Montag, 29.11.2004, 20.00 Uhr
Stockwerk, Graz

POING meets Maja Solveig Kjelstrup Ratkje

Rolf-Erik Nystrøm	saxophones
Frode Haltli	accordion
Håkon Thelin	double bass
Maja Solveig Kjelstrup Ratkje	electronics, voice

Maja Solveig Kjelstrup Ratkje	Essential extensions (1999, komponiert für POING)
Maja Solveig Kjelstrup Ratkje	Improvisation
Maja Solveig Kjelstrup Ratkje	»On wombs and wowels« für Kontrabass solo (2003)
Maja Solveig Kjelstrup Ratkje	»Passing images. waltz« für Akkordeon solo (2003)
Maja Solveig Kjelstrup Ratkje	neues Werk (2003, komponiert für POING)
Ruben Sverre Gjertsen	neues werk (komponiert für POING)
Maja Solveig Kjelstrup Ratkje / F. Haltli	drei tangos mit texten von gunnar ekelöf (2000, komponiert für Maja Solveig Kjelstrup Ratkje und POING)
Maja Solveig Kjelstrup Ratkje	»Sinus Seduction« für Tenorsaxophon und Electronics (1997)
Maja Solveig Kjelstrup Ratkje / POING	Improvisationen

Mit Maja Ratkje und dem Trio POING sind zwei der exponiertesten Prime-Exporte Skandinaviens bei "open music" zu Gast. Multitalent Ratkje zählte in ihren Studienjahren (u. a. am IRCAM, Paris) nicht nur Komponisten wie Gubaidulina, K. Huber, Barrett und Saariaho zu ihren Lehrern, sondern hat mit knapp 30 Jahren bereits selbst Komponistenkarriere gemacht: 2001 erhielt sie den begehrten Arne Nordheim Preis, 2003 den ersten Opernauftrag (und auch einen Distinction Award beim Prix Ars Electronica für ihr spektakuläres Soloalbum "Voice"), ihre Werke erscheinen auf labels wie ECM, eine Festivaleinladung und Preisverleihung folgt der anderen. Eine "zweite" steile Karriere kann Maja Ratkje seit Jahren auch als Improvisatorin, Sängerin, Performerin, Elektronikerin, Thereminspielerin und Produzentin für sich buchen; etwa mit dem zeitgenössischen Improvisationsensemble "SPUNK", dem noise-/electronic-Duo "Fe-male" oder durch Kollaborationen mit Jazzkammer, Evan Parker und Rhodrie Davies, Paal Nilssen-Love, Masami Akita (Merzbow), Zbigniew Karkowski, Sachiko M, Jaap Blonk ... und POING. Dieses Trio um den Ausnahmeakkordeonisten Frode Haltli ist, wie Ratkje selbst, sowohl im klassisch-zeitgenössischen als improvisatorischen Bereich "firm". Kritiker sprechen vom "admirable Midas touch" der drei "enfant terribles of Norwegian music". Mit Maja Ratkje sind es vier!

POING started out with playing music by young Norwegian composers on clubs and festivals in Scandinavia.
The repertoire has been extended to include new works from more established composers from all parts of the world (i.e. Japanese composers played on a fantastic tour in Japan in 2003, Volker Heyn, Rolf Wallin and Richard Barrett) as well as improvised music, Kurt Weill or whatever tune the POING wants to play. Their first CD "Giants of Jazz" is now out on the legendary Royal Records.
POING started to play together in 1999, and has since then been one of the most interesting ensembles for contemporary music in Scandinavia, with more then 25 first performances by European and Asian composers. They have visited large music festivals as well as clubs in the north of Europe and Japan, playing mostly contemporary music, but also free improvisation, Kurt Weill or cabaret/tango-heavy metal. They have recently released their first CD, which contains works by Norwegian composers Maja Solveig Kjelstrup Ratkje, Øyvind Torvund, Eivind Buene and Knut Olaf Sunde, and a video by Nora Wjech. In the near future POING will tour Sweden, and play in France, Denmark & Norway.

