2024 is history, so it’s time for a little reflection – here are some of the highlights from my composing work last year:
WORLD PREMIERES
This year, two works that had been in progress for some time finally had their world premieres. Both had been postponed for various reasons, so it felt especially rewarding to see them completed!
In June, The Norwegian Soloists’ Choir premiered “Laughing my head off / Singing your heart in” – a highlight in many ways! The spring included a workshop with the choir and three performances over two days in June. I also wrote a mini version of the piece (“Ler så jeg griner”), which they performed during a school tour. NRK recorded the piece and did an interview. Finally, the main concert took place on a Friday in a packed Aula, with a beautiful program and fantastic performers—a truly memorable experience. Huge thanks to Solistkoret and Grete Pedersen! The piece is already planned for two concerts in 2025.
In November, Ensemble Kammerklang premiered “Can you hear me? (salt water variations).”
This is a much smaller-scale piece performed in more intimate venues, but in many ways, it feels more expansive. It’s a work where I had a very clear plan and idea, yet so much seemed to fall into place almost by chance. I’m amazed at how everything came together, the ensemble played beautifully, and I’m genuinely happy with the result! I hope it will be performed again, but in the meantime, you can watch the second performance on YouTube.
OTHER PERFORMANCES
In addition to the premieres, there was quite a bit of activity (for me, at least) around earlier works this year. Some performances I knew about in advance, but in many cases, I didn’t. It’s always a thrill to discover that pieces have been performed when I do a search online!
– “As if no one’s watching” – This piece, a small tribute to the quirks of the French horn, was written in 2021 for Oslo Horns. Having been inactive for some time, it was especially exciting to see them include it in their two Christmas concerts in 2024!
– “Who do you want to be” – Commissioned by Susanne Kessel for Beethoven’s 250th anniversary. She’s still performing works from the extensive 250-works-for-Beethoven catalog and played mine twice last year: on International Women’s Day and at a conference about Beethoven and female musicians in his time. Perfect settings!
– “Lush darkness – glaring light” – This piece was performed in exam settings by two different bass trombonists. It’s so rewarding to see the work take on a life of its own in this context!
– “Tåkelur, utsnitt” – Written for Ensemble Kammerklang to use in their montage piece (a collection of one-minute works performed at every concert). They revisited my contribution for two concerts. The piece has been recorded and will eventually be released on an album!
OTHER FUN THINGS
– I secured funding for a week-long work trip to Berlin to collaborate with Eva Beneke, for whom I’m writing a piece. Berlin might not be at its most charming in November, but Eva and I got a lot done!
– I finally set up a calendar on my website that I’m happy with and that works well. The site is now more updated in English, with even more updates planned. I’ve also been working on some behind-the-scenes projects that I hope to launch soon!
– On the revision front, I didn’t send a lot of material to NB, but I did manage to submit a few pieces. The project continues! I have several works at various stages of completion and aim to make significant progress in 2025. My goal is to nearly double the number of NB scores by the end of the year. The remaining pieces will either require substantial revision, have little performance potential, or may be retired from my catalog altogether.
ON A PERSONAL NOTE
The year was also marked by a lingering flu and a few weeks of concussion recovery. Looking back on the year as a whole, I’m very satisfied with how much managed to happen despite these challenges!