Performers
- TVÆRS
- Jakob Kullberg cello, voice
- Niels Rønsholdt bass, voice
- Eivind Buene acoustic guitar, voice
- Jakob Bangsø classical guitar
- Bradley Axmith banjolele, poetic recitation
- Mariusz Praśniewski double bass
Programme
Original compositions with a flavour of contemporary classical, folk and jazz inspired by the American South.
Concert description
The group TVÆRS works in the space between musical genres in order to create a unique expression in which contemporary music, folk and jazz blend together into a unified whole. While the musicians stem from classical and contemporary music they have all been brought up with a myriad of styles of rhythmical music. This has formed the five highly established Nordic musicians and it is this diverse upbringing that is allowed to unfold in the project TVÆRS (meaning across) as a multi or post-genre ensemble which afford various musical forms of expression to enrich each other.
Nordic Art Music Rooted in American Soil
Formed while on tour in the United States, TVÆRS draws inspiration from the American landscape and its cities. Their songwriting is deeply intertwined with the places they’ve encountered, such as Louisville, Kentucky, where the group met poet Maurice Manning. Manning’s evocative poetry serves as the textual foundation for Jakob Kullberg’s songs A Prayer for Pigs and The Chickasaw Plum Tree, as well as Eivind Buene’s Tiger Lilies in Kentucky – a work for solo cello and spoken word.
The influence of place continues through the work of Niels Rønsholdt, whose songs such as Memphis Motel, Stuck in Kentucky, and After Mardi Gras (set in New Orleans) reflect the emotional and physical landscapes encountered during their travels.
TVÆRS merges these American inspirations with a distinctly Nordic sensibility, shaped by the artistic voices of its three composers and lead vocalists: Danes Jakob Kullberg and Niels Rønsholdt, and Norwegian composer Eivind Buene. The result is a body of work that transcends borders – introspective, place-aware, and richly layered with poetic and musical depth.
– TVÆRS (opis twórców projektu)
Concert co-financed by Art Music Denmark
