Master concert: Johannes Byrkjeland

Programme:

Part 1: French highlights

Henri Dutilleux (1916-2013)
Sarabande et Cortège

Jarle Rotevatn – Piano

Camille Saint-Saëns (1835- 1921)
Sonate for bassoon and piano, Op.168:

I. Allegretto moderat
II. Allegro scherzando
III. Molto adagio - Allegro moderato

Jarle Rotevatn – Piano

Part 2: Unexplored Depths

Henry Eccles (1670-1742)
Sonate no. 11 in G minor
Largo
Corente: Stacato Alegro

Didrik Berg – Double bass
Benjamin Kallestein – Organ

Gerhard Deutschmann (1933-) and Terje Bjørn Lerstad (1955-)

From «Sonatas for bassoon and piano», DWV 133 Op.113
I. Ruhig (Deutschmann)
II. Scherzo: Allegro vivace (Lerstad)
III. Etwas bewegt (Deutschmann)
IV. Lebhaft (Deutschmann)

Jarle Rotevatn – Piano

Gene Koshinski (1980-)
Get it!

Stian Aase – Precussion

Part 3: Mature reflections

Johannes Byrkjeland (1993-)
Romance, Op. 5 for the bassoon quintet

Ricardo Odriozola – 1. Fiddle
Sergio Llorente – 2. Fiddle
Julia Palmer – Viola
Johanna Saaek – Cello

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)
Consert in Bb major for bassoon and orchestra, K. 191
I.Allegro
II. Andante ma adagio
III.Rondo: Tempo di Menuetto

Jarle Rotevatn – Piano

Thank you:
The everyone involved for having burdened themselves with a very demanding repertoire, especially those with enough faith in my music to want to help bring it to life. An extra thank you to Bergen's professional bassoon community Per, Jim, Jeff, Odd and Tony for generously sharing experiences with pipes, grips, practice and problem solving.

Johannes Byrkjeland is a versatile performer and composer from Oslo. His sudden turn to the bassoon and classical music came after he heard Vårofferet for the first time as an 18-year-old. The fascination with the instrument (and frustration with keeping together a band to write songs for) gradually downgraded the rhythmic, guitar-based genres to only influences. He was able to study bassoon early on with Eirik Birkeland, which led to a performance study place in 2016, just over four years after his first bassoon lesson.
Johannes completed his bachelor's degree between Stavanger and Bergen. In Stavanger, he quickly became an established, steady chamber musician and led several semi-professional wind quintets with SSO musicians on a permanent and project basis. In Bergen, he had access to good contrabassoons and supplementary advice from BFO's bassoon group led by Per Hannevold. He has since eagerly explored the virtuosic possibilities of the contraption.
In a master's program, now entirely based in Bergen, Johannes studies under James Lassen. Apart from freelancing in the area, he teaches piano and writes chamber music. As a composer, he values many inspirations and ensembles that he himself can play in. He has (and promotes) a strict ear teaching routine to inform his playing and further instruct the music.