News

More Currentes live freely available

Almost a year since our last post, so a few things have happened! Firstly, you can hear more Currentes online than maybe you thought: Besides streaming from Spotify and Apple Music, you can find a few tracks with live recordings on Soundcloud and Research Catalogue.
Secondly, we are very happy to announce that we in 2020 will colllaborate with the Bergen student theatre Immaturus on a performance of the play "Il pastor fido" by Giovanni Battista Guarini, from 1590. 2020 will also see our Finland-debut, as we perform a medieval mass with improvised proper of the mass for the BRQ Vantaa Festival.
Vh Jostein

Currentes live freely available

Did you know that some of Currentes´ most experimental undertakings can be accessed freely online? Or collaboration with the artistic research project "Wheels within Wheels" at the University of Bergen, Faculty for Art, Music and Design, led to three concerts during Bergen International Festival. All of these will be made available online, together with a wealth of other material from the project. The last of the concerts, "Mouvance III. Distortion.", is already available in its entirety, alongside elaborate reflections on part of the composer. You find it at the Research Catalogue. More material will follow very soon.
Vh Jostein

Finally a new update

After a long period of problems with logging in to our website, we are now back in business. Updates with the last year´s development and news about plans for 2019 to be posted shortly.
Vh Jostein

The CD-program Altera Luce released on LAWO Classics

LAWO Clasics has just released Currentes´ second CD, "Altera Luce". The program focuses on songs that contemplate the relation between sacred and secular love, and contains compositions by Francesco Landini, Guillaume de Machaut, Guillaume Dufay. Interspersed among the medieval songs are six miniatures written for the ensemble by the Norwegian composer Eivind Buene (1973). A very positive first review was published in Stavanger Aftenblad on October 16th. You can read it here (in Norwegian)
Vh Jostein

Last installment of the Zacara Triduum, in Worms

Last year, together with the ensembles Micrologus, Leones and the musicologist Francesco Zimei, we created a "Zacara Triduum" in memory of the composer Antonio Zacara da Teramo, who died 600 years ago in 1416. The Triduum consist of three concerts by three ensembles in three cities. We are now ready for the last installment, during the festival Wunderhören in Worms, Germany. As last year in Teramo and Bergen, Currentes will offer a mass programme with music for the ordinary by Dufay and Zacara, and music for the proper by the members of Currentes. The proper is that of the day of the concert, 8th of October. The concert will take place in Worms Cathedral at 17:00.
Vh Jostein

Summing up 2016, and some plans for 2017

In 2016, Currentes reached a couple of milestones. We performed our first complete liturgical programme (in Teramo and in Bergen) where all the music for the proper of the mass had been worked out by the ensemble members. We also did first performances of compositions by Alwynne Pritchard and Ruben Sverre Gjertsen, whose styles and approaches are widely different. All these performances were part of the artistic research project "Wheels within wheels", funded by the Norwegian Artistic Research Programme and University of Bergen, the Grieg Academy - Department of Music. We also had the opportunity to share concerts with BIT20 ensemble, and with the pianists Ingfrid Breie Nyhus and Barbara Drazkowska. We had collaborations with Antikk Musikk, Avgarde, and Bergen Barokk. Not least, we started a very fruitful collaboration with Francesco Zimei and Istituto Abruzzese di Storia Musicale. We already had very positive experiences with working with Zimei on our first CD-publication. As then, the focus of our new collaboration, is the composer Antonio Zacara da Teramo, who died in 1416, 600 years ago. We commemorate this anniversary with a "Zacara Triduum", encompassing three concerts in three countries. The first two-thirds of the project took place this year, in Teramo and in Bergen. In 2017 we finish the project with the third and lastedition of thr triduum in Worms, Germany. Besides the close collaboration with Zimei, we have the great pleasure of joining forces with the ensembles Leones and Micrologus.

While waiting for the decisions of Arts Council Norway, we do have some exciting plans for 2017. Our research in the wheels-within-wheels project will continue into 2018. As part of that, we will perform at the opening of the Faculty for Art, Music and Design at the University of Bergen, January 4th. On April 30th, we will take part in a mini-festival commemorating Morten Eide Pedersen. The festival is an initiative of BIT20 ensemble, in collaboration with the Grieg Academy, Borealis, Avgarde, and Currentes. We also look forward to presenting a new liturgical programme for the final installment of the Zacara Triduum at Worms, 6th to 8th of October. More dates and news will follow.
Vh Jostein

Some plans for 2016

2015 was a stimulating year for Currentes. We are since this autumn part of the Artistic Research project "Wheels within wheels", funded by the Norwegian Artistic Research Programme and University of Bergen, the Grieg Academy - Department of Music. The 3-year project will result in, among other things, new compositions, and new inprovisation strategies.

