We’ve been at #Tonehimmel in Volda — a festival with big ambitions, carried out with heart and sincerity.
At the final concert of the festival, festival director Kaja Skatvedt Robak looked out at the audience and spoke about her own restlessness — the desire to contribute to a better future, and the anxiety that what we do might not matter, might not be seen or heard.
But there, during the festival’s final concert, everyone could feel a sense of togetherness — and the value of the experiences, expressions, and voices we had shared. We were moved, and that changes something in us.
Each day during the festival, audiences, volunteers, and artists gathered for «Wondering Under the Tree» — a program inspired by the spirit of festival founder Magnar Åm. It was truly special to come together like that, across differences, and wonder as one.
Magnar’s gentle reflection session on Sunday carried the theme of “time.”
“Time is a window through which we glimpse the timeless,” he said, as we sat quietly looking at the tree before us.
Thank you 🙏 I’m already looking forward to next year.
Good critics are valuable, and Kjetil Vikene writes well. The professional and the person, knowledge and emotional experience, are fully integrated. I enjoy the conversation he invites me into, and I’m intrigued by his references to Murphy, the novel by Beckett that Vikene brings with him to the festival and keeps referring to.
It’s a review that makes room for reflection and curiosity. The critic’s voice is clear, personal, and confidently aware of its role and responsibility. What a pleasure it is to be reviewed by him. Read the full review here: Ballade.no
Vikene on Song Circus:
Both the pipe organ and accordion are classified as aerophones in the Hornbostel–Sachs system, along with bagpipes and recorders. Also included in this category: the human voice. And who better to show what that can be than a quartet version of the vocal group Song Circus, performing the world premiere of Kvernberg’s Vardøger?
Rooted in a recontextualization of the folk song tradition—both aesthetically and thematically—Kvernberg’s piece echoes ancient prayers for bountiful harvests, now placed “in our own time, where we as modern, enlightened people find ourselves in a position where we must ask Mother Earth for good weather,” as described in the program notes.
A quick word on Scene 1 at Tou before I go on: through the large window behind Song Circus and Nyland Johansen, we gaze out over the Gandsfjord and into the Ryfylke mountains—a truly national romantic backdrop, one might say.
The four vocalists of Song Circus sing their way steadily into the folk tradition, weaving together fragments of traditional music and crafts (both via tape and live from Nyland Johansen’s accordion), along with bits of language from aquaculture industry advertising. The result is a soundscape that feels both authentic (as in: it really is folk music, with typical phrasing and intervals) and modern (as in: this is happening now, with playful and exploratory use of voice and song).
These industry marketing clichés—touting the purity of production—simultaneously offer a subtle critique of the romanticized idea of purity and origin, so often used to elevate traditional Norwegian culture in a conservative light.
Furthermore, the contrast between industrial romanticism and nature-romantic vocal expression adds a layer of humor I deeply appreciate—present as well in several other performances at Only Connect Stavanger.
But perhaps the most vital quality of Kvernberg’s work and its performance is this: it is strikingly beautiful. And while the beast is never far off, it’s the human quality of the music that captivates me.
It was lovely performing Eivind Buene’s Leçons de ténèbres in Lillehammer and Dombås — a work of quiet intensity, rich contrasts, and deep reflection. Grateful to share this music in such evocative spaces.
Here in Volda, Song Circus is gathering golden memories. What a festival and concert series they’ve created at Tonehimmel — and what an incredible composer and musician we’ve found in Jorun Marie! We’ve spent days diving deep into rehearsals, and that kind of focus really brings the music to life.
On Thursday, Jorun Marie and her family treated us to homemade bacalao and freshly pressed apple juice — caught in the fjord, dried by the wall of the house. That’s real cod, right there! ❤️
Yesterday, in Folkestad, the concert room was packed with warm, welcoming people. It truly felt like home. They’ve created such a beautiful space in the old Læremiddelfabrikk — we’re so inspired.
