The Nordic Music Festival, featuring Swedish pianist Matti Hirvonen (professor, Norwegian Academy of Music) as guest artist and clinician, will take place September 30 – October 7. The week-long series of events will bring together regional community members and University of Wisconsin Oshkosh students and faculty to learn about and hear live performances of Nordic repertoire.
Sunday, Sept. 30
First Congregational Church in Oshkosh
Regional organists perform organ works by Scandinavian composers.
Tuesday, Oct. 2
First Congregational Church in Oshkosh
Guest artist Matti Hirvonen is joined by Anna Hersey, soprano, and Luis Fernandez, violin in a lunchtime “preview” concert.
Wednesday, October 3
University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Recital Hall
Matti Hirvonen works with UWO student singers in a master class on Nordic Repertoire.
Thursday, October 4
University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Recital Hall
Matti Hirvonen works with UWO student pianists in a master class on Grieg piano works.
Friday, October 5
University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Recital Hall
Anna Hersey, soprano, and Matti Hirvonen, piano present a song recital featuring Edvard Grieg’s only cycle, “Haugtussa,” as well as Johan Kvandal’s complete “Norske Stevtoner,” hailed as the greatest Scandinavian song composition of the twentieth century.
Saturday, October 6
University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Recital Hall
Festival Finale Concert featuring master class participants, UWO faculty guests, UWO choirs, and Oshkosh area high school singers. Distinguished judge Mimmi Fulmer (UW Madison) will award top student singers with scholarships.
The goal of the festival is to promote interest in Nordic music for both general audiences and student/musician audiences, and to bring together a wide variety of demographic groups to study, perform, experience, and enjoy this repertoire together. Audiences will have the opportunity not only to hear the Nordic repertoire, but student participants will be actively engaged in its study and performance, and will receive meaningful feedback from a master teacher. To ensure that the performances and master classes will be accessible to the broadest audience possible, all events will be free and open to the public.