Sponsorship with BMW in Oslo

Through out history many great rock-star (especially rappers) have gotten a sponsorship-deal with a major car company. AND SO HAS THIS FUNKY CLASSICAL PIANIST :) And in my opinion, the very best car brand! With the kindness of the region-chief of BMW in Oslo, at Bilia, Mr. Øyvind Berger cut me a superfunky deal makeing it possible for me to drive around in a superflashy BMW 1-series, white and smooth batmobile. I am so grateful!!





There´s a huge BMW event coming up, where BMW is presenting one of its new cars. I´m ready, Mr. Berger, just say the time and place - my engine is on fire !!

Was at the top of my game in St.Petersburg

Right after the concert in Tallinn on the 16th, I partied until morning and took a cab to the airport and flew to St.Petersburg where the consul general of Norway so kindly had booket me in at the legendary Astoria Hotel for the evening. At 7 pm 350 Russians had come to almost fill up the wonderful Chapella Concert Hall, where two TV channels also had come to learn more about this savage, musical viking from Norway and his crazy shit. Thank you Vitaly Vasilievitsj and Rune Aasheim, for believeing in me!

Full house in Tallinn

So just a few days after my Carnegie Hall debut I flew a cross the atlantic to perform in the wonderful Estonian Concert Hall in Tallinn. 200 tickets were sold out two days before the concert, and all in all there were over 400 who came to see the Aksel Kolstad Show on Sunday October 16th. And ps, this was the extravaganza show where I dress up as a woman and sing soprano arias, dance the nutcracker and all sorts of funky shit. Speaking of which...I started the show by showing two videos of me playing Schubert in a Lakers-jacket and my famous grand jump/fall over a grand piano and then...I came out on stage dancing to Kiss by Prince! Now THAT gave me a kick :D (I possibly surprised a couple of the more conventional spectators in the audience, hahaha....) The Tallinn-show also had a special treat with a world premiere of my 5 fashion interludes with fashion costumes designed by my good friend Svetlana Puzorjova was shown by models from Beatrice Model Agency and also the coreography of Savela and Antipenko when I performed my Harlekin-variations over Bach! Didn´t get the photos from the photographers yes, but will post them asap! After the concert I invited the audience out for an after-party at Vabadus...and then we had another after-party at Nano. I just love meeting new people and partying with them after concerts:)

A full house at my Carngie Hall-debut!

(all photos Berit Hessen)

A completely full house at my Carngie Hall-debut! Standing ovation! AND an encore! I couldn´t possibly ask for more. I am so happy!! This is something I will never forget, I made my dream come true, and now I am living my dream. I have allways been a dreamer...
The concert was delayed almost 20 minutes because people were still coming in the concert hall after 7:30 pm, it was an extremely long line outside Carnegie, just like a rock concert! There was even a line for those who hadn´t bought tickets in advance, in case of cancellations. Carnegie wrote both my producer and me the day after that they were impressed by the whole event. And the staff backstage said they had never experienced anything like this concert before. Now that´s something to put on my resumé:)



Thank you Musikk-Huset, for believeing in me and sponsoring my debut! Thank you Susan Blond Inc. for beeing a wonderful and loving publisist! Thank you Anna Gutto for beeing a kick ass producer! Thank you Norwegian Seaman´s Church for letting me practise on your wonderful Boston and work in your library! Thank you Jeffrey Gurian for polishing my comedy act! I DID IT:)

Unfortunately it is not allowed to take photos inside of Carnegie, but you pretty much get the impression of how the atmosphere was during the concert from the wonderful photos by Berit Hessen from the afterparty:)



















See all of the 120 photos here:

http://picasaweb.google.com/berithessen/AkselCarnegieHall?authkey=Gv1sRgCKbSqr3w_bOzXQ&feat=email#

Packed at Caffe Vivali

Yesterday evening was a super Café de Concert concert at Caffe Vivaldi, New York! I performed with the magnificant Curtis Stewart and Amanda Gookin. Kicked the party off with Bartok´s 6 Rumanian dances, the continued with Schumann´s Fantasiestück before wrapping up with the piano trio by Debussy which he wrote when he was 18, just a teenager! The crowd at Vivaldi was great as usual, and after Debussy - the audience turned in to a rock concert-audience! Rock on!!

See the rest of the photos on www.cafedeconcert.no/blog

Successfull stand up debut at the Comic Strip

I started out my gig at the legendary COMIC STRIP last night flexing my chest muscles...I guess I caught the crowd off guard - cause they went bananas!! :) Got it all on tape, will post it in a bit! I actually think I nailed it!! :) The atmosphere was hysteric !! :)

"The Comic Strip comedy club" launched the careers of Jerry Seinfeld, Eddie Murphy, Adam Sandler and Chris Rock!

Thank you Jeffrey Gurian for final polish on my act - and for getting me the spot at the legendary Comic Strip. I am SO looking forward to work more with you!!



Richard Tienken and Jeffrey Gurian - thank you for believeing in me!!



My mother and father flew in that same day with some friends from Norway, I am so happy they got to see this!



After the gig Jeffrey took me out in the Meatpack district to see some of his wonderful friends! I´m performing a Café de Concert concert tonight at Caffe Vivaldi, Sunday is Carnegie-time. I just love NYC!!

Host for Impressions of Norway in New York 2010

Photo: Rick Shupper

This was probably the wildest and coolest presentation of Norwegian Culture in New York ever, arranged by Innovation Norway in downtown New York. Moods of Norway, Madcon, The Flying Culinary Circus and me. Boy, were we on fire!!


Photo: Rick Shupper

I started off with a presentation of the fabulous Moods of Norway-three, then I had the previledge of makeing room for the crazy and genious Flying Culinary Circus. Then I was honored to show my ass on a big screen in addition to presenting my Carnegie Hall debut with some video material. In the end I let Madcon do the rest - which ended up with a superfantastic dance-party for Moods, the chefs and me on stage with the groovin´ Madcon! Man, what a night!


Photo: Rick Shupper


Photo: Rick Shupper


Photo: Berit Hessen


Photo: Berit Hessen


Photo: Berit Hessen


Photo: Berit Hessen