TALENT 2008

TALENT 2008 takes place in Førde from 29 June to 6 July 2008 with participants from Egypt, Palestine and Norway. Musical directors: Steinar Ofsdal and Lars Bo Kujahn

Talent 07 participants at a concert in Kathmandu

Talent 07 in Beijing 08
Perhaps a confusing title, but it refers to the Førde festival’s Talent project from summer 2007 which in May 2008 makes its second return visit – this time to China. The first return visit was to Kathmandu in Nepal at the end of August 2007 when the programme consisted of performances and concerts.

Førde International Folk Music Festival has run its Talent project for more than ten years in close cooperation with the Norwegian Concert Institute. Each year nine young people in the age group 17–24 are gathered from three countries, one of which is always Norway. The young musicians represent the best folk music performers in their respective countries and are selected through both assessments and auditions. 

The participants in 2007 came from Nepal, China and Norway:

Nepal
Sanskriti Shrestha, tabla, madal (drums)
Rubin Kumar Shrestha, bansuri (flute)
Barta Gandharba, song, sarangi (string instrument)

China
Tang Xiaoyuan, du xian qin (string instrument)
Yang Tianzi, bawu, hulusi, di (flute)
Sha Mo, erhu (two-stringed string instrument)

Norway
Marie Klåpbakken, fiddle, song
Nina Fjeldet, fiddle, song
Rikke van Ommeren, accordion, song

Talent 07 participants from Nepal, China and Norway
From 16 to 21 May 2008 the nine musicians will meet with their leaders in Beijng as guests at Zhongguo Minzu Daxue (China’s University for Ethnic Minorities). They plan a number of performances during their stay, one of which will be held at the Embassy’s 17 May celebrations. The trip has been arranged on the initiative of Steinar Ofsdal and Rigmor Johnsen, and has been made possible with the help of a collaboration between the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Concerts Norway, the Nepal Music Center, the University for Ethnic Minorities, and the Norwegian Embassy in Beijing.

The entire arrangement has the blessing of the Førde International Folk Music Festival, the original initiator of the project.

Partners
Førde festival. Arranged 3–6 July 2008.  http://www.fordefestival.no/