BarokksolisteneOpens the Season with an Alehouse Session at University of Chicago
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE –
9/12/2017
PHOTOS
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Daniel Meyers
Marketing Coordinator
University of Chicago Presents
773.702.8068
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CHICAGO – On Friday, October 6, 2017, at 7:30 PM, in the International House at the University of Chicago, Baroque ensemble Barokksolistenemakes its Chicago debut opening the 74th season of University of Chicago Presents.
The Alehouse Sessions – curated and devised by Bjarte Eike – is an ever changing and evolving insight into the music of the English 17th Century tavern. These sessions have been hailed as “irresistible” [The Times], “superb” [The Scotsman] and “fabulously unrestrained”[The Guardian], and they have diverted away from the traditional concert model by “creating the effect of a late night jamming session” [BBC Music Magazine].
Through the medium of these well-loved tunes, a story of the period is interwoven into the music making, creating a unique environment between audience and performer. Bjarte Eike goes into detail about what makes this special:
“The signature of this project is the interaction on stage between the players and the audience. If it has to be put in a historical context, the project draws its inspiration from the Shakespearian theatre where there was a direct dialogue between the story that was being told on stage and events happening in the hall. This is in stark contrast to the 19th century drama with dark halls looking at the “gods” on stage. It is the latter which the classical mainstream industry has adapted fully.”
Using their own arrangement of the tunes, these “Alehouse Boys” combine this unique format with humor, an unrivalled virtuosity, and flare for improvisation.
FRIDAY / OCTOBER 6 / 7:30 PM / INTERNATION HOUSE AT UCHICAGO
Barokksolistene
Bjarte Eike, artistic director
The Alehouse Sessions
CONCERT LOCATION
International House, 1414 E 59th St, Chicago, IL 60637
TICKETS
$38 / $30 Faculty and Staff / $20 Under 35 / $10 Students
Call773.702.ARTS (773.702.2787) or visit tickets.uchicago.edu
BOX OFFICE
UChicago Arts Box Office, Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts, 915 E. 60th Street
Regular hours are Tuesday – Saturday, 12 pm – 6 pm and through concert intermission;
1 – 4 pm on concert Sundays.
Concert information online atchicagopresents.uchicago.edu
ABOUT BAROKKSOLISTENE
Barokksolistene, founded and led by Norwegian violinist and Artistic Director Bjarte Eike, is a baroque ensemble that “brings the raw rhythms of Scandinavian folk music to…the high baroque” [Financial Times].
They draw on their native influences and traditions to produce unique projects and programmes that range from their performances of Handel’s operas to their uniquely branded Alehouse Sessions. They are the ensemble in residence at the Bergen National Opera.
From recording all the music for the Shakespeare Globe’s 400th anniversary, The Complete Walk installation, to their first major UK tour, the recent season has seen the “uproariously talented Barokksolistene” [The Arts Desk] bring their virtuosity and Scandinavian flare to a huge audience in a short space of time. With a debut tour in the USA in 2017, this is a group that will continue to expand that audience.
Their projects bring together elements of folk music and historically informed performance, always with a passion for collaboration and new ideas. Nowhere is this more evident than in their signature project The Alehouse Sessions.
“Any group that can have a festival audience performing an Icelandic football chant has to be doing something right” [The Guardian].
The Image of Melancholy, one of the group’s first major records, was released on BIS and explores the use of melancholy in music throughout the centuries. In the same month it was released, it won International Recording of the Year at the Danish P2 Prisen Award.
Bjarte Eike and Barokksolistene are based in Norway and were established in 2005. They are very grateful to receive support from the government via Kulturrådet and the community of Norway as proud ambassadors of Norwegian culture.
ABOUT BJARTE EIKE
Baroque violinist Bjarte Eike pushes boundaries in classical music, constantly looking for new projects in the borderland of genres and is reaching out to new audiences with his infectious playing and style.
As the artistic director of Barokksolistene, he has created new and innovative concepts such as The Alehouse Sessions, exploring 17th century music from the pubs and alehouses in England; The Early Joke, a musical travel through history, exploring different aspects ofhumour and music; and The Image of Melancholy, dealing with the sad songs and emotions through Renaissance, folk, and experimental music.
As a freelance violinist and concertmaster, he continues to explore alternative ways of approaching classical music. Although his musical foundation is thoroughly rooted in so-called Historically Informed Performance practice (HIP), he likes to include other artistic aspects in his performances, using visual arts, dance, story-telling, improvisation, etc. He is experiencing a growing interest from European and American ensembles and orchestras, inviting him as a guest-leader and conductor.
Eike received his training from the Grieg Academy in Bergen, Norway and with Richard Gwilt in London, and has been Artist in residence at festivals for early music, classical music, folk music, experimental music, and jazz. He has participated in a large number of recordings and is currently teaching baroque violin at the Norwegian Academy of Music in Oslo and as a guest-teacher at the Royal Danish Music Conservatory in Copenhagen.
ABOUT THE HOWARD MAYER BROWN INTERNATIONAL EARLY MUSIC SERIES AND UCHICAGO PRESENTS
Founded in 1981, the Howard Mayer Brown International Early Music Series spans from medieval and Renaissance to the Baroque and features artists dedicated to historically researched, informed programming and original instrument practices.
Now in its 74th year of bringing the world's best artists to Chicago, The University of Chicago Presents offers 25 unique performances in six distinct series in the 2017/18 season, from early music to classical, contemporary, and jazz. This season celebrates the richness that music has to offer with unrivaled musical experiences that bring passion and virtuosity to the stage.
We are grateful to all of our supporters and partners, including:
Presenting Partners:
Promotional and In-Kind
UChicago Partnerships
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