals, being associated with the composer Edvard Grieg. It has recently celebrated its fiftieth anniversary. Music of all kinds is performed, including theatre and opera performances, as well as art exhibitions, special events for children, and so on. Information at
http://www.fib.no/
MaiJazz / Stavanger internasjonale jazzfestival
[Stavanger International Jazzfestival]. A five-day event. More information at
www.maijazz.no.
Nattjazz Bergen
[Night Jazz Bergen] At the end of May. This is a supplement to the Bergen International Festival. It opens at the time in the evening where the regular concerts and arrangements closes. More information at
www.nattjazz.no.
June
Festspillene i Nord-Norge [The Festival of North Norway] in Harstad. It is arranged around Midsummer. Harstad is situated north of the Polar Circle, thus this festival is also a celebration of the everlasting day caused by the sun which is present both day and night in good weather. The festival lasts eight days. Information at
www.festspillnn.no.
Hardanger Musikkfest
[Hardanger Music Festival]. This is a chamber music festival arranged in the province of Hardanger, not far from Bergen. It is arranged in connection with Pentecost and it lasts five days.
Internasjonale Kirkefestspill Kristiansand
[International Church Festival Kristiansand]. It lasts five days. More information at
www.kirkefestspill.no.
Landskappleiken
[Norwegian Traditional Music and Dance Competition]. This festival is ambulating, beeing usually arranged at the end of June. It lasts five days. It is the oldest music festival on a regular basis in Norway, starting in 1923. It is a competition for amateur performers within folkmusic, but it functions as the main arena of folk music and the niveau is more professional than amateur. More information at
www.landskappleiken.no.
Norwegian Wood. This is a rock festival which is arranged outdoor at a public bath in the center of Oslo the weekend previous to the Midsummer. It lasts three days. More information at
www.norwegianwood.no.
Risør Kammermusikkfest
[The Risør Festival of Chamber Music]. This chamber music festival arranged at the end of June has in a short time gained an international reputation, not least due to its artistic directors: the celebrated pianist Leif Ove Andsnes and the celebrated viola player Lars Anders Tomter. Risør is a picturesque small town at the east coast in the south of Norway. This coastline is one of the most popular places for holidays resort. The festival lasts six days. More information at
www.kammermusikkfest.no.
July
Førde Internasjonale Folkemusikkfestival
[Førde Folk Music Festival]. Early in July. Førde is a town in the county Sogn og Fjordane. The festival ranges Norwegian as well as international folk music. It lasts four days. More information at
www.fordefestival.no.
Jørn Hilme-Stemnet
[Jørn Hilme Festival] This gathering takes place at the end of July in the Folk Museum in Fagernes in the county Valdres. The festival opens for a traditional meeting of folk music in an area where this kind of music is highly appreciated. It lasts one week. More information at
www.hilme.com.
Kongsberg Jazzfestival.
This is one of the most important jazz festivals in Norway and takes place early in July. It lasts four days. More information at
www.kongsberg-jazzfestival.no.
Molde International Jazz Festival.
This festival takes place in Molde, a town in the county Møre og Romsdal, in the middle of July. This jazz festival was one of the first jazz festivals to be arranged in Europe (first time in 1961). It lasts six days. More information at
www.moldejazz.no.
Olavsfestdagene i Trondheim
[the Saint Olav Festival]. This festival is linked with the feast of St. Olav 29th of July and the cathedral Nidarosdomen. This is also a festival connected to church music on a wider scale. It lasts eleven days. More information at www.olavsfestdagene.no. A spectacular outdoor play is performed at Stiklestad (north of Trondheim) where the Norwegian king Olav Haraldsson (who became St. Olav) fell in a battle in the year 1030. The author of the play is Olav Gullvåg, the music is written by Paul Okkenhaug. More information at
www.stiklestad.no/spelet/.
Quart Festivalen
[The Quart Festival] in the beginning of July is arranged in Kristiansand. This is an outdoor pop and rock festival. It lasts five days. More information at
www.quart.no.
