# 2015 in Norwegian music

The following is a list of notable events and releases of the year 2015 in Norwegian music.

## Events
### January

* 21 – Bodø Jazz Open started in Bodø (January 21–24).
* 23
** Nordlysfestivalen started in Tromsø (January 23 – February 1).
** Ragnar Olsen, (folk singer) was awarded the Nordlysprisen 2015 at Nordlysfestivalen.
* 29 – Kristiansund Opera Festival (Operafestukene) 2015 started in Kristiansund (January 29 – February 7).

### February

* 5
** Ice Music Festival 2015 started in Geilo (February 5–8).
** The Polarjazz Festival 2015 starts in Longyearbyen (February 5–8).
* 6 – Oslo Operaball 2015 was arranged in Oslo.

### March

* 4 – By:Larm 2015 started in Oslo (March 4–7).
* 5 – Oslo International Church Music Festival 2015 started in Oslo (March 5–15).
* 6 – Narvik Winter Festival started (March 6 – 15).
* 24 – Ingrid Søfteland Neset was the winner of this years soloist competition awarded by The Royal Danish Academy of Music.
* 27 – Vossajazz started in Voss (March 27–29).
* 28
** Thea Hjelmeland was awarded Vossajazzprisen 2015 for the album Solar Plexus.
** Live Maria Roggen performs the commissioned work Apukaluptein at Vossajazz.

### April

* 1 – Inferno Metal Festival 2015 started in Oslo (April 1–4).
* 23
** SoddJazz started in Inderøy Municipality in Nord-Trøndelag (April 23–26).
** Nidaros Blues Festival 2015 started in Trondheim (April 23–26).
* 30
** Bergen Filharmoniske Orkester performed Symphony No. 9 (Beethoven) in Grieghallen, Bergen.
** In The Country featuring Frida Ånnevik played at Victoria – Nasjonal Jazzscene in Oslo.
** Highasakite played at Sentrum Scene in Oslo.
** Oslo Ess (with friends) played at the Brygga Kultursal in Halden.
** The D'voice Festival 2015 started in Songdalen Municipality (April 30 – May 1).
** Karmøygeddon Metal Festival 2015 started in Karmøy Municipality (April 30 – May 3).

### May

* 1
** Dave Holland Prism played at Victoria – Nasjonal Jazzscene in Oslo.
** Chris Thompson / Mads Eriksen Band + Elg played at Madam Felle in Bergen.
* 2
** Frode Kjekstad Trio played at Herr Nilsen Concert pub in Oslo.
** Kvelertak played at Jevnakerhallen in Jevnaker Municipality.
* 5 – MaiJazz 2015 started in Stavanger (May 5 – 10).
* 6 – AnJazz 2015 started in Hamar (May 6 – 9).
* 7
** Julie Dahle Aagård played at Uhørt in Oslo.
** Lisa Ekdahl play at Rockefeller in Oslo.
** Bergen Big Band with Gabriel Fliflet and Ole Hamre played at Sardinen USF in Bergen.
** Trondheim Jazz Festival 2015 started in Trondheim (May 7–10).
* 8
** Per Mathisen Trio played at Draaben Bar in Sandefjord.
** Hanna Paulsberg Concept / Soil Collectors / MOPO played at Victoria – Nasjonal Jazzscene Oslo.
* 9 – Iver Kleive played Requiem in Røros Church.
* 10 – Kampenjazz: Anja Eline Skybakmoen played at Cafeteatret Oslo.
* 15
** Jan Erik Mikalsen won the International Rostrum of Composers in the general category for the composition Songs for Orchestra.
** Per Mathisen Trio played at Victoria – National Jazz Scene in Oslo.
* 16 – Farmers Market played at Victoria – National Jazz Scene in Oslo.
* 22 – Eivind Opsvik Overseas played at Victoria – National Jazz Scene in Oslo.
* 23 – Beady Belle played at Victoria – National Jazz Scene in Oslo.
* 27 – Festspillene i Bergen 2015 started (May 27 – June 10).
* 28
** Nattjazz started in Bergen (May 28 – June 6).
** Bergen Big Band was the very first recipients of Olav Dale's Memorial Award at the opening of Nattjazz 2015.

