Concerts Norway held auditions in Jerusalem

8 and 9 February 2008:

Together with the local cooperative organisation Sabreen, Concerts Norway held auditions in Jerusalem and Bethlehem for young Palestinians in the age group 18-25.

The process of selecting three candidates who are to participate in the cooperation started with a total of 16 hopeful young people at the auditions in Jerusalem and Bethlehem. The candidates were vocalists as well as instrumentalists who played instruments such as the oud, qanoon, darbuka, tambourin and violin. The next step in the process is for the musical directors to go through all the material to ensure that the final ensemble will be of optimal quality. The names of the selected candidates will be announced by the Førde festival just after Easter.

The auditions were arranged on behalf of Talent 08 – a programme financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to promote young folk music talents. One of the ways of achieving this is through participation in the Førde International Folk Music Festival. This year it is the turn of Palestine and Egypt to be represented by three talented young people from each country along with three gifted young performers from Norway. The nine selected musicians will meet in Norway in the summer and will rehearse a repertoire under the artistic direction of Steinar Ofsdal and Lars Bo Kujahn for a performance at the Førde festival in July 2008.
 
More information is available at www.fordefestival.no.