2018 in Norwegian music explained

The following is a list of notable events and releases of the year 2018 in Norwegian music.

Events

January

• 11 – The 17th All Ears festival started in Oslo (January 11–14).^[1]
• 19 – The 37th annual Djangofestival started on Cosmopolite in Oslo (January 19–20).^[2]
• 25 – The 31st Nordlysfestivalen started in Tromsø (January 25 – February 4).^[3]
• 30 – The Barokkfest started in Trondheim (January 30 – February 4).^[4]
• 31
  • The 7th Bodø Jazz Open started in Bodø (January 31 – February 3).^[5]
  • The 13th Ice Music Festival started in Geilo (January 31 – February 4).^[6]

February

• 1 – The 20th Polarjazz Festival started in Longyearbyen, Svalbard (February 1–4).^[7]
• 3 – The Oslo Operaball was arranged in Oslo (February 3–4).^[8]
• 21 – The Hemsingfestivalen started in Aurdal (February 21–25).^[9]
• 23 – Kirsti Huke received the 2017 Radka Toneff Memorial Award.^[10]
• 25 – The 2017 Spellemannprisen awards proceeded with Mari Boine as the 2017 honorary award recipient.^[11]

March

• 1 – The Festival started in Oslo (March 1–3).^[12]
• 7 – The Borealis Festival started in Bergen (March 7–11).^[13]
• 9 – The 61st Narvik Winter Festival started in Narvik (March 9–18).^[14]
• 10 – Alexander Rybak won Melodi Grand Prix and is the Norwegian representative in the international final.^[15]
• 23 – The 45th Vossajazz started in Voss Municipality (March 23–25).^[16]
• 29 – The Inferno Metal Festival started in Oslo (March 29 – April 1).^[17]

April

• 18 – The Nidaros Bluesfestival started in Trondheim (April 18–23).^[18]

May

• 4
  • The Balejazz started in Balestrand (May 4–6).^[19]
  • The 29th MaiJazz started in Stavanger (May 4–9).^[20]
• 9 – AnJazz the Hamar Jazz Festival started at Hamar (May 9–13).^[21]
• 16 – Hardanger Musikkfest started at Hardanger (May 16–21).^[22]
• 23 – The Festspillene i Bergen started in Bergen (May 23 – June 6).^[23]
• 25 – The 46th Nattjazz started in Bergen (May 26 – June 4).^[24]

June

• 2 – The National Music Day was arranged in Oslo.^[25]
• 8 – The Kråkeslottfestivalen started at Senja (June 8–10).^[26]
• 12
  • The Bergenfest started in Bergen (June 12–16).^[27]
  • The Norwegian Wood music festival started in Oslo (June 12–16).^[28]
• 26 – The Risør kammermusikkfest started in Risør (June 26 – July 1).^[29]

July

• 4 – The Kongsberg Jazzfestival opened at Kongsberg consert (August 4–7).^[30]
• 7 – The 22nd Skånevik Bluesfestival started in Skånevik, Norway, with Jeff Beck as headliner (July 7 – 9).^[31]
• 12 – The 17th Stavernfestivalen started in Stavern (August 12–14).^[32]
• 16 – The Moldejazz starts in Molde (August 16–21).^[33]
• 19 – The Slottsfjell Festival started in Tønsberg (July 19–21).^[34]
• 25 – The 23rd Canal Street Festival started in Arendal (July 25–28).^[35]

August

• 7 – The 20th Øyafestivalen started in Oslo (August 7–11).^[36]
• 8 – The 32nd Sildajazz starts in Haugesund (August 8–12).^[37]
• 9 – The Tromsø Jazz Festival started in Tromsø (August 9 – 12).^[38]
• 12 – The 33rd Oslo Jazzfestival starts in Oslo (August 12–18).^[39]
• 17 – The Parkenfestivalen starts in Bodø (August 17–18).^[40]
• 30
  • The 14th Punktfestivalen opens in Kristiansand (August 30 - September 1|).
  • The Blues in Hell starts in Stjørdal Municipality (August 30 – September 3).^[41]
• Nathalie Stutzmann is appointed as new chief conductor for Kristiansand Symphony Orchestra. The French conductor is engaged for three years, and succeeds Giordano Bellincampi.^[42]

September

• The Granittrock Festival starts in Grorud.

