both as a composer and performer.
All projects are available for booking.
Solo organ concerts
Solo organ concerts are typically improvised. The music is based on exploration of the instrument's sounds and possibilities. The recording of Nils Henrik Asheim's solo concert in Oslo was released on CD 19 March 2004, Oslo Cathedral and received the Spellemannsprisen (Norwegian Grammy award).
If you are curious about how an improvisation concert is created,
read: Aarhus 031210, Inside an improvised organ concert
Organ improvisation workshops
From time to time I am giving workshops and teaching organ improvisation in Norway and abroad. To mention a few places: Music academies in Copenhagen, Gothenburg and Oslo. Typically a workshop of 1-4 days with student groups of max 5 is combined with a lecture and a solo concert by myself, and/or a concert by students.
Read the report from workshop in Belgrade, Oct 11-15 2010 (w/sound examples)
Mazurka - remaking Chopin
Chopin’s Mazurkas meets the Balkan / Gypsy orchestra instrumentation in a surrealistic but indeed very respectful way. Nils Henrik Asheim, piano, with Gjertruds Sigøynerorkester (Gjertrud's Gypsy Orchestra).
The live project was premiered at Bergen International Festival, May 30th 2009.
The Mazurka CD, rated by Norwegian Broadcasting as one of the top 10 classical recordings of the year, appeared on Lawo Classics in Sept 2010 - the Frederic Chopin 200 anniversary year. Short audio sample. Release tour 27sep - 01oct 2010 went to Norway/Sweden/Denmark/Germany. Les: releaseturné sept/okt 2010
Orgelnatt
Orgelnatt - Organ Night - is a concept where Nils Henrik Asheim invites guest musicians to create a concert event around the organ, exploiting the instrument's abilitiy to create vast soundscapes. By help of time and space, we invite the audience to submerge in sound.
Read: Press info for Orgelnatt May 6, 12 and 13, 2010
Paal Nilssen-Love, drums | Lasse Marhaug, electronics | Elisabeth Vatn, bagpipes Frode Gjerstad, reeds | Nils Henrik Asheim, organ.
Read: Report from Orgelnatt / Organ night (May 16, 2010)
Crossing Grieg
En nytolkning av Edvard Griegs Slåtter opus 72
Av Håkon Asheim og Nils Henrik Asheim
Engleskyts / Kom Regn
Ancient Norwegian folk hymns with improvised organ part. This duo project with singer Anne-Lise Berntsen has been going on since 1993. Two CDs have appeared, ENGLESKYTS (arrows from the Angel, 2004) and KOM REGN (Come Rain, 2002). This 60 minutes concert programme has been performed on several tours in the USA, in Germany, Austria, UK and Denmark.
Kitchen Orchestra
Nils Henrik Asheim is regularly collaborating with an number of ensembles in developing new music. Foremost the Stavanger Kitchen Orchestra which he co-founded and where he plays the piano/keyboards.
Kitchen is a large improvisation collective (the pool includes more than 25 musicians) in the free-jazz/contemporary improv tradition.
Kitchen appears with various leaders. The list of guest leaders up to now includes Lotte Anker, Evan Parker, Keith Tippett, Franz Hauzinger, Dave Kane and Alexander von Schlippenbach.Zanussi/Asheim/Solberg trio
Nils Henrik Asheim: piano | Per Zanussi: bass | Ståle Liavik Solberg: drums
Improvised music trio.
Listen to soundbites from Jan 29, 2010 at Cementen, Stavanger!
Duo projects with organ
Nils Henrik Asheim is currently appearing with improvised music in duo collaborations with the following musicians:Lasse Marhaug, electronics
Paal Nilssen-Love, drums
Elisabeth Vatn, bagpipes etc.
Frode Gjerstad, clarinets and saxophones
Gunther Heinz (GER), trombone
All these duos are available for concert bookings. See CD and Sound pages for samples. A church organ of any kind can be used, but if possible mechanical action and mechanical registration is preferred.
Valen/Schönberg
This chamber concert programme was performed at the Bergen Festival 2005, Troldsalen. Programme: Piano pieces by Valen and Schönberg, Valen’s Trio and Schönberg’s Chamber Symphony nr.1 in Quintet version. Plus Valen’s Nenia and Nils Henrik Asheim’s violin solo miniatures.