Tonight, on International Women’s Day, we’re performing again — and we’re using our voices 💪🏻
We’re so excited to be working on Vardøger — a brand new piece by Jorun Marie R. Kvernberg, written especially for Song Circus. Rehearsals are in full swing, and we can’t wait to share it with you in Volda on March 7th and 8th. This music is stunning — lush, mysterious, and full of heart. Such a joy to sing!
Vardøger dives deep into our relationship with nature, the environmental crisis, and the search for hope.This piece is a heartfelt, musical plea to protect our natural world — blending tradition and innovation in a soundscape that reaches both backward and forward in time.
Song Circus are touring again, together with our lovely viola da gamba player André Lislevand (IT/NO).
Together, we will perform Eivind Buene’s beautiful, contrasting, and insightful concert, Leçons de ténèbres.
Dombås Church – March 21 at 19:00 Lillehammer Church – March 22 at 15:00
Aksel Tollali, scenekunst.no:
«Buene’s Leçons conveys immense suffering in a strikingly sober manner.»
Eystein Sandvik, NRK:
«It is a piece that grabs hold of me and moves me on different levels and in different ways. It has a distinctive musical expression, a clear concept, and, above all, a powerful message. A work that is deeply connected to both history and the present.»
Maren Ørstavik, Aftenposten:
«The cultural sphere speaks loudly about Gaza. Some aspects of the conflict are easy to take a stand on through benefit concerts and petitions (…). The humanitarian catastrophe cannot be ignored, regardless of one’s stance on the conflict’s origins. To delve deeper through artistic means is a challenge. Composer Eivind Buene does so with respect, historical awareness, and beauty.»
In March, we premiere Vardøger by Jorun Marie R. Kvernberg – a stunning piece and a heartfelt plea for the protection of our nature. Ancient prayers, rhymes, and weather spells blend seamlessly with chilling scientific texts. A rich and beautifully crafted musical work that gives us performers so much space to explore. We can’t wait!
Among the festivals where you can hear us in 2025 are Tonehimmel, Only Connect, Hardanger Musikkfest… and concert halls all across the country!
At the Nordic Film Days Lübeck awards ceremony, ‘Birds’ was presented alongside a beautiful string trio. How wonderful that this, too, has become part of our film’s story.
When dementia took hold and conversations became wordless, what remained? Nonverbal communication, connection, trust, touch; gestures, breath, movement, the music in our language… My husband was like a quiet child, with a lifetime of experiences stored in his body.
This fall, ‘Birds’ was showcased at the Sans Souci Festival of Dance Cinema in Boulder, Colorado, as part of the program ‘Dance is Like a Fine Wine.’ Since 2019, the festival has included a segment for older adults in public or private care. Together, they watch films, discuss them, express themselves, and interact through dance… We are thrilled to be part of this important project!
A Vardøger is traditionally seen as a protective spirit or companion that precedes a person, warning of their arrival or impending dangers. Today, it often refers to a premonition indicating someone is about to appear.
A group of songs within folk music consists of prayers for good weather for bountiful crops, or chants believed to have magical effects on nature. These are the types of texts that Jorun Marie Kvernberg has drawn upon for her new work for Song Circus. The piece also includes texts taken from the aquaculture industry’s own propaganda apparatus, as well as academic texts of various kinds.
The overarching idea behind the work is to mirror these texts in our time, where we, modern and enlightened individuals, have placed ourselves in a situation where we once again must ask Mother Earth for good weather.
Vardøger is a piece that gives us as an ensemble a large space for co-creative expression. The form and theme of the work have been developed in close collaboration between Jorun Marie and Song Circus, led by Liv Runesdatter.
Vardøger is a musical defense of nature and the protection of fish stocks in our seas. In developing the work, Jorun Marie focuses more on sound fragments than on written music. The music springs from fiddle playing, but also from Jorun Marie’s singing and vocal sound play. Vardøger also incorporates sounds from her father Kvernberg’s silversmithing. Lush, beautiful, and imaginative music!
Når fiskane flotnar og røtene rotnar og ingenting botnar i graver me grev utan vit.
