ROLF-ERIK NYSTRÖM (Norwegian Academy of Music, Oslo)
14 April @14.30-19.00 in A-404
16 April @10.00-15.00 in A-404
17 April @9.30-14.00 in D-511
Rolf-Erik Nystrøm (1975) is one of the leading contemporary saxophone players of his time, and one of Norway’s most award-winning and internationally active musicians. He studied classical saxophone, but always also playing jazz, pop, rock, experimental music and improvising, and is deeply engaged in many of the world’s folk music genres. He ended his studies with the legendary John Edward Kelly in 2002 at the Norwegian Music Academy, where Nystrøm is now associate professor.
Nominated for the Nordic Council Music Prize and is currently the recipient of Arts Council Norway.’s 10-year grant. He has collaborated with Nobel Prize laureate for literature JM Coetzee and multidisciplinary artist William Kentridge. “His unique technical ability gives him a control of timbre that obliterates most people’s notions of what is possible on a saxophone, to a degree that makes the saxophone an instrument almost subordinate to his personal expression (Rolf Wallin)”.
He has spent his time creating new techniques on the saxophone to enhance the possibility of merging into different genres. Soloist with the Oslo Philharmonic four times, and a number of other leading orchestras and ensembles around the world (Swedish Radio Philharmonic, Basel Symphony orchestra, Saint Petersburg symphony orchestra etc). He composes music for orchestra, dance, film, theatre etc., and worked for 10 years as a choreographed performer, with his instrument, alongside modern dancers, in Poland, France and Norway. In his quest for understanding all sides of music, he has traveled extensively, and worked and performed with legendary musicians, most notably in Egypt, South Africa, Tadjikistan, Angola, Senegal, Japan, Egypt, Brazil, Iran, Ivory Coast, China, Sri Lanka, Zanzibar and all over Europe and Norway. He is a member of the contemporary trio Poing.
He has played concerts in 50 countries on 4 continents, contributed on more than 120 albums, and premiered more than 200 works for saxophone written by some of the world’s leading contemporary composers like Luca Francesconi, Richard Barrett, Helmut Oehring, Rolf Wallin, Christian Wolff, Maja SK Ratkje and Terry Riley. He gives master classes and lectures all over the world.