Vestfold Festspillene
[The Festival in Vestfold]. Vestfold is a county southwest of Oslo. This Festival is arranged on different places throughout the county, thus the whole county takes part. It lasts eleven days at the end of June/beginning of July. More information at
www.vestfoldfestspillene.no.
August
Dronning Sonja Internasjonale Musikkonkurranse
[The Queen Sonja International Music Competition] This is a competition for singers and is not arranged each year. It takes place in the second half of August. It lasts nine days. More information at
www.queen-sonja-competition.no.
Elvefestivalen i Drammen
[The River Festival in Drammen]. This is a popular music festival in Drammen, not far from Oslo. It lasts four days. More information at
www.drammen-elvefestival.no.
Festspillene i Elverum
[Elverum International Music Festival]. It lasts eleven days at the beginning of August. The origin of the festival is a course for Ungdomssymfonikerne [National Norwegian Youth Orchestra] which results in a concert on a high level at the festival. This course is meant for the best students in orchestral instruments of the year and do also include students from abroad. It is an important meeting place for young musicians. More information at
www.fie.no.
International Chamber Music Festival
Stavanger. The artistic director is the celebrated cellist Truls Mørk. The festival starts in the middle of August and it lasts nine days. More information at
www.icmf.no.
Notodden Blues Festival.
It is held in the county Telemark and lasts four days. More information at
www.bluesfest.no
Oslo Jazz Festival.
This festival is held in the middle of August and lasts one week. More information at
www.oslojazz.no.
Oslo Kammermusikkfestival
[Oslo Chamber Music Festival] The celebrated violinist Arve Tellefsen established this festival in 1989 as the first of its kind in Norway and he is still its artistic director. This festival have given inspiration to others who has later established their own chamber music festivals as seen on this list. It lasts ten days. More information at
www.oslokammermusikkfestival.no.
Peer Gynt Stemnet
[Peer Gynt Festival] at Vinstra north of Lillehammer. It lasts eleven days at the beginning of August. It is a cultural festival which contains litterature, theatre, art and music. Henrik Ibsens theatrical character Peer Gynt is based on stories of a historic Per Gynt who actually lived in Vinstra. More information at
www.peergynt.no.
Sildajazz in Haugesund.
This "Herring" Jazz Festival focus on Trad Jazz and is arranged in the middle of August. It lasts five days. More information at
www.sildajazz.no
Telemarkfestivalen
[Telemark Festival] in Bø in the county Telemark is arranged in the middle of August. This is a folk music festival. It lasts four days. More information at
www.telemarkfestivalen.no.
Øyafestivalen [the Øya Festival]. This is the main rock festival in Oslo and is held every second weekend in August. More information at
www.oyafestivalen.com.
September
Ibsenfestivalen
[The Ibsen State Festival]. This is held in Oslo in connection to the National Theatre. This is mainly a stage festival but may be of interest for IAML/IASA members as well. It is held every second year, next year in 2004. It lasts ca ten days at the end of August/beginning of September.
Hell Blues Festival.
This festival is arranged in Hell and Stjørdal in the county Nord-Trøndelag in September. It lasts four days. More information at
www.hellblues.com.
Insomnia Festival.
Held in Tromsø at the beginning of September. This is a festival of electronic rock (electronica). It lasts four days.
Trondheim Kammermusikk Festival
[the Trondheim Chamber Music Festival]. At the end of September. It lasts six days and arranges the only chamber music competition in Norway. More information at
www.kamfest.no.
October
Dølajazz. Lillehammer Jazzfestival. This jazz festival takes place the second week in October. It lasts four days. More information at
www.dolajazz.no.
Osafestivalen [the Osa Festival]. This festival at Voss is linked with the name of the musician Sigbjørn Bernhoft Osa (1910-1990). He founded Ole Bull Akademiet [The Academy of Ole Bull] where this festival takes place. This festival is an arena where folk music meets classical music. More information at
www.osafestivalen.no
Ultima. This festival is arranged in the beginning of October. It is the most important contemporary music festival in Norway. It lasts ten days. More information at
www.ultima.no.
November
Oslo World Music Festival
is arranged at the beginning of November and lasts six days. More information at www.world-music.no
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