Kor skal songane sveva og
draumane leva og menneska streva i luft utan von?
Svar, måne, svar! Svar, måne, svar!
English translation:
When the fish float and the roots rot and nothing buds in graves we dig without knowing.
Where shall the songs soar and
the dreams live and humans struggle in air without hope?
Answer, moon, answer! Answer, moon, answer!
Jorun Marie writes: “The music should reflect the drama of this obvious truth that again demands our attention: that we are dependent on nature, and that weather and climate both give and take life – even in our modern time. In ancient times, they used magical rituals and songs to awaken the fields in spring. Where do we turn today when the poles are melting and temperatures are rising?
Both musically and thematically, I will try to reflect the span between the past and the present, folk music and contemporary music, the struggle for existence in pre-industrial society, and the fight for repair and redress of our own destruction in our time.”
Live excerpts:
REWIEWS:
Vikene, Ballade.no – Song Circus` concert at Only Connect 2025:
«Rooted in a recontextualization of the folk song tradition—both aesthetically and thematically—Kvernberg’s piece echoes ancient prayers for bountiful harvests, now placed “in our own time, where we as modern, enlightened people find ourselves in a position where we must ask Mother Earth for good weather,” as described in the program notes.
A quick word on Scene 1 at Tou before I go on: through the large window behind Song Circus and Nyland Johansen, we gaze out over the Gandsfjord and into the Ryfylke mountains—a truly national romantic backdrop, one might say.
The four vocalists of Song Circus sing their way steadily into the folk tradition, weaving together fragments of traditional music and crafts (both via tape and live from Nyland Johansen’s accordion), along with bits of language from aquaculture industry advertising. The result is a soundscape that feels both authentic (as in: it really is folk music, with typical phrasing and intervals) and modern (as in: this is happening now, with playful and exploratory use of voice and song).
These industry marketing clichés—touting the purity of production—simultaneously offer a subtle critique of the romanticized idea of purity and origin, so often used to elevate traditional Norwegian culture in a conservative light.
Furthermore, the contrast between industrial romanticism and nature-romantic vocal expression adds a layer of humor I deeply appreciate—present as well in several other performances at Only Connect Stavanger.
But perhaps the most vital quality of Kvernberg’s work and its performance is this: it is strikingly beautiful. And while the beast is never far off, it’s the human quality of the music that captivates me.»
Rewiew by 5against4.com, 2025
A more cohesive example of group dynamics came in the concert given by Song Circus, particularly Jorun Marie Kvernberg‘s Vardøger (a world première). The quartet of voices moved between reverie and a kind of ritual chorus, fuelled by folk elements to form a communal melodic action, enlivened – as if touched by some mix of divine inspiration and madness – by recurring eruptions of vocal tics.
Imagine, the audience in Tbilisi voted our film as Festival Winner 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
Feeling incredibly grateful and humbled by the recognition we received yesterday at the Cosonance Music & Dance Film Festival! 🎉 Not only did we take home the Audience Award/Main Award, but we also won Best Experimental Film! 🏆✨ I am so proud of my team!
It was producer Bjarte Mørner Tveit who introduced me to the cinematographer, Joakim. It was the summer of 2018, and we met over a café table.
I shared a bit about my intentions and the themes, and handed him the headphones with the music. He sat there, silent, in deep concentration, for a long, long time. He listened to the soundtracks from start to finish. Then he took off the headphones, looked into my eyes, opened his mouth, and shared his associations with just a few words. I had no doubt that Joakim was pure gold.
Joakim is the embodiment of calm. He moves gently around his surroundings, yet his presence is strong. Eventually, Joakim took over the producer role for Birds.
The Toronto Art Film Spirit Awards is quite a prestigious «arthouse film» festival. We won the award for Best Cinematographer. This is Joakim’s award.
«I’m excited and grateful for Eystein Sandvik’s insightful review of our concert with Leçons de Ténèbres. I’m also glad that we chose Eivind Buene when commissioning a piece based on Couperin’s version, set in the context of the current situation in Israel and Palestine.
