Ketil Bjørnstad facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ketil Bjørnstad
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Ketil Bjørnstad in 2013.
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Ketil Bjørnstad |
| Born | 25 April 1952 Oslo, Norway |
| Genres | Classical, chamber jazz, third stream, folk jazz, new-age |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, composer, author |
| Instruments | Piano, keyboards |
| Labels | ECM, Kirkelig Kulturverksted, Hubro |
| Associated acts | David Darling, Terje Rypdal, Svante Henryson |
Ketil Bjørnstad (born April 25, 1952) is a famous Norwegian pianist, composer, and author. He started his career as a classical pianist but soon discovered his love for jazz music.
Besides making music, Bjørnstad is also a successful writer. He has published many books, including novels and poetry. He has worked with many other talented musicians on the ECM label, such as cellists David Darling and Svante Henryson, and guitarist Terje Rypdal.
Contents
A Life in Music and Words
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Ketil Bjørnstad was born in Oslo, Norway. He began training as a classical pianist when he was young and studied with great teachers in Oslo, London, and Paris. He was so talented that he won the "Youth Piano Master" award in 1966 and 1968. At just 16 years old, he performed as a concert pianist for the first time, playing a famous piano piece by Béla Bartók.
Later, Bjørnstad became interested in jazz and rock music. He started working with other well-known Norwegian musicians. He has recorded over 50 albums. One of his most famous works is Leve Patagonia from 1978. His most popular song is "Sommernatt ved fjorden" (which means "Summer Night by the Fjord").
Bjørnstad is known around the world for his recordings. His album Floating reached the top of the jazz charts in Germany. His music is often described as calm and thoughtful. Some critics have even compared his songwriting to the famous Canadian singer Leonard Cohen.
Working with Others
Throughout his career, Bjørnstad has enjoyed working with other artists. He has written music for big events like the Molde International Jazz Festival. His music has also been used in movies by famous directors like Ken Loach and Jean-Luc Godard. As a pianist, he has toured all over the world and played at major jazz festivals.
In recent years, he has often worked with the Swedish cellist Svante Henryson. He also wrote a special piece of music called an oratorio for the new millennium in 2000. An oratorio is a large musical work for an orchestra, a choir, and singers.
A Talented Author
Bjørnstad is not just a musician; he is also a gifted writer. He published his first book, a collection of poems called Alone, in 1972. Since then, he has written about 30 books.
Famous Novels
One of his most famous novels is Oda!. The book is about the life of Oda Krohg, an artist who lived in Kristiania (the old name for Oslo) in the late 1800s. This book gives a great look into what life was like for artists in Norway at that time. He also wrote a popular book about the famous painter Edvard Munch.
Another important work is his trilogy of novels about a young pianist named Aksel Vinding. The first book in the series, To Music, was a huge success in Germany and France, where it won an award chosen by readers.
He also wrote a series of six novels, with each book focusing on a different decade, starting with the 1960s. This series has been very popular in Norway.
Biographies and Other Works
Bjørnstad has written biographies about other interesting people, like the Norwegian painter Bendik Riis. He also wrote a book about the composer Mozart that connects Mozart's life to his own childhood in Oslo. This book was highly praised by critics.
Recent Projects
Bjørnstad continues to be very active in both music and writing. In 2014, he performed with guitarist Terje Rypdal for an audience of over 50,000 people at a jazz festival in South Korea.
He has released several new albums, including solo piano music and collaborations with other musicians. In 2019, he celebrated his 50th anniversary as a musician with two sold-out concerts at The Norwegian Opera. One of these concerts was filmed and shown on TV.
His recent work includes an opera about the famous Norwegian opera singer Kirsten Flagstad, which was performed at The Norwegian Opera in 2020.
Selected Discography
Here are some of Ketil Bjørnstad's well-known albums:
- 1978 Leve Patagonia
- 1993 Water Stories
- 1995 The Sea
- 1996 The River
- 1998 The Sea II
- 2001 Grace
- 2006 Floating
- 2008 Life in Leipzig
- 2009 Remembrance
- 2011 Night Song
- 2013 La Notte
- 2019 The World I Used To Know
Books
- Ketil Bjørnstad. The Story of Edvard Munch, London, UK: Arcadia, 2001. ISBN: 1-900850-44-3
- Ketil Bjørnstad. Villa Europa, Oslo, Norway: Aschehoug, 1992 (Norwegian). ISBN: 82-03-16872-8
Awards
- Spellemannprisen (the Norwegian Grammy Award) in 1974
- Riksmål Society Literature Prize in 1988
- Gammleng Prize for his music in 2001
- The French reader prize Le prix des lecteurs for his novel To Music in 2008
See also
In Spanish: Ketil Bjørnstad para niños