"It is unique to be able to write and compose for musicians who are not only capable of playing the impossible, but who also do so with pleasure. Poing has got an admirable Midas touch that turns everything they lay their hands on into good music.They have played even the most stumbling of my ideas with such energy and conviction that I have almost begun to believe in them myself, something that of course makes everyday life seem much easier for a poor composer."
(Bendik Hagerup, Oslo 2000)

POING is Rolf-Erik Nystrøm on saxophones, Frode Haltli on accordion and Håkon Thelin on double bass. This is the debut album of the charming and virtuoso trio often described as the 'enfant terribles' of Norwegian music. POING works with composers from all over the world, but "Giants of Jazz " features Norwegian composers at their own age, all in their twenties; Maja Solveig Kjelstrup Ratkje, Øyvind Torvund, Eivind Buene and Knut Olaf Sunde. The CD also includes a video with music by the Polish composer Nora Wjeck. (the legendary Royal Records)

Frode Haltli, born in 1975, studied the accordion at The Norwegian State Academy of Music and The Royal Danish Concervatory of Music. He ended his studies in 2000 and currently lives in Oslo, Norway. At the Bergen International Festival 2000 he was awarded the "Young Soloist of the Year 2001" title by the Norwegian Concert Institute. His debut CD "Looking on Darkness" (ECM New Series) contains solo works written especially for Frode Haltli and gagaku variations by Maja Solveig Kjelstrup Ratkje, which is performed with the Vertavo String Quartet. The CD is produced by Manfred Eicher and recieved the Norwegian Grammy "Spellemannprisen" for best contemporary music album. The CD also recieved splendid reviews in international music magazines.
Frode Haltli began playing the accordion at 7 and already in his childhood he won many national competitions and received several scholarships and legacies. He was awarded first prize by the professional jury in the televised finals of The Norwegian State Broadcasting's "Talentiaden 1991". He has also recieved prizes at a number of international competitions. In 1999 he won a second prize in the prestigious International Gaudeamus Intepreters Competition in the Netherlands.
Frode has played at festivals and concerts in Europe, Russia, America and Asia and has played as a soloist with several orchestras in Europe and Asia.
Frode is actively working with chamber music. He has performed with major orchestras, and is a member of the Oslo Sinfonietta. At present it is the trio POING which occupies much of his time. The trio which includes Rolf-Erik Nystrøm on the saxophone and Håkon Thelin on the double bass mainly performes contemporary music. Frode also plays in Trygve Seim Ensemble and Norwegian folk music in RUSK with folk singer Unni Løvlid and fiddler Vegar Vårdal.

Rolf-Erik Nystrøm (b. 1975) finished his diplomastudies at the Norwegian State Academy of Music. Rolf-Erik has played as soloist with the major Nordic orchestras, played on ca.30 albums, and played as a soloist and with groups in 20 countries. He has composed music for theater and has played improvisation music in a lot of different constellations. He has premiered ca. 60 pieces for the saxophone both as a solo instrument and in chamber music.

Håkon Thelin (b. 1976) has his masterdegree from the Norwegian State Academy of music, where he did a unique research-study on percussion-techniques on doublebass in modern music. He works freelance in all major Norwegian orchestras as well as the contemprary music ensemble Oslo Sinfonietta. He has collaborated with composers from Europe, Australia and Japan, and has participated in contemprary music recordings in Germany and Norway.

Maja Solveig Kjelstrup Ratkje has studied composition at the Norwegian State Academy of Music with professors Olav Anton Thommessen, Asbjørn Schaathun, Lasse Thoresen among others. She has also had lessons with Gerald Bennett, Louis Andriessen, Sofia Gubaidulina, Joji Yuasa, Ivar Frounberg, Klas Torstensson, Klaus Huber, Richard Barrett, Kaija Saariaho and more. She attended IRCAM Summer Academy in 1999. Ratkje's music has been heard in more than 30 countries. She has attended festivals like Ars Electronica, Bourges, Musica Nova, Northlands Festival, Avanto, Venice Art Biennale and the International Gaudeamus Music Week and many more in Norway (Ultima, Bergen International Festival, Oslo Chamber Music Festival, All Ears and others. Her composed work has been performed by Oslo Sinfonietta, Arve Tellefsen, Cikada and Vertavo string quartets, Ticom, crashEnsemble, Torben Snekkestad, Frode Haltli and POING among others. Her music is released on ECM, Grappa and Albedo. Ratkje was the first Norwegian composer to receive the Arne Nordheim Prize in 2001. In 2003 she got a Distinction Award at the Prix Ars Electronica for the album 'Voice' together with the co-producers in Jazzkammer. Also she received the 2nd prize at the Luigi Russolo competition for her piece "Sinus Seduction (moods two)" for saxophone and electronics in 2001 and a number of other prizes before that. Just recently Maja's first opera "No Title Performance and Sparkling Water" (with SPUNK + POING among others) was premiered at the Ultima festival in Oslo.