It has been a while since my last update so heres a few glimpses of the last couple of months:
CHINA:
Jury member at the International Accordion Competition in Harbin China.
I had the pleasure of giving a lecture at the university of Harbin in Danish accordion tradition and present a couple of of my newest commissions of composers from Europe ending with a demonstration of my quartertonal accordion-part in the Opera ‘Leaves’.
DANISH CHAMBERPLAYERS 25th anniversary
In august I was celebrating the Danish Chamber Players ( Ensemble Storstrøm) 25th year Anniversary at the idyllic surroundings of Fuglsang with a performance of Per Nørgårds accordion concerto ‘Recall’ (1968). Here I was introduced to the brand new hall KUMUS where I recently had the great pleasure of recording Martin Lohses 5 Momenti Mobile with a couple of great musicians including my colleague Claudio Jacomucci, violinist Christina Strand and cellist Toke Møldrup.
TV-PERFORMANCE at Bornholm
At Bornholm they broadcasted a performance of a sonata by Domenico Scarlatti and an excerpt of me and Martin Lohses Album ‘Mobile – Works for solo accordion’ (2015)
Speaking of Scarlatti: Soon I will have a brand new soloalbum coming out…more on this later!
KOTTOS P2 Radio Nomination !
/in Uncategorised /by adminGreat news for my quartet of great and curious musicians. KOTTOS has been nominated for the Danish P2 State Radio Listeners Prize for our new album released may 2016. Please take two seconds to leave a vote for us on this link :
New Light Messiah – December Concerts
/in Uncategorised /by admin2 years ago the conductor and composer Bo Holten asked me if I wanted to do a completely new version together of Handels Messiah with his Musica Ficta a leading danish Vocal Ensemble. Using my accordion for such an epic masterpiece was very tempting but also quite a challenge so I came up with the idea of inviting my friends from KOTTOS . 8 singers singing all parts accompanied by a quartet of accordion, bouzouki, recorder & cello.
The premiere received great reviews last year a.o. 5 hearts in the National Newspaper Politiken.
Skt. Pauls Kirke, København – 15. december kl. 19.00
Skt. Nicolai Kirke, Rønne – 17. december kl. 16.00
Hans Tausens Kirke, København – 18. december kl. 16.00
looking back
/in Uncategorised /by adminIt has been a while since my last update so heres a few glimpses of the last couple of months:
CHINA:
Jury member at the International Accordion Competition in Harbin China.
I had the pleasure of giving a lecture at the university of Harbin in Danish accordion tradition and present a couple of of my newest commissions of composers from Europe ending with a demonstration of my quartertonal accordion-part in the Opera ‘Leaves’.
DANISH CHAMBERPLAYERS 25th anniversary
In august I was celebrating the Danish Chamber Players ( Ensemble Storstrøm) 25th year Anniversary at the idyllic surroundings of Fuglsang with a performance of Per Nørgårds accordion concerto ‘Recall’ (1968). Here I was introduced to the brand new hall KUMUS where I recently had the great pleasure of recording Martin Lohses 5 Momenti Mobile with a couple of great musicians including my colleague Claudio Jacomucci, violinist Christina Strand and cellist Toke Møldrup.
TV-PERFORMANCE at Bornholm
At Bornholm they broadcasted a performance of a sonata by Domenico Scarlatti and an excerpt of me and Martin Lohses Album ‘Mobile – Works for solo accordion’ (2015)
Speaking of Scarlatti: Soon I will have a brand new soloalbum coming out…more on this later!
Masterclass at the Royal Academy – London
/in Uncategorised /by adminIn June I had the pleasure of giving Masterclass at RAM in London. Thanks to Prof. Owen Murray and his wonderful accordion class for great hospitality and introduction to the bright future of the accordion in London.
Kottos – album release
/in Uncategorised /by adminKottos quartets first album out now and ready for orders ! I am delighted to share the music with these wonderful musicians where I also have my composing debut with a few brand new tracks. Visit and order your copy now!
Also check out the brand new video of Kottos in Admiral Gjeddes Gaard by Unseen Recordings
Music Critic’s Artist Prize 2016
/in Uncategorised /by adminThis week the union of music critics of Denmark awarded me and Eva Steinaa, principal Oboist of the National Danish Radio Orchestra with the annual Music Critic’s Artist Prize. The event took place before a concert perfomance of Steve Reichs music for 18 musicians in Tivoli Concert Hall presented by the chairman of the union, Henrik Friis.
Æreskunstner i Østermarie 2016
/in Uncategorised /by adminI den forgangne måned blev et fonemt æresdiplom uddelt og et vejskilt sat op ved folkekøkkenet i Østermarie.
En stor tak til alle de implicerede! (Se program i nedenstående billeder)
Czech Radio Performance
/in Uncategorised /by adminLast month I had the privilege of performing Astor Piazzollas Concierto para Bandoneon with the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra. A phenomenal group of musicians conducted by maestro Tomas Brauner. The concert was broadcasted live on Czech Radio and included an exciting programme of seldom heard orchestral masterworks by Shostakovich, Khatchaturian, Schulhoff and Piazzolla. The concert took place in the legendary Smetana Hall – Municipal House in the heart of Prague. If you get the chance don’t hesitate; go and hear this wonderful orchestra.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prague_Radio_Symphony_Orchestra
Chromatische Weltmusik – Upcoming Danish premiere with the Danish Radio Orchestra
/in Uncategorised /by adminBack in 2013 the hurricane named ‘Bodil’ was preventing the 100th anniversary concert of the Danish Composers Society from taking place and thereby postponing the premiere of Christian Winther Christensens double concerto for accordion and cello ‘Chromatische Weltmusik’ with the Danish Radio Orchestra. Cellist Toke Møldrup and I was therefore going to Innsbruck a year later to give this wonderful piece its first perfomance together with the Tiroler Symphony Orchestra and conductor Francesco Angelico at the Klangspuren Festival for contemporary music.
Luckily for Toke and I The Danish Radio Orchestra decided to programme this work during this season and the Danish Premiere will take place in the Royal Academy of Music together with conductor Brad Lubmann. The programme will also feature works by Martin Stauning and Poul Ruders a.o.
read the full programme for Pulsar Festial 2016 here
Picture from the dress rehearsal just before the storm broke loose and prevented the concert from taking place. The rehearsal was recorded and lead by Thomas Søndergaard which later earned the composer Christian Winther Christensen a 3rd prize at the International Rostrum of Composers.
The Royal Danish Opera – Premiere at Takkelloftet
/in Uncategorised /by adminTogether with my ‘partners in crime’, the quartet Kottos, I will be premiering a new opera by composer John Frandsen entitled ‘Martyriet'(Martyrdom) describing the last days of Kaj Munk (1898-1944) the Danish writer, resistance fighter and priest. Scored for a quartet of accordion, bouzouki, recorder and cello where the two soloparts will be sung by rising star countertenor Morten Grove and the norwegian Soprano Liv Odveig Midtmageli. The premiere will take place at Takkelloftet, The Royal Danish Opera the 28th of January with app. 10 performances in total in february 2017. Composer John Frandsen was recently awarded with the prestigious Carl Nielsen composers prize 2016 and received great acclaim not least for his Requiem(2013) written for The Danish Radio Orchestra.
John Frandsen
photo by Marie Louise Munkegaard
www.kottos.dk
www.johnfrandsen.eu