October

• 18 – The 35th DølaJazz starts in Lillehammer (October 18 – 21).^[43]
• 27 – The Osafestivalen starts in Voss Municipality (October 26 – 28).^[44]
• 30 – The Oslo World Music Festival started in Oslo (October 30 – November 4).^[45]

November

• 14 – The Vardø Blues Festival (Blues i Vintermørket) starts (November 14 – 18).^[46]

December

• 11 – The Nobel Peace Prize Concert is held at Telenor Arena.

Albums released

February

Day	Album	Artist	Label	Notes	Ref.
2	Delights Of Decay	Batagraf	Jazzland	Produced by Jon Balke, Kåre Christoffer Vestrheim	^[48]
	Live at Victoria	Solveig Slettahjell	Jazzland	Produced by Solveig Slettahjell	^[49]
9	Go Dig My Grave	Susanna	SusannaSonata	Produced by Susanna and Deathprod	^[50]
13	Heat	Knut Reiersrud Band	Jazzland	Produced by Solveig Slettahjell	^[51]

March

Day	Album	Artist	Label	Notes	Ref.
2	Ravensburg	Mathias Eick	ECM	Produced by Manfred Eicher	^[52]
9	Atonement	Bendik Hofseth	C+C Records	Jazz	^[53]
	Endless Love	Sivert Høyem	Hektor Grammofon	Rock / Pop
	Joy	Karin Krog	Meantime Records	Jazz (vinyl)
	Run Wolf	Mikkel Gaup	MTG Records	Rock / Pop / World music
	Traces of You	Kristin Asbjørnsen	Global Sonics / Øra	Jazz	^[54]
23	In-House Science	Arild Andersen with Paolo Vinaccia, and Tommy Smith	ECM		^[55]
	Oslo	Michael Wollny, feat. The Norwegian Wind Ensemble and Geir Lysne	ACT	Produced by Siggi Loch	^[56]
	Powered By Life	Dalia Faitelson	Losen	Produced by Dalia Faitelson	^[57]
	Returnings	Jakob Bro with Palle Mikkelborg, Thomas Morgan, and Jon Christensen	ECM	Produced by Manfred Eicher	^[58]

April

Day	Album	Artist	Label	Notes	Ref.
20	Barxeta II	Per Mathisen & Jan Gunnar Hoff feat. Horacio "El Negro" Hernandez	Losen	Produced by Jan Gunnar Hoff and Per Mathisen	^[59]
	Freedoms Trio II	Steinar Aadnekvam	Losen	Produced by Steinar Aadnekvam	^[60]

August

Day	Album	Artist	Label	Notes	Ref.
31	Helsinki Songs	Trygve Seim	ECM		^[62]
	The Other Side	Tord Gustavsen Trio	ECM		^[63]

New Artists

• Birgitta Elisa Oftestad, classical cellist and winner of the NRK talent award Virtuos.^[64]

Deaths

January

• 29 – Asmund Bjørken, jazz and traditional folk accordionist and saxophonist (born 1933).^[65]
• 30 – Bjørn Boysen, organist (born 1943).^[66]

February

• 4 – Leif Rygg, traditional folk Hardanger fiddler (born 1940).^[67]
• 5 – Ove Stokstad, graphic artist, jazz clarinetist and saxophonist (born 1939).^[68]
• 16 – Tor Brevik, composer (born 1932).^[69]

March

• 9 – Ole H. Bremnes, folk singer and poet (born 1930).^[70]
• 18 – Håkon Banken, singer (born 1949)^[71]
• 31 – Frode Viken, guitarist and songwriter, D.D.E. (born 1955).

April

May

• 11 – Mikhail Alperin, Ukrainian born jazz pianist, member of the Moscow Art Trio, professor at the Norwegian Academy of Music (born 1956).

June

July

• 5 – Bjørn Lie-Hansen, opera singer (born 1937).^[72]
• 25 – Roald Stensby, rock singer (born 1940).^[73]

See also

• 2018 in Norway
• Music of Norway
• Norway in the Eurovision Song Contest 2018
• Spellemannprisen
• Buddyprisen
• Nordlysprisen
• Edvard Grieg Memorial Award
• Thorgeir Stubø Memorial Award
• Rolf Gammleng Memorial Award
• Radka Toneff Memorial Award