### June

* 10
** Norwegian Wood 2015 started in Oslo, Norway (June 10–13).
** Opera Østfold 2015 started in Halden (June 10–13).
* 11 – Bergenfest 2015 started in Bergen, Norway (June 11 – 14).
* 15 – Grieg in Bergen 2015 started in Bergen, Norway (June 15 – August 22).
* 21 – Hardanger Music Festival 2015 started in Ullensvang Municipality (June 21 – 25).
* 23 – Risør Festival of Chamber Music 2015 started in Risør (June 23–28).

### July

* 1
** Kongsberg Jazzfestival 2015 started in Kongsberg (July 1–4).
** Ellen Andrea Wang was recipient of the Kongsberg Jazz Award or DNB.prisen 2015 at the Kongsberg Jazzfestival.
** Vinstra Music Festival 2015 started in Vinstra (July 1 – 5).
** Førde International Folk Music Festival 2015 started in Førde (July 1 – 5).
* 2 – Stavernfestivalen 2015 started in Stavern (July 2–4).
* 8 – Riddu Riđđu 2015 started in Kåfjord Municipality in Troms (July 8–12).
* 13 – Moldejazz 2015 started in Molde with Mats Gustafsson as artist in residence (July 13–18).
* 16
** Jan Ole Otnæs received the 2015 Molderosen at Moldejazz.
** Bukta Festival 2015 started in Tromsø (July 16–18).
** The Malakoff 2015 started in Nordfjordeid (July 16–18).
** The Slottsfjell Festival 2015 started in Tønsberg (July 16–18).
** Vinjerock 2015 started in Eidsbugarden, Jotunheimen (July 16–19).
* 22
** Canal Street 2015 started in Arendal (July 22–25).
** Seljord Country Festival 2015 started in Seljord Municipality (July 22 – 26).
* 28 – Olavsfestdagene 2015 started in Trondheim (July 28 – August 2).
* 30
** Raumarock 2015 started in Åndalsnes (July 30 – August 1).
** The 28th Notodden Blues Festival (2015) started in Notodden (July 30 – August 2).

### August

* 5
** Sildajazz 2015 started in Haugesund (August 5–9).
** Varanger Festival 2015 started in Vadsø (August 5–9). Arcane Station will have his debut concert here.
* 6
** Telemark Festival 2015 started in Bø i Telemark (August 6–9).
** Hemnesjazz 2015 started in Hemnesberget, Helgeland (August 6–9).
* 8 – The Kids in Jazz 2015 festival started in Oslo as part of the Oslo Jazzfestival (August 8–12).
* 10 – Oslo Jazzfestival started in Oslo (August 10–15).
* 11 – Øyafestivalen started in Oslo (August 11–15).
* 12 – Anneli Drecker played at Øyafestivalen.
* 15 – Oslo Chamber Music Festival 2015 started in Oslo (July 15–23).
* 21 – Pstereo Festival 2015 started in Trondheim (July 21–22).

### September

* 3 – Punktfestivalen 2015 started in Kristiansand (September 3–5).
* 10 – Ultima Oslo Contemporary Music Festival 2015 started in Oslo (September 10–19).
* 20 – Trondheim Chamber Music Festival 2015 started in Trondheim (July 20–27).

### October

* 15 – DølaJazz 2015 started in Lillehammer (October 15–18).
* 22 – The Insomnia Festival started in Tromsø (October 22–25).
* 28 – The Ekkofestival started in Bergen (October 28 – November 1).

### November

* 11 – The Vardø Blues Festival (Blues i Vintermørket) started (November 11 – 15).
* 25 – The 10th Barents Jazz, Tromsø International Jazz Festival started (November 25 – 29).

