tirsdag 26. april 2011

Standing ovation @ the Opera in Oslo


Photo: Jörg Wiesner/Den Norske Opera & Ballett

Performing in the brand new Opera in Oslo is something special. Especially when you do it "your way".
(all photos: Trine Sirnes)

Which was a "way" the audience seemed to appreciate very much. The Aksel Kolstad Show had over 600 on their feet by the end of my two last virtuoso show-pieces, "Deux Mourceaux Fantasque".


An amazing crowd I fell completely in love with. After I walked out from the stage I thought to my self - my green room backstage won´t fit everybody....so I figured I´d go out in the lobby and meet them all instead <3

mama and papa <3


søndag 10. april 2011

First draft pick 2011



I have found my saviour. I am thrilled to present the super effectiv and energetic Katrine Nicolaysen as my PR asisstant, secretary and the new receptionist at Café de Concert.

Katrine Nicolaysen
CellPhone: +47 936 95 300 (no)
+1 973 220 9454 (us)
email: Katrinenic@gmail.com

Welcome on board, Katrine! Let the games begin:)

søndag 3. april 2011

House concert down town New York



The wonderful Paulette and Will Dixon invited a bunch of their wonderful friends, artists and art-lovers to a house concert on April fool´s day, where I was lucky enough to perform on their wonderful Estonia grand piano. Paulette told me that the owner of the grand piano-brand Estonia calls her every year to ask how everything is going with the instrument. Now, THAT´S love and dedication to your curtomers, my dear friends! And it isn´t just anybody who owns Estonia, it is the magnificant world class pianist Dr. Indrek Laul - who actually came with his beautiful wife Triin to attend the house concert after Paulette had called Dr- Laul and invited them for the soirée. That´s just one of those facinating "only in New York-stories".




I loved playing on that Estonia and can´t wait to visit the Estonia-shop next to Carnegie Hall very soon!


And yes, my new kicks were on fire ;)


In the middle of the first piece I performed a little prima ballerina appeared, all of a sudden :)


After I finished my CD´s were sold to the wonderful audience!


Then, I started kissing Paulette, for beeing such an angel!


Then, I started kissing Dr. Laul, for beeing a genious!


And then...well....I really can´t blame it on the alcohol either, since I don´t drink...
Timothy J. Hunt works for the legendary Tom James clothing-design. We were talking about makeing some funky suits for a performance :)


With me at the concert was my newly hired secretary and PR assistant Katrine Nicolaysen. She´s a locomotiv of guts and creativ ideas in addition to beeing super-systematic, which is a dream come true for me in these hectic days of my carreer. More about the wonderful Katrine in a separat blog coming soon :)


After lots of fun at the party, the Kolstad-entourage à 4 went out...actually next door - to the supercool russian Mari Vanna !! :)

fredag 1. april 2011

1of 3 at the WMP


All photos: Michael Holtermann

The staff of the Norwegian music publisher Musikk-Huset A/S have visions, they are creative and bold. Two days ago they just launched a New York Music Series at the wonderful WMP (Workshop for music performances), down town New York - with the intention of introducing historical and contemporary Norwegian music to NYC. And the New York City-audience filled up the concert hall when PUBLIQuartet and I played ball in NBA jerseys and Moods of Norway-design with Grieg, Debussy, Kolstad, Webern and Scubert.


PUBLIQuartet consist of: Jessie Montgomery and Curtis Stewart, violins, Nick Revel, viola and Amanda Gookin, cello. And guys - you look AWSOME in Moods of Norway!!!!

As host, this was my introduction:
"Ladies and gentlemen of the NBA music lover audience. Welcome to something that might look like a basketball game, but it´s more of a game of music rather than a game of sports. However, we´d like to show you the althetizm in music, and the music in sports.

I have allways dreamt of becoming an NBA basketball player. But I guess I was to short. I´m Norwegian. We´re Vikings. My ancestors were very short. But never the less, I DID play basketball when I was younger. And I realized that it ain´t really that much of a difference bethween the game of basketball and the game of music. They both need presition, creativity, teamwork, technical ability and artistic performances"



More photos and videos from the actual performance coming soon, so stay tuned :)
Also - check out this weeks news letter by Michael Holtermann
http://holtermanndesign.com/HDnews/2011/3/
Oh, and ps: Next concert at the WMP nr 2 of 3, is on May 20th at 7 pm. Starring the Norwegian soprano Isa Katharina Gericke:)