Loch Ness Mouse

15 years… and still going strong

2007 marked the 15th year of existence for Norwegian popsters The Loch Ness Mouse. From the conception at brothers Åleskjær’s farm on the Høland (Hayland) countryside, TLNM has shown a remarkable flair for intricate harmonies and catchy melodies, turning the legacy of the likes of Brian Wilson and Steely Dan into all-man’s property through energetic live shows in homestead Oslo clubs. At the same time, the music has undergone a constant development, moving from said Beach Boys territory and into a dynamic bricolage of rock’n’roll, soul, jazz – and even hip-hop. Such daring musical chemistry has not gone unnoticed, as the TLNM has twice picked up nominations for best pop-album, for “Key West” in 2002, and “11-22” in 2005 (the Alarm Prize), and best album for “11-22” (the Oslo Prize). The band is currently digging into the treasure troves of American jazz greats, while the blues-licks of their guitar heroes have not been forgotten. Their next studio album, tentatively titled “Hi-Fi Kicks” will be recorded in 2008.

Band members include: Ole Johannes Åleskjær (vocals, guitar), Christina Høgetveit Staxrud (vocals, percussion), Ruben Dalen (drums), Ådne Hovda (bass), Kjartan Vestvik (keyboard), Kåre Eriksen (guitar)

http://www.myspace.com/thelochnessmouse
http://www.thelochnessmouse.com/

Pascal Salomon

Pianist Pascal Salomon, France

Pascal Salomon studied piano at the Conservatoire National de Musique de Paris with Gabriel Tacchino. He has taken numerous master classes with pianists Vera Gornostaeva (professor at the Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Moscow), György Sebök, Andras Schiff and Paul Badura-Skoda. He garnered the prize of virtuosity at the “Conservatoire National de Musique de Genève” from the Edson Elias class.

Pascal Salomon also studied choral conducting with Michel Corboz at the Conservatory of Music in Geneva and conducting with Konrad von Abel, a disciple of Sergiu Celibidace and continuator of his teachings, notably in phenemology.

Winner of the scholarship for young performers in 1993 from the “Société de Musique d’Yveron-les-Bains”, Pascal Salomon also received the prize of best French pianist in the Senigalia international contest in Italy as well as the honor diploma in the Maria Canals international contest in Barcelona in 1995.

Pascal has given many concerts (Switzerland, France, Germany, Spain, Greece, Hungary, Moldova, Romania, Israel) in both recitals and chamber music. He has also participated in orchestral productions playing the keyboard with the following orchestras: Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Sinfonietta of Lausanne and Orchestra of Geneva’s conservatory. Pascal has given master classes in Romania (University of Art and College of Music of Iasi) and in Hungary (Summer Institute). Currently he is a professor of piano at the Music Conservatory of Geneva.

Nenia Zenana

Conductor Nenia Zenana, Denmark

Nenia Zenana studied conducting and oral training at the Royal Danish Academy of Music. She now teaches piano and oral training at the University of Copenhagen Musicinstitute. In 1999 she received the Danish Conductor’s Association’s Arne Hammelboe scholarship. Nenia Zenana was for four years the conductor of Copenhagen Youth Symphony Orchestra.

She has earlier conducted Elverhøj Koret (the Elfhill Choir), including for the Royal Danish Theatre’s summer productions in the Deer Park and their performance in St. Peters of Rome. She has conducted a number of Sebastian’s musicals with a leading amateur theatre company. In the autumn of 2003 she conducted the final concert at the Aarhus Festival end recorded Bent Fabricius-Bjerre’s music to the ballet Jack the Dullard (Klodshans), both with the Danish Radio Sinfonietta. Nenia Zenana has conducted the Academic Orchestra and Choir since 2000.

More information:
www.akademisk.kor.dk

Kunming Dong Dong Qing Miao People’s Choir

Kunming Dong Dong Qing Miao People’s Choir Introduction

Kunming Dong Dong Qing Miao People’s Choir is made of farmers from three villages in the Tudong Qing area of the Songming county. The choir was established in 1904 and it has a long tradition in choral singing. There are about 50 choir members and they are 16-40 years old. These ordinary Miao farmers grew up in the middle of singing and developed a strong foundation in choral singing: pure and sweet tone color, clear harmony and natural and far-reaching sound projection.

Mari Salli

Pianist Mari Salli, Finland

Mari Salli, a graduate of Finland Sibelius-Academy and Turku Conservatory, studied piano with professors Nijole Kasperaviciute (Russia), Markku Poyhonen and Marketta Kosonen (Finland). She has wide experience in performing as a solo pianist, chamber musician and symphony orchestra soloist. She has worked as a piano teacher in different countries teaching students of various ethnic backgrounds. She has also organized various music and culture exchange events in Finland, the U.S. and China.

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