Notes and References

1. Web site: All Ears . All-Ears.no . 2018-03-06.
2. Web site: DJANGOFESTIVAL FREDAG . DetSkjerIOslo.no . 2017-10-19.
3. Web site: Nordlysfestivalen 25. januar – 4. februar 2018 . . 2017-10-23.
4. Web site: Barokkfest 30. januar – 4. februar 2018 . Barokkfest.no . 2017-10-30.
5. Web site: Bodø Jazz Open 31 januar – 03 februar 2018 . Norwegian . . 2017-10-19.
6. Web site: The world’s only Ice Music Festival. Experience a unique festival where instruments are made from natural ice in Geilo, Norway Jan 31 to Feb 4 February 2018. . . 2017-10-19 . 2018-03-08 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180308235121/https://www.icemusicfestival.no/ . dead .
7. Web site: Polarjazz 2018 . . 2017-10-19.
8. Web site: Oslo Operaball 2018 . Evensi.com . 2017-10-19 .
9. Web site: Ice Music Festival 9–11 Feb 2017 . HemsingFestival.no . 2017-10-30.
10. Web site: Radka Toneff Minnepris 2017 tildelt Kirsti Huke . Camilla Slaattun . Brauer . no . JazzINorge.no . 2018-02-07 . 2018-02-23.
11. Web site: Dette er vinnerne av spellemann 2017! . no . . 2018-02-26.
12. Web site: By:Larm 1.-3. March 2018 Oslo Norway . . 2017-10-30.
13. Web site: Borealis 7.-11. March 2018 . BorealisFestival.no . 2017-10-30.
14. Web site: Festivalprogram 2018 . no . VinterFestUka.no . 2017-10-20 . 2017-10-20 . https://web.archive.org/web/20171020191706/http://www.vinterfestuka.no/%C3%A5rganger/2018.aspx . dead .
15. Web site: Norway: Alexander Rybak is back – wins Melodi Grand Prix 2018 . . 2018-03-15.
16. Web site: Vossa Jazz 23. – 25. mars 2018 . no . . 2017-10-19.
17. Web site: Inferno Metal Festival 2018 . . 2017-10-30.
18. Web site: Nidaros Bluesfestival 18. – 23. april 2018 . no . NidarosBlues.no . 2017-10-23.
19. Web site: Balejazz 2018 . no . Kviknes.no . 2016-06-12 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170830144837/http://www.kviknes.no/aktivitetskalendar/balejazz-2018-4-6-mai . 2017-08-30 . dead .
20. Web site: Velkommen tilbake til Mai:Jazz 04–09 2018 . Norwegian . . 2017-10-19.
21. Web site: AnJazz 10. – 14. mai 2015 – Hamar Jazzfestival . no . . 2017-10-20.
22. Web site: Velkommen til Hardanger Musikkfest 2018 . no . HardangerMusikkfest.no . 2017-10-30.
23. Web site: Bergen International Festival . . 2017-10-19.
24. Web site: Nattjazz 2018 25. mai – 2. juni . Norwegian . . 2017-10-19.
25. Web site: National Music Day Oslo . VisitOslo.com . 2017-10-30 . https://web.archive.org/web/20171107030907/https://www.visitoslo.com/en/product/?TLp=182471 . 2017-11-07 . dead .
26. Web site: Kråkeslottfestivalen: Takk for i år! . no . KulturSlottet.no . 2017-10-30.
27. Web site: Bergenfest . no . . 2017-10-23.
28. Web site: Norwegian Wood 14.–16. juni 2018 . no . VisitOslo.com . 2017-10-23.
29. Web site: Takk for i år, vi sees neste sommer 26. juni til 1. juli 2018 . no . Kammermusikkfest.no . 2017-10-30.
30. Web site: Kongsberg Jazz Festival 4.-7. juli 2018 . no . . 2017-10-23.
31. Web site: Skånevik Bluesfestival 07.07.2017 - 09.07.2018 . no . Blues2017.SkaanevikBlues.com . 2019-01-21 . 2019-01-22 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190122044257/http://blues2017.skaanevikblues.com/program/ . dead .
32. Web site: Stavernfestivalen . no . Festivall-App.com . 2017-10-30.
33. Web site: Moldejazz . no . . 2017-10-23 . https://web.archive.org/web/20171024152941/https://www.moldejazz.no/2018/ . 2017-10-24 . dead .
