Benedicte Maurseth
Spontaneous composition at Troldhaugen.
Kode Bergen Art Museum’s Composer in Residence for 2026 is Benedicte Maurseth. The acclaimed folk musician is known for her work with the genre’s music heritage. This year, her compositions will be central in Kode’s programme, including this Festival concert in Troldsalen, overlooking Edvard Grieg’s composer hut.
Maurseth released the album Mirra last year, an album featuring sound recordings of wild reindeer, wolverine, snowy owl and Arctic fox from the Hardangervidda plateau, combined with improvisations on fiddle and piano, as well as electronics and percussion. The album was included in The Guardian’s top ten list of folk music albums.
Last year, the work Elja had its world premiere, performed by Benedicte Maurseth and the Kronos Quartet, who were featured as Festival musicians in 2022. Elja was written by Maurseth and Kristine Tjøgersen, and its premiere at Carnegie Hall brought international attention to Hardanger fiddles, as well as the Hardanger viola and cello made by Ottar Kåsa, who is also featured at the Festival this year with the work Istem.
During her year as Composer in Residence, Maurseth will approach music through the theme of 'brådiktning' – music in the moment. This Festival concert will be an opportunity to get to know Maurseth’s work, with a programme that includes 'brådiktning', newly composed music as well as variations on older traditional tunes.
Benedicte Maurseth. Photo: Agnete Brun
“The possibility of fleeting magic, both instrumental and animal, is her album’s sparkling backbone.” – The Guardian om Mirra
Contributors
Benedicte Maurseth Hardanger fiddle, vocals
A collaboration between
Bergen International Festival and Kode
Supported by
