3-peat in St.Petersburg

I am so fortunate to have such a great team around me in St.Petersburg - the amazing Vitaly Vasiliev and his fantastic crew!
First off was a small concert performance where I played my newest composition, Étude Norvégienne, followed by a big show for kids about Mozart. Afterwords there was time for questions from the audience. And even the youngest ones all the way down to 7 years reached out for the open mic!! Was a great moment for me to get to talk to teachers, students and small children at the St.Petersburg State University of Culture and Arts!!
Natasja Smirnova - best norwegian/russian translater I have ever heard! So theatrical at the same time!! Perfect match!Got to play with Vladimir Shulyakovskiy, fantastic musician!

The day after we headed out to the amazing Marjino Manor where I played two concerts with the supercool mezzo Katarina and
the genious Stanislav!



And my biggest and oldest fan i Russia, the lovely Valentina, came to listen to my performance. She has been to almost EVERY concert I have played in St.Petersburg since I started to perform there a couple of years ago. Valentina, I am your biggest fan too <3And after the second concert was done, I could relax and go bananas :D

Pit stop in LA before flying over to St.Petersburg

After the concerts in New York I did a small but funky Kolstad-recital at the Norwegian Seaman´s Church in San Pedro, before I put the money from the gig in my pocket

and hit the road - and ended up in Disnelyand :D





And oh, yes... I rented a Mustang Sally!!


Then after just three days in lala-land I sat my sorry ass on a couple of planes and FINALLY ended up in St.Petersburg!! Concerts here tomorrow and the day after :) Will be cool. I live next to the Kazanskij Kathedral <3

2/3 at the WMP

Once again Musikk-Huset´s New York Music Series kicks ass in Manhattan!!!!!

Grøndahl: Scherzo


Grieg: Eit Syn, Ved Rondane, En Svane, Vaaren, En drom


Kolstad: Rachmaninov-variations, 5 Étude Norvégienne


Grieg: "Haugtussa" for trompet and piano


A full house for Nils Georg Haugland Nilsen - tenor, Sam Nester - trompet, Ingunn Elisabeth Tennøe, Heegan Lee and Aksel Kolstad - piano/host

All photos: Jostein Røraas