34. Web site: Slottsfjell 19–21 juli 2018 . Slottsfjell.no . 2017-10-30.
35. Web site: Canal Street Arendal 25.-28 juli 2018 . Canalstreet.no . 2017-10-30.
36. Web site: Øyafestivalen 7.–11. august 2018 . Visitoslo.com . 2017-10-30.
37. Web site: Sildajazz 2017 . no . . 2017-10-30 . 2017-11-07 . https://web.archive.org/web/20171107060227/https://sildajazz.no/sildajazz-2017/ . dead .
38. Web site: Tromsø Jazz Festival 9.-12. August 2018 . Tromsø Jazz Festival. 2018-03-06.
39. Web site: Festivaldatoer 2018 . no . . 2017-10-30.
40. Web site: Parkenfestivalen 2018 . no . EventBu.com . 2017-10-30.
41. Web site: Velkommen tilbake i 2018: Vi ses igjen 30. august – 2. september 2018 . no . Bluesinhell.no . 2017-10-30.
42. Web site: Nathalie Stutzmann ny sjefdirigent for Kristiansand Symfoniorkester . no . Ballade.no . 2017-11-23.
43. Web site: Dølajazz – Lillehammer Jazzfestival – 18.-21. oktober 2017 . . 2018-03-05.
44. Web site: Osafestivalen 26.-28. oktober 2018 . Osafestivalen.no . 2018-03-05.
45. Web site: 30. okt – 4. nov Oslo World 2018 . . 2018-03-05.
46. Web site: Blues i Vintermørket . BluesIVintermorket.no . 2018-03-05.
47. Web site: Thomas Strønen: Lucus . JPC.de . 2017-12-21.
48. Web site: Batagraf – Delights Of Decay . . 2018-02-28.
49. Web site: Solveig Slettahjell – Live At Victoria . . 2018-02-28.
50. Web site: Embellishing old folk standards, Susanna strikes gold . James . Killin . TheLineOfBestFit.com . 2018-02-06 . 2018-02-08.
51. Web site: Knut Reiersrud Band – Heat . . 2018-02-28.
52. Web site: Mathias Eick - Ravensburg . . 2018-02-01.
53. Web site: Utgivelser uke 10 . no . Ballade.no . 2018-03-15.
54. Web site: Kristin Asbjørnsen - Traces of You . . 2018-02-01.
55. Web site: Arild Andersen - In-House Science . . 2018-02-28.
56. Web site: Michael Wollny: Oslo - CD . . 2018-02-28.
57. Web site: Powered By Life - Dalia Faitelson . Musical reviews . . 2018-02-28.
58. Web site: Jakob Bro - Returnings . . 2018-02-28.
59. Web site: Barxeta II - Per Mathisen & Jan Gunnar Hoff featuring Horacio "El Negro" Hernandez . Musical reviews . . 2018-02-28.
60. Web site: Freedoms Trio II - Steinar Aadnekvam . Musical reviews . . 2018-02-28.
61. Web site: Suite of Poems — Ketil Bjørnstad . . 2018-11-07.
62. Web site: Helsinki Songs — Trygve Seim . . 2018-11-07.
63. Web site: The Other Side — Tord Gustavsen Trio . . 2018-11-07.
64. Web site: Birgitta Elisa Oftestad årets Virtuos . no . Aslaug Olette . Klausen . Ballade.no . 2018-04-09 . 2018-04-09.
65. News: Jazzmusiker Asmund Bjørken er død . no . . 2018-01-29 . 2018-02-22.
66. Encyclopedia: Bjørn Boysen . . Stig Wernø . Holter . Bolstad . Erik . no . 2018-08-02.
67. News: Ein bauta er borte . Nils . Kvamsdal . . no . 2018-02-05 . 2018-03-18 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180209113402/http://www.avisa-hordaland.no/kultur/ein-bauta-er-borte-1.2244925 . 2018-02-09 . dead .
68. Encyclopedia: Ove Stokstad . no . . 2018-02-08 . 2018-03-18.
69. Encyclopedia: Tor Brevik . . no . 2018-08-02.
70. News: Ole Hagbart Bremnes er død . Thomas . Talseth . . no . 2018-03-12 . 2018-03-21 .
71. News: Håkon Banken er død . Østlendingen . 11 . 19 March 2018 . Krokstrand . Mats . no.
72. News: Bjørn Lie-Hansen . Aftenposten . 36 . 5 July 2018 . Evju . Helge . no.
73. News: Minneord Roald Stensby (1940 - 2018). Skancke-Knutsen. Arvid. Rockheim. Norwegian. 8 August 2018.