### December

* 11 – The Nobel Peace Prize Concert was held at Telenor Arena.
* 15 – 2015 Southern Norwegian jazz center award received by Hilde Hefte.
* 29 – RIBBEjazz 2015 – a one-day festival in Lillestrøm.

## Albums released
### January

| Day | Album | Artist | Label | Notes |
| 15 | Many Years To Go | Erik Moll | EMM Records | |
| 20 | Meditation | Terje Isungset | All Ice Records | |
| 21 | Nangijala | Andreas Loven | Losen Records | |
| 30 | Pinball | Marius Neset | ACT Music | Produced by Marius Neset and Anton Eger |
| 30 | Bits & Pieces | Mopti feat. Bendik Baksaas | Jazzland Recordings | Produced by Bendik Baksaas, Christian M. Svendsen, Aleksander Sjølie, Harald Lassen |
| 30 | Opp De Nye Blanke | Honningbarna | Nye Blanke | |

### February

| Day | Album | Artist | Label | Notes |
| 6 | The Half-finished Heaven | Sinikka Langeland | ECM Records | Produced by Manfred Eicher |
| 16 | Ten Love Songs | Susanne Sundfør | Warner Music Group | |
| 20 | It´s OK To Play | Øystein Blix | Losen Records | |
| 27 | Midwest | Mathias Eick | ECM Records | Produced by Manfred Eicher |

### March

| Day | Album | Artist | Label | Notes |
| 20 | Grieg, Tveitt & I | Dag Arnesen | Coco & Co | |
| 23 | Lucidity | Atomic | Jazzland Recordings | Produced by Atomic, co-producer Sten Nilsen |
| 27 | Kjølvatn | Nils Økland Band including Rolf-Erik Nystrøm, Sigbjørn Apeland and Mats Eilertsen | ECM Records | |
| 27 | Slow Eastbound Train | Daniel Herskedal | Edition Records | Produced by Erik Johannessen |

### April

| Day | Album | Artist | Label | Notes |
| 7 | Vol. 3 | Team Hegdal | Particular Recordings | |
| 17 | Én | Duplex | NorCD | |
| 17 | En Konsert For Folk Flest | Motorpsycho + Ståle Storløkken | Rune Grammofon | |
| 24 | Rocks & Straws | Anneli Drecker, lyrics based on poems by Arvid Hanssen | Rune Grammofon | |
| 24 | Slow Snow | Tore Brunborg | ACT Music | Produced by Tore Brunborg |

### May

| Day | Album | Artist | Label |
| 1 | Terje Isungset & Stian Westerhus | Terje Isungset, Stian Westerhus | All Ice Records |
| 9 | Ospitalita Generosa | Per Mathiesen Trio | Alessa Records |
| 15 | The Goldilocks Zone | Olga Konkova Trio | Losen Records |
| 19 | Firehouse | Gard Nilssen's Acoustic Unity including with Petter Eldh and André Roligheten | Clean Feed |
| 22 | Savages | Trondheim Jazz Orchestra & Kristoffer Lo | MNJ Records |

### June

| Day | Album | Artist | Label |
| 1 | Starfire | Jaga Jazzist | Ninja Tune |
| 3 | Weathering | Kvien & Sommer | Full Of Nothing |
| 5 | Rainy Omen | Finland (Morten Qvenild, Ivar Grydeland, Jo Berger Myhre, Pål Hausken) | Hubro Music |

### July

| Day | Album | Artist | Label | Notes | Ref. |
| 21 | Bugge & Friends | Bugge Wesseltoft | Jazzland Recordings | | |
| 24 | Tears Of The World | Knut Reiersrud & Mighty Sam McClain | ACT Music | Produced by Knut Reiersrud and Nikolai Hængsle Eilertsen | |

### August

| Day | Album | Artist | Label | Notes |
| 11 | Individuals Facing The Terror Of Cosmic Loneliness | Stein Urheim and Mari Kvien Brunvoll | Jazzland Recordings | |
| 21 | Silver Mountain | Elephant9 | Rune Grammofon | |
| 21 | Vårres Egen Lille Krig | Vidar Vang | VV Records | |
| 28 | Bridges | Adam Baldych & Helge Lien Trio | ACT Music | Mixed and mastered by Klaus Scheuermann |