We do not yet know the allocations for 2016 of Arts Council Norway. But we do know that we are priveleged to receive continued support from the City of Bergen. We will make sure to be at least as visible as in the city previous years.

As some locals will have noticed, our most frequently visited event, the "Cafébaroque" in collaboration with Antikk Musikk, is now hosted by the eminent keyboard player Martin Vinje, with whom it is a genuine pleasure to work and play. Currentes will be present as often as possible, playing for and with guests!

In 2016, 600 years have passed since the death of the intriguing composer, illuminator and secretary to the pope, Antonio Zacara da Teramo. To mark the anniversary, Currentes will take part in a collaboration with the City of Teramo and two very notable early music ensembles to host a three-day Zacara-event in both Teramo and Bergen. Details will follow in January. There are more reasons to stay tuned - so do stay tuned!
Vh Jostein

Loss, and development. Continued support for Currentes. New management.

After the terible loss of our friend and colleague, the Norwegian composer Morten Eide Pedersen, on October 16th last year, our plans for a project with him were brutally ended. This month, we participate in a memorial concert for him. We had many stimulating and encouraging exchanges with Morten while developing our project. These exchanges have resulted not only in a lasting desire to seek new direction, but also in concrete plans for a new project, where compositional and improvisational strategies in late Medieval music form the basis for exchanges with composers. More about this project soon.

Both Arts Council Norway and City of Bergen have chosen to continue the support for Currentes. We are very grateful indeed for this opportunity to continue exploring and sharing the vast possibilities of expressions that can grow out of encounters with the early polyphonic repertoire.

Currentes is proud to announce a new collaboration with Pure Classical Management. Please see our contact page for contact details. The collaboration is very promising: We never had so many concerts marked for so long ahead as we have now. Dates will be announced on our schedules page as soon as they are confirmed.
Vh Jostein

Continued support for Currentes, new CD-recording, etc

The downside of a news-page is that we have to remember to post something... When we don´t, the occasional visiter might think we´re dead or bankrupt or out of ideas. As writing this short post is a sign of life, let´s jump to the second possibility: Currentes is doing well financially, as Arts Council Norway renewed their support, and increased it by a solid 30%. City of Bergen also maintains its support to our ensemble, with the encouraging development that we now have a separate line in the city´s culture Budget. We are very grateful for this support, as it allows us to continue or work of experimentation and discovery. Among the experiments this year is a collaboration with composer Morten Eide Pedersen. We also plan to continue our collabroation with the wonderful French ensembble "Le Chant sur le Livre". More about this and other things later...
Vh Jostein

Arts council supports Currentes, dates for new CD-recording, etc

A few months have passed since our last update, so a few things have happened. First: Arts Council Norway renewed the ensemble support for Currentes! Thanks for that - we promise Norwegian tax payers many interesting projects in return. Second: Our CD was runner-up for Medieval record of the year at medieval.org! Third: The dates have been set for our next CD-recording: 14th-17th of October 2013, in beautiful Vaksdal church, Norway. The band from our debut-CD is reinforced with soprano Ingvill Mjeldeim Holter and fiddle player Anna Danilevskaïa. We will record Landini, Dufay and Buene. Fourth: You can now follow us on Facebook! Fifth… ok this is too much, I´ll have to post more in a couple of weeks :-)
Vh Jostein

Currentes reviewed by MusicWeb, Windkanal, Tibia, and Hudebni Rozhledy

Currentes has received a bit of positive international media attention lately, including the reviews mentioned above. With two concerts this weekend, time prevents us from presenting all of them now. They will all be posted later under our "press"-page. Here´s a link to the review of our record by MusicWeb´s Johan van Veen. Keywords: "Captivating performances"!
Vh Jostein

Currentes reviewed by the Norwegian newspaper "Østlendingen"

In a short review of Currentes´ debut-CD "Spinato intorno al cor", Geir Hovensjø of the Norwegian Newspaper "Østlendingen" describes the ensemble´s performance as "bright, airy, elegant and absolutely delicious". That´s something to live up to... Read the review here (in Norwegian).

If you happen not to read Norwegian, but for instance Czech or German, look out for reviews of our record in the next editions of "Tibia" and "Hudební rozhledy", respectively.
Vh Jostein

Norwegian magazine "Ballade" interviews Jostein

In connection to Currentes´ concerts in Bragernes Church, Drammen and for Oslo Medieval Music Days (27th of July at 20:00 in Gamle Aker Church), the Norwegian web-magazine Ballade interviews Currentes´ artistic leader on "the meaning of it all". Read our response to why and how we perform medieval music.
Vh Jostein

Currentes reviewed by Swedish newspaper "Norran"

Mikael Bengtsson of the Swedish newspaper Norran has reviewed "Spinato intorno al cor". He finds it a "fascinating musical experience" and is particularly impressed by the expressive voice of our tenor Kjetil Almenning. Read it here! (in Swedish, of course...)
Vh Jostein

