Ingfrid Breie Nyhus: A Play With Traditions

Field of study: Artistic Research (piano)

As a pianist in the western classical and contemporary traditions with a strong background in Norwegian folk music, Ingfrid Breie Nyhus shifts between different positions on an axis from Norwegian fiddle music to classical music, in her interpretation of piano works inspired by folk music. From and in between these two musical perspectives, with their differences and tangencies in approach and material, she plays with the framework of the performance traditions, interpretative references in play, and aesthetical considerations at the piano.

This play within and between performance traditions and musical traditions, is performed within an artistic research fellowship project, and results in concerts and recordings of Norwegian piano works inspired by traditional folk music. The project has three focuses: contemporary works; classical works; and folk music material. In the first part, collaboration with the three composers, Asbjørn Schaathun, Øyvind Torvund and Erik Dæhlin, demonstrates different approaches to using Norwegian folk music as inspiration or source in piano works. The works premiered in September 2014 at the Ultima Festival in Oslo.

Documentation

Full title (translated from Norwegian): A Play with Traditions – interpreting and performing between folk and pianism.

Artistic Results

2015: The CD "Abstraction in Folk Art»

2015: «Stille-stykkje»

2015: «Slåttepiano»

Written documentation

Text: "Tradisjoner på spill, Fortolkning og utøving mellom slåtter og pianisme"

The project is documented in Research Catalogue (text in Norwegian)