Call for papers: Sketches and Exercises: History and Theory of Compositional Writing

The Grieg Research Center arranges a two-day seminar 21 – 22 November 2016.

Sketch studies belong to the methodological core of historical musicology, analysis, and critical editing concerned with the works of 19th and 20th century composers. The study of sketches promise to give insight into the composer’s workshop: as traces of the creative process, sketches shed light on the genesis of a composition from idea to ‘masterwork’. Further, sketch studies can enrich the understanding of the work as a constellation of intertextual associations, whilst the study of compositional exercises might reveal the hidden learning processes behind the formation of a composer’s style.
The overall aim of this seminar is twofold:
1) to analyze, assess, and contextualize the compositional writing of composers, which correlates with the rise of the conservatories in Paris, Leipzig, and Berlin during the 19th century
2) to reflect on the current scope, historicity and epistomology of sketch studies within musicological disciplines.

Related issues to be addressed are

  • conceptions of the compositional process from teleology to non-continuity
  • changing practices of compositional writing
  • the relationship of music aesthetics, music theory, and compositional practice
  • craftsmanship, creativity, and the concept of the genius
  • the function and value of compositional exercises
  • the influence of teachers, schools, and institutions
  • the relationship of writing and style
  • writing as embodied act
  • the contingencies of notation, imagination and experience.

Invited speakers:
Jim Samson (Professor Emeritus, Royal Holloway University of London)
Peter Hauge (Senior Researcher and editor, The Royal Library, Copenhagen)
Bjørn Morten Christophersen (Lecturer and composer, University of Oslo)
Erlend Hovland (Associated professor, Norwegian Academy of Music, Oslo)

Venue:
The seminar takes place at the Senter for Griegforskning, Bergen Public Library, Strømgaten 6, 5015 Bergen.

Paper proposals of no more than 200 words can be submitted by September 16, 2016 to the following e-mail address: Arnulf Mattes, arnulf.mattes@uib.no

Number of places is restricted. The seminar language is English.
The seminar is arranged by the Senter for Griegforskning (Grieg Research Center) at the University of Bergen in cooperation with the International Grieg Society.

The International Edvard Grieg Piano Competition 2016

The International Edvard Grieg Society is co-operating with Centre for Grieg Research and The International Edvard Grieg Piano Competition. Join us on Friday 9 September at Troldhaugen with  
GUIDED TOUR, LECTURE AND MASTER CLASS
1000-1100: Guided tour at Troldhaugen by Grieg expert Eilif B. Løtveit
1100-1230: Edvard Grieg and the Macrofantasy:
Meet the composer Olav Anton Thommessen in conversation with Glenn Erik Haugland
1230-1330: Lunch at Restaurant Troldhaugen
1330: Bus coach from Troldhaugen to the city centre

“Meet the composer” is a co-operation with The International Edvard Grieg Society and Centre for Grieg Research. Olav Anton Thommessen’s Microfantasy on Grieg’s Piano Concerto in A minor will be performed at the Final concert in Grieghallen.

Open the whole competition programme on
http://griegcompetition.com/program

Inauguration of the new Grieg Society in Ukraine

New Grieg Society in Ukraine
The inauguration of the new Ukrainian Edvard Grieg Society took place on May 4th and 5th 2016 in Zhytomyr. The opening concert was held in the beautifully refurbished Philharmonic hall, with introductory speeches from the Vice-principal of the Kosenko Music College, Anna Brodska; the Norwegian ambassador, Jon Elveland Fredriksen; and Beryl Foster, Vice-President of the International Grieg Society. Professsor Helmut Loos, leader of the Grieg Begegnungsstätte in Leipzig was also present, and greetings from Sylvia Eckes, President of the IGS, and other Grieg Societies were read out.Ukraine GS inauguration 2016 021
The concert opened with the Overture to Mykola Lysenko’s opera Taras Bulba, played by the college’s Folk Orchestra (from the class of Oleksandr Klymenko), conducted by Yevgen Shestakov. They then accompanied the first movement of Grieg’s Piano Concerto, in which the excellent soloist was Mykola Sych, a first-year student at the college.

After the interval, the college’s Symphony Orchestra and Choir, conducted by Oleksandr Chemerys, performed the scenes from Grieg’s unfinished opera, Olav Trygvason. The soloists Yevgeniya Gintovt (mezzo), Tetiana Golovina (contralto) and Oleg Synytsia (bass-baritone) gave spirited performances, in particular Ms Golovina in the difficult part of the Sibyl.

The following day an International Research Conference was held in the concert hall of the Kosenko Music College, one of the oldest musical institutions in Ukraine. Papers were given by professors and postgraduate students from Germany, Great Britain and Poland, as well as from Ukraine. Topics ranged from overviews of Edvard Grieg and Leipzig, the place of Grieg’s vocal music and Olav Trygvason, to discussions of the music of Ukrainian composers and national styles.

The whole event was the idea of Liubov Syniak, a teacher at the Kosenko Music College and now President of the Ukrainian Grieg Society, supported by the Principal and staff, whose enthusiasm and hard work was rewarded by the success of the occasion. In the words of the Norwegian ambassador, “this is not just for Grieg, but also for Ukraine”.

We wish the new society all success and look forward to further collaboration.

Opening of the Edvard Grieg Society in Ukraine

The Opening of the Edvard Grieg Society in Ukraine
takes place on May 4-5, 2016 in Zhytomyr, Ukraine
Program for the opening
Wednesday May 4:
Philharmonic Hall – Grand Opening
17.00 – the Unfinished opera Olaf Tryggvason’s Ukrainian Opening night;
– Concert of students and professors of the Zhytomyr Music College
19.00 – Festive dinner
Thursday May 5:
The Zhytomyr Music College – Musicological conference “Norway-Ukraine: the dialogue of the cultures” – a presentation of current research of the Grieg’s and Ukrainian composers’ music
9.00: Registration
9.30: The first meeting
11.50: Coffee break
12.10: The second meeting. Conclusions. Closing of the conference.
14.10-15.00: Lunch
The cultural program:
15.30: Concert of Ukrainian music (Hall of the Space Museum)
16.30: Visit to the Sviatoslav Richter’s Memory Rooms,
the Museum of Borys Liatoshynsky

Call for Papers, International Research Conference in Ukraine

THE UKRAINIAN EDVARD GRIEG SOCIETY
arranges an International research conference in Zhytomyr, Ukraine
May 5, 2016
Theme: Norway-Ukraine: the dialogue of the cultures
Papers should include any aspects of the creative personality of
Edvard Grieg or different characteristics of the Ukrainian composers’
Music. Subjects for papers may be related to research, methodology and analysis, but also other studies and projects relevant to the overall themes.
The time limit for the presentations is 15 minutes.
The conference languages will be Ukrainian, Russian and English.
Proposals for presentations should be in the form of one-three pages
summaries of the content to be presented.

The proposals should include the name, contact information and institutional affiliation of the author. The proposals must be submitted for translation to the conference by April 15th 2016 to the address:
ukrainiangriegsociety@gmail.com