Currentes debuts at Bergen International Festival this week

On Friday June 1st Currentes debuts for Bergen International Festival with a late-night concert, at 23:00, in Bergen Cathedral. The programme is called "Angelica biltà" and comprises music by Landini, Dufay and Norwegian composer Eivind Buene (1973). An actor from the national theatre will read poetry from Song of Songs, from Petrarca´s famous Vergine bella, and one of the poems set to music by Landini. Later this year, we will perform for Oslo Medieval Music Days, Bergen Medieval Music Days, Svatováclavsky hudební festival in Ostrava, Czech Republic, and Copenhagen Renaissance Music Festival. Next year we are invited to the Summer Festivities of Early Music in Prague. More invitations seem to be coming our way, so stay tuned!
Vh Jostein

Currentes reports on its experience with Early Music Jamsessions

In the latest Newsletter from "Deutsche Institut für Imrpovisation", Currentes reports on its experiences with Early Music Jamsessions. If you read German, read the full Newsleter here. If you don´t, at least you will be able to enjoy a couple of nice Jamsession-photos by Hans Knut Sveen! (Front cover and page 2: Mikko Perkola and Jostein Gundersen. Page 3: Martin Erhardt and Jostein Gundersen)
Vh Jostein

Currentes performs for the King of Norway and the Prince of Wales

On Wednesday 21st of March, Currentes will contribute with a few minutes of baroque music during a private concert for the King and Queen of Norway and their guests Charles, Prince of Wales and Camilla Parker Bowles, Duchesse of Cornwall. The concert will take place in Currentes´ favourite Venue, Håkon´s Hall.

Third CD-review

On the 9th of March, Dagbladets Ståle Wikshåland reviewed our CD, which he considers an "exquisite journey of discovery". Read the entire review (in Norwegian) here.
Vh Jostein

Performance for NORDEM, and more praise for CD

NORDEM, the Nordic Early Music Federation, is meeting in Bergen this weekend. Jostein Gundersen will present to them Currentes and Bergen Medieval Music Days, of which Currentes is a partner.

Currentes just received another favorable review. "Sublime music from brilliant performers", says reviewer Trond Erikson. Read the entire review (in Norwegian) here.
Vh Jostein

Praise for "Spinato intorno al cor"

The first review of our CD-debut comes from the newspaper Gudrandsdølen. In a short description of the CD, reviewer Per Ivar Henriksbø deems the recording "excellent!" Read it here.
Vh Jostein

Micrologus was first...

In our press-release, we state that "Spinato intorno al cor" is the first available CD-portrait of Zacara. We have now found out that Micrologus has already released a CD solely dedicated to the music of Zacara. We knew it was in the making, but since on the ensemble´s website it is marked as soon to be released, we supposed it was not yet on the market. A couple of the songs they have recorded can also be heard on our CD. We encourage all our listeners to get acquainted with their record, parts of which seem to have been posted on youtube.
Vh Jostein

Currentes´ first CD available from LAWO

After a bit of a delay, our first CD has finally been released from LAWO Classics! Spinato intorno al cor is devoted entirely to the music of Antonio Zacara da Teramo (ca1365-1416). It is the first available CD-portrait of this significant Roman composer, and includes a biographical text by the renowned musicologist and Zacara-expert Francesco Zimei. You can read more about the CD here, and order it directly from LAWO or from any of the major CD-stores.
Vh Jostein

Review of concert in Prachatice

Currentes´ concert in Prachatice last year was reviewed by Lukáš Vytlačil in the October issue of the major Czech magazine for classical music, Hudební rozhledy. If you know Czech, you can read the entire review here. If you, as we, have some trouble understanding this beautiful language, a couple of highlights have been translated and posted on our "press"-page.
Vh Jostein

Arts Council Norway, FIB and SHF

2011 ended with good news for Currentes: We will receive support from Arts Council Norway also in 2012. This means we can continue to invest our time and energy in developping programmes that are out of the ordinary. We are also proud to announce that we will perform for Bergen International Festival on June 1st, and for St. Wenceslas Music Festival on October 12th and 13th.
Vh Jostein

New soundclips, programme descriptions and photos

We have renewed our programme descriptions, and finally uploaded a few excerpts from our very-very-soon-to-be-released CD "Spinato intorno al cor". If you like them, chances are good you can get the CD before Christmas. There are also a few new photos, taken by Hans Knut Sveen during Bergen Medieval Music Days September 2011.
Vh Jostein

New design and layout

Our new web-designer Daniel Tang Gundersen has changed our web appearance. During June, many small changes and additions will be made: New programme descriptions, new sound-clips from our very-soon-to-be-released first CD on LAWO Classics, etc. If you would like to be kept up-to-date without having to check our webpages regularly, why not follow us on Twitter? Stay tuned!
Vh Jostein