Terje Isungset
| Terje Isungset | |
|---|---|
| Born |
4 May 1964 Hol, Norway |
| Genres | Jazz, Scandinavian traditional |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, composer |
| Instruments | Drums, percussion |
| Website | www |
Terje Isungset (born May 4, 1964 Hol, Norway) is a Norwegian musician (primarily as a percussionist) and composer. From his background in jazz and traditional Scandinavian music, he has designed musical instruments from non-traditional materials including ice Isungset bio.
Isungset was raised in Geilo where he played traditional dance music with his father (accordion) during his high school days. Moving to Bergen in 1984 led him to be a popular member of a number Bergen Groups, «Ictus» and «Tordenskjolds soldater» 1984-85, «Growl» and «Gruv» 1984-88, «Saksbehandlerne» and «Night and Day» 1985-86, «Salsa Pati» 1985-87, «Supply» 1985-88, in addition to periods within the Big Band «Emanon» from 1986, and recording debut Amalgamation (1985) with Kenneth Sivertsen.
Isungset is after more than two decades on the Jazz scenes, one of Europe's most accomplished and innovative percussionists. With more than 25 years experience in jazz and Scandinavian traditional music he raises these narrow formes of music far beyond their traditional boundaries, becoming more like a crossover between a sound artist and a shaman. When crafting his own instruments from Norwegian natural elements such as arctic birch, granite, slate, sheep bells and even ice, he is highly recommended to those sensible to the poetry and simplicity of sounds.
His work is highly acclaimed in the press, often described as innovative, visual, energetic, and different from any previously known concepts. His love for ice music was raised in 1999 when the commission of the winterfestival at Lillehammer asked him to compose and play in a frozen waterfall. He has invented the concept of Icemusic, and also invented a way to perform icemusic indoor in ordinary concert halls, doing around 50 indoor ice concerts every year. Isungset has also been commissioned to compose music for Jazz Festivals, Dance Performances, Theatre, Film, etc., with 41 commissioned concerts. He has released 10 solo albums and is now doing most of his work internationally. Solo concerts, with his band or in collaboration with other artists. In 2006 he had the idea of creating an icemusic festival and started the Ice Music Festival at Geilo, Norway organized by Pål Knutsson Medhus, and is the founding manager of the record label All Ice Records. His most recent project is the Glassmusic together with Arve Henriksen. They released an album named World of Glass in late 2014. The recordings were largely made in front of a live audience in Tallinn. All the instruments were made from glass by students from the Estonian Academy of Arts. He is a member of the bands Groupa (Sweden), Utla & Isglem. He has ongoing duos with Per Jørgensen, Arve Henriksen, Sissel Vera Pettersen, Didier Petit, Therese Skauge, Jorma Tapio and Stian Westerhus. For 2017 Vossajazz festival Terje Isungset have been comissed to compose new music for a new band. Terje Isungset is also associate professor at the Grieg Academy, University of Bergen. CNN says that Terje Isungset is the first and only icemusician in the world: CNN: "Chilling out with the world`s only icemusician" http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/europe/03/05/norway.ice.music.isungset/ Financial Times listed Isungset as one of the "First persons" in 2016:Financial Times: "First person": https://www.ft.com/content/4edcadbe-ab84-11e6-9cb3-bb8207902122
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