READ EXCERPTS FROM THE REVIEW HERE, OR LISTEN TO THE LINK
«It’s a work that grabs me and touches me on various levels and in different ways. It has a distinctive musical expression, a clear concept, and, not least, a clear message.»
«It is a work with strong connections, both to history and to the present.»
«The French Baroque music is very different. It is much more stripped-down, simple, intimate, and yet deeply expressive and very beautiful, despite the strong expressions of suffering portrayed in these Lamentations. I think Eivind Buene has succeeded in creating a modern version of the same slightly Baroque aesthetic.»
«The fundamental approach in this piece is to juxtapose the Lamentations from the Old Testament, which are poetic texts depicting the suffering of a war-torn Israeli people, with Israel’s role today as a long-standing occupying power, and the brutal conduct of the Israeli army toward the Palestinian population.»
«There’s a clear and distinct message here that Israel is not living up to its own ideals and has gone down the wrong path. Particularly one line from the Lamentations is repeated several times, albeit in Latin. In Norwegian, it becomes ‘Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God,’ which can naturally be interpreted as a call to today’s Israel to reflect on the suffering of the Palestinian civilian population.»
«In Couperin’s version, there are partly two bright female voices over a very simple accompaniment. Here, there are four female voices from Song Circus, partly singing in a very high register, cultivating this very bright, shimmering sound over the viola da gamba. It’s a combination of voices and ensemble rarely heard in music composed today, with a subtle use of finger cymbals adding to the expression.»
«It’s not very intense or extreme, and there aren’t many of the vocal special effects often heard in contemporary music written for voices. It’s kept within this simple expression, and it leaves an impression. The simplicity and the unique sound that emerges from this ensemble is both moving and fascinating.»
«There is, of course, an entirely different context here, which the composer could not have foreseen when he completed his work before this date. But I believe the conditions for the massive warfare we now see from Israel are rooted in a dehumanization of the civilian population affected, a dehumanization that is clearly expressed in these testimonies from Israeli soldiers. It is terrifying and horrific to listen to, even though the testimonies unfortunately pale in comparison to the reality now unfolding in Gaza, which makes me experience the power of this otherwise rather quiet music, the setting of the Lamentations, as even greater.»
Look at this beautiful crowd of people 🥰 ‘Birds’ just won an award in the Short Fiction category at the Aryan International Children’s Film Festival of Jaipur (ICFF). 🙏🏻🇮🇳
The first review is by Maren Ørstavik in Aftenposten, covering the premiere of Leçons de ténèbres:
«The cultural sphere speaks loudly about Gaza. Some aspects of the conflict are easy to take a stand on through benefit concerts and petitions—like the number of dead children and the obstruction of humanitarian aid. The humanitarian catastrophe cannot be ignored, no matter one’s stance on the conflict itself. To delve deeper, using artistic expression, is challenging. Eivind Buene accomplishes this with respect, sensitivity, and beauty.»
«Much of the piece is wordless and comes across as musically abstract, beautifully performed by the quartet Song Circus and viol player André Lislevand. Occasionally, this is interrupted by recorded texts over the loudspeakers, recounting specific, brutal stories from the ground: mothers blown apart, occupiers urinating on the occupied.»
«Following Couperin’s tradition, the candles surrounding the performers are extinguished one by one throughout the work, until the room is completely dark at the end.»
«All of this constitutes powerful elements. The contrasts are immense—the shifting perspectives between Israelis and Palestinians, between past and present, between beauty and violence, between light and darkness. Buene makes it all work, with strong support from the performers.»
«The vocal lines are tight; the four women of Song Circus often sing almost the same notes, separated only by a half or whole tone in tense clusters. Harmonies are rare, even though each individual voice is pure and beautiful on its own. The quartet’s cohesion, combined with Lislevand’s emotional engagement, made it compelling to follow the musical narrative itself, even if it wasn’t always clear which words or perspectives were being illustrated at any given moment.»
