August
- September 2003
Studio Demos
The kick off to the autumn season started in the studio in Kristiansand, demoing
new songs, mostly pieces written during summer inspiration, at the southern
coast of Norway. Status on new material is now shaping up. We think we’re
getting closer to beginning the recording of our new album, which will be released
sometime next year. We will however include one more round of writing to be
demoed in November, before we start the actual production planning.
Live Radio Show
The June concerts, with the RTE concert orchestra and the RTE Philharmonic choir
in the Helix Concert Hall in Dublin, are now finally mixed. The two 45-minute
programs will be transmitted on the Irish radio channel RTE, preliminary scheduled
for December. Among the selections is the new piece “Psalm”, which
we premiered on that special evening. The words to “Psalm” are written
by Brendan Graham.
Preparing Concert
Tour
The idea of doing an intimate concert tour as been with us for some time now.
We have discussed it, and wondered if it would be possible, and would we sustain
a full concert program with our music in a small setting? This fall we put all
doubts aside, and embarked on a tour of 27 concerts, traveling through Norway
form north to south. Our line up included Katie McMahon on vocals and Irish
harp, Steinar Ofsdal on whistles, Hardanger fiddle and cello, and Rolf and Fionnuala
on keyboards and violin. With this quartet we arranged our music in a new way,
sometimes in different keys to suit Katie’s voice. We rehearsed intensively
during the last part of August, and then premiered the tour in Drammen on the
31st of August.
Norwegian Tour
This opening concert gave us an enormous reassurance that this was a new and
exciting way to present our music. The audience responded with standing ovations,
and the press gave us top marks in the reviews. From Drammen we traveled right
up in the Arctic circle to Tromsø, and from there we began our exciting
and breathtaking tour, covering thousands of kilometers through the most spectacular
scenery imaginable. The sights we saw everyday, from glaciers to mountain ranges,
beautiful rivers and waterfalls, to the deepest fjords, was all covered in a
blanket of warm autumn colours. From ferries, through mountain tunnels, to high
road passes 2000 meters above sea level, we saw reindeer flocks at the arctic
circle, 5000 year old runes at Hammarøy, wooden churches dating back
to 1100. We met the most wonderful people, who welcomed us with open arms. We
heard Knut Kjøk, a brilliant traditional fiddle player; perform for us
in his own home. We ate "rømmegrøt" and "spekemat",
which was specially made for us. But most importantly, we performed to the most
wonderful audiences. Each and every concert was a joy to perform.
|
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Fans from Ireland
and Germany
We were also very surprised and delighted that two Irish couples found their
way to Norway for two different concerts. Also a German fan flew in from Cologne.
We really appreciate all their effort in attending these concerts.
The Press
Here is some of what the Norwegian press wrote (translated into English) about
the concerts:
Drammen’s Tidende |
Gloppen, Sandane |
“
... Very beautiful and sparkling performed music. A concert with feelings, |
“Simply beautiful. An experience impossible to express in words” |
VG |
Avisen Nordland |
| "Lyrical bliss ... | ”A Secret Garden universe of intimacy and warmth” |
|
Rana blad |
Sunnmørsposten |
| “Joyous melancholy...” | “Keywords: Goosebumps and shivers down the spine” |
|
Firda Tidende |
Agderposten |
| A silent wandering through a beautiful garden. Perfectly performed. |
Piano Solo
Rolf performed a piano solo on the concert tour. It’s a collage containing
new piano arrangements of three formerly released Secret Garden pieces: “Home”
from the “White stones” album, “Atlantia” from the “Song
from a secret garden” album, and “Awakening” from the “Once
in a red moon” album. The collage is called “Three Norwegian moods”.
A lot of people have requested piano arrangements of our music, and since this
tour, there seem to be particular interest in this work. We’re now preparing
the sheet music arrangement, and will make it available, along with our other
music, through our web site, soon.
Happy Halloween!
Fionnuala and Rolf
