the ensemble
asamisimasa was formed in Oslo in 2001, focusing on music by composers such as Helmut Lachenmann and Brian Ferneyhough. Since 2003, further members have been included in the ensemble, and today it consists of Janne Berglund (soprano), Rolf Borch (clarinet), Håkon Mørch Stene (percussion), Anders Førisdal (guitar), Ellen Ugelvik (piano) and Tanja Orning (cello).
asamisimasa combines performances of the classical repertoire and post-war avant-garde with new pieces especially written for them, also including electronics, video or other media.
The ensemble has collaborated with composers such as Helmut Lachenmann, Nicolaus A.Huber, Mathias Spahlinger, Aldo Clementi, Alvin Lucier, Michael Finnissy, Brian Ferneyhough, Helmut Oehring, Chris Dench and Scandinavian composers such as Dror Feiler, Sven Lyder Kahrs, Ole Henrik Moe jr., Trond Reinholdtsen and Simon Steen-Andersen.
Performances include the Ultima festival, Berlin Philharmonie – Debüt im Detschlandradio Kultur, Borealis, GAS, Huddersfield, Cutting Edge, Roaring Hooves, 2Days & 2Nights, Spor and Audio Poverty among others.
the members
Janne Berglund
Soprano Janne Berglund has her diplomas from the Norwegian Music Academy and the Royal Danish Opera Academy. She has participated in many chamber music festivals, and she is often heard in different oratorios and with orchestras, among them Stavanger and Trondheim. In 2005 Berglund won the 1st prize in the National part of the Queen Sonja International Music Competition. In August 2007 she is going to debut at the Norwegian National Opera as Mimí in La Boheme by Puccini.
Rolf Borch
Rolf Borch studied at the Norwegian Academy of Music with Hans Christian Bræin. In addition to mastering a broad classical repertoire, Borch has a strong commitment to contemporary music, something that has resulted in over 70 premier performances of works from Norway and abroad. The list of composers with whom he has collaborated is extensive, including such prominent figures as Helmut Lachenmann, Brian Ferneyhough, Helmut Oehring and Kaija Sariaaho. The many Norwegian composers on this list include Magne Hegdal, Sven Lyder Kahrs, Jon Øivind Ness, Mark Adderley, Eivind Buene and Ørjan Matre. Borch is a noted soloist and has performed with several Norwegian orchestras and ensembles. In recent years he has been engaged for solo performances throughout Norway, as well as at concerts and festivals on the continent. His first solo-CD, “Step Inside”, was very well recieved by the critics, and was also nominated for the Norwegian Grammy Award. In 2008 he recieved the prestigious Young Lindeman Award.
Tanja Orning
After studies in Oslo, in London with Willian Pleeth and at Indiana University with Janos Starker as a Fulbright Research Fellow, Tanja held the position as a co-principal cellist in the Stavanger Symphony Orchestra from 1994 to 2000 when she left for Oslo in order to realise a number of projects as a performer, improviser and composer. Ornings current projects: asimisimasa, Cellotronics (solo), Christian Wallumrød Ensemble, Dr.Ox. with Natasha Barrett, Ensemble Polygon and BOA trio with Tora Augestad and Rolf Borch. She plays regularly with the Oslo Sinfonietta and Ensemble Ernst. She has commissioned and premiered some 60 chamber – and solo works by Norwegian composers such as Natasha Barrett, Maja Ratkje, Eivind Buene, Lene Grenager, Olav Anton Thommesen and Ole Henrik Moe. Orning has participated in several recordings of contemporary music and in 2005 she released her solo-CD Cellotronics. In 2000 she received a 2 year state grant for performing artists. She has performed at festivals such as Huddersfield, Ultima, Borealis, Fri Resonans, Kontak, Ilios, Stavanger International Chamber Music Festival, Olavsfestdagene, Trondheim kammermusikkfest, Molde jazzfestival, Kongsberg jazzfestival, Vossajazz, Novara Jazz Festival, Shared Sounds (Berlin) and Taktlos (Zürich). Currently Orning is undertaking research in contemporary performance practice through studying and performing works by Lachenmann, Ferneyhough and Feldman at the Norwegian Academy of Music.
Ellen Ugelvik
Ellen Ugelvik studied with Einar Røttingen at the Grieg Academy in Bergen, Håkon Austbø at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam and Steffen Schleiermacher at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater, Leipzig. Ugelvik works as a soloist throughout the world. She has been invited to festivals such as Tasten – Berliner Klaviertage, New Nordic Music, St. Petersburg, Gaudeamus and De Suite Muziekweek, Amsterdam, Musikhøst, Odense and Ultima, Borealis, Happy Days, Ilios, Bergen International Festival, Oslo Chamber Music Festival and Stavanger International Chamber Music Festival. Her concerts have been broadcast in Norway, UK, China and Holland. She collaborates with composers like George Crumb, Helmut Lachenmann, Louis Andriessen, Asbjørn Schaatun, Rolf Wallin, Magne Hegdal, Christian Blom, Dai Fujikura, Vanessa Lann, Huba de Graaff, Mari Takano and Alwynne Pritchard. She has been a soloist with Oslo Sinfonietta, Bodø Sinfonietta and The Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra in Lachenman´’s piano concerto Ausklang. In 2011 she performs as a soloist with The Oslo Filharmonic Orchestra. Her commitment to contemporary music is widely recognised. She recently received a state grant for performing artists, one of the most coveted awards in Norway. Ellen Ugelvik has participated on several recordings and her first solo-album was released on Simax Classics. This recording was rewarded with the Norwegian Grammy-award in 2008. Ellen also performs with groups Jagerflygel and Polygon.
Håkon Stene
Håkon Stene studied in Oslo, Freiburg and San Diego with Bernhard Wulff, Pascal Pons and Steven Schick among others.
2005-2008 he was selected for the launch programme INTRO for young soloist by Concerts Norway. Solo-and chamber performances with ensembles asamisimasa, Oslo Sinfonietta, BIT20, Rolf Lislevand Ensemble and Nils Økland Ensemble include festivals such as Ultima, Bergen Festival, Borealis, Stavanger International Festival, Venezia Biennale, Feldkirch, Musik+, Cheltenham festival, Nordic Music Days, GAS, Happy Days, Cutting Edge, 2Days&2 Nights, Huddersfield, Stockholm New Music, Darmstadt, Le Weekend, Audio Poverty and Shared Sounds; tours around Europe, Mongolia, Vietnam and Indonesia as well as recordings for several labels, Radio and TV. From 2010-2013 he will be working within The National Norwegian Artistic Research Fellowships Programme at the Norwegian Academy of Music, developing new repertoire for multi-percussion.
Anders Førisdal
Anders Førisdal studied at the Norwegian Academy of Music where he finished with a Masters Degree on Aldo Clementi´s music. Besides working on solo projects, he has performed in a wide variety of ensembles such as Elision, Plus Minus, Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra, Bergen Philharmonic in addition to asamisimasa. He plays rare multi-string guitars and microtonal guitars and composers such as Brian Ferneyhough, Roger Redgate, Michael Finnissy, Chris Dench, Bryn Harrison, Klaus Lang and Ole Henrik Moe jr. have written works for him. From 2010-2013 he will undertake research in contemporary performance practice within the Ph.D programme at the Norwegian State Academy.