### September

| Day | Album | Artist | Label | Notes |
| 4 | Personal Piano | Morten Qvenild | Hubro Music | |
| 6 | Ville Ord | Frida Ånnevik | Grappa Music | Recipient of the Spellemannprisen lyricist award |
| 11 | When You Cut Into The Present | Møster! | Hubro Records | |
| 18 | Echo | Anja Eline Skybakmoen | Triogram | |
| 18 | Megalodon | Megalodon Collective including with Henrik Lødøen | Gigafon | |
| 18 | Waldemar 4 | Trygve Waldemar Fiske | Gigafon | |
| 25 | Circadian Rhythm And Blues | Hayden Powell | Periskop Records | |
| 25 | Mønster | Espen Berg Trio | Atterklang | Produced by Espen Berg Trio. AKLANG314 |

### October

| Day | Album | Artist | Label | Notes |
| 8 | JazzBukkBox a box with three albums: Lærad The Tree, Live In Germany and WorldJazz | Karl Seglem | NorCD | |
| 9 | Band Of Gold | Band Of Gold including Nikolai Hængsle Eilertsen and Nina Elisabeth Mortvedt | Jansen Plateproduksjon | Produced by Siggi Loch |
| 12 | Golden Years | Pixel | Cuneiform Records | |
| 30 | Mette Henriette | Mette Henriette | ECM Records | |
| 31 | Cubistic Boogie | David Arthur Skinner | Losen Records | Produced by David Arthur Skinner, executive producer Odd Gjelsnes |

### November

| Day | Album | Artist | Label |
| 6 | This Is Not A Miracle | Food | ECM Records |
| 12 | Aimless Mary | Needlepoint | BJK Music |
| 20 | Pieces Of Solitude | Natalie Sandtorv | Va Fongool |
| 20 | Trail of Souls | Solveig Slettahjell with Knut Reiersrud and In The Country | ACT Music |
| 27 | Time Is Coming | Hildegunn Øiseth with Espen Berg, Mats Eilertsen, and Per Oddvar Johansen | Losen Records |

### December

| Day | Album | Artist | Label | Notes | Ref. |
| 1 | Before the Storm | Nakama | Nakama Records | Produced by Nakama & Christian Obermayer | |

### Unknown date

K – Tenor Battle by Håkon Kornstad (Jazzland Recordings)

## New Artists

* AURORA with her debut album Running with the Wolves (Decca Records), awarded Spellemannprisen in the category This year's newcomer and Gramo scholarship.

## Deaths
### February

* 22 – Erik Amundsen, jazz bassist (born 1937).

### May

* 20 – Simon Flem Devold, jazz clarinetist and columnist (born 1929).
* 23 – Liv Marit Wedvik, country singer (born 1970).

### July

* 14 – Gerd Gudding, traditional folk musician and entertainer (born 1951).

### August

* 12 – Per Hjort Albertsen, contemporary classical composer (born 1919).
* 30 – Natalia Strelchenko, Russian born Norwegian classical concert pianist (born 1976).

### November

* 5 – Nora Brockstedt, jazz and pop music singer (born 1923).
* 20 – Ketil Vea, contemporary classical composer and music teacher (born 1932).
* 25 – Svein Christiansen, jazz drummer (born 1941).

### December

* 16 – Jostein Eriksen, opera singer (born 1926).
* 26 – Tore Andersen, country musician (born 1960).

## Seed also

* Music of Norway
* 2015 in Norway
* Norway in the Eurovision Song Contest 2015
* Spellemannprisen
* Buddyprisen
* Nordlysprisen
* Edvard Grieg Memorial Award
* Thorgeir Stubø Memorial Award
* Rolf Gammleng Memorial Award
* Radka Toneff Memorial Award