# 2018 in Norwegian music

The following is a list of notable events and releases of the year 2018 in Norwegian music.

## Events
### January

* 11 – The 17th All Ears festival started in Oslo (January 11–14).
* 19 – The 37th annual Djangofestival started on Cosmopolite in Oslo (January 19–20).
* 25 – The 31st Nordlysfestivalen started in Tromsø (January 25 – February 4).
* 30 – The Barokkfest started in Trondheim (January 30 – February 4).
* 31
** The 7th Bodø Jazz Open started in Bodø (January 31 – February 3).
** The 13th Ice Music Festival started in Geilo (January 31 – February 4).

### February

* 1 – The 20th Polarjazz Festival started in Longyearbyen, Svalbard (February 1–4).
* 3 – The Oslo Operaball was arranged in Oslo (February 3–4).
* 21 – The Hemsingfestivalen started in Aurdal (February 21–25).
* 23 – Kirsti Huke received the 2017 Radka Toneff Memorial Award.
* 25 – The 2017 Spellemannprisen awards proceeded with Mari Boine as the 2017 honorary award recipient.

### March

* 1 – The By:Larm Festival started in Oslo (March 1–3).
* 7 – The Borealis Festival started in Bergen (March 7–11).
* 9 – The 61st Narvik Winter Festival started in Narvik (March 9–18).
* 10 – Alexander Rybak won Melodi Grand Prix and is the Norwegian representative in the international final.
* 23 – The 45th Vossajazz started in Voss Municipality (March 23–25).
* 29 – The Inferno Metal Festival started in Oslo (March 29 – April 1).

### April

* 18 – The Nidaros Bluesfestival started in Trondheim (April 18–23).

### May

* 4
** The Balejazz started in Balestrand (May 4–6).
** The 29th MaiJazz started in Stavanger (May 4–9).
* 9 – AnJazz the Hamar Jazz Festival started at Hamar (May 9–13).
* 16 – Hardanger Musikkfest started at Hardanger (May 16–21).
* 23 – The Festspillene i Bergen started in Bergen (May 23 – June 6).
* 25 – The 46th Nattjazz started in Bergen (May 26 – June 4).

### June

* 2 – The National Music Day was arranged in Oslo.
* 8 – The Kråkeslottfestivalen started at Senja (June 8–10).
* 12
** The Bergenfest started in Bergen (June 12–16).
** The Norwegian Wood music festival started in Oslo (June 12–16).
* 26 – The Risør kammermusikkfest started in Risør (June 26 – July 1).

### July

* 4 – The Kongsberg Jazzfestival opened at Kongsberg consert (August 4–7).
* 7 – The 22nd Skånevik Bluesfestival started in Skånevik, Norway, with Jeff Beck as headliner (July 7 – 9).
* 12 – The 17th Stavernfestivalen started in Stavern (August 12–14).
* 16 – The Moldejazz starts in Molde (August 16–21).
* 19 – The Slottsfjell Festival started in Tønsberg (July 19–21).
* 25 – The 23rd Canal Street Festival started in Arendal (July 25–28).

### August

* 2 – The 31th Notodden Blues Festival started in Notodden (August 2 – 5).
* 7 – The 20th Øyafestivalen started in Oslo (August 7–11).
* 8 – The 32nd Sildajazz starts in Haugesund (August 8–12).
* 9 – The Tromsø Jazz Festival started in Tromsø (August 9 – 12).
* 12 – The 33rd Oslo Jazzfestival starts in Oslo (August 12–18).
* 17 – The Parkenfestivalen starts in Bodø (August 17–18).
* 30
** The 14th Punktfestivalen opens in Kristiansand (August 30 - September 1|).
** The Blues in Hell starts in Stjørdal Municipality (August 30 – September 3).
* Nathalie Stutzmann is appointed as new chief conductor for Kristiansand Symphony Orchestra. The French conductor is engaged for three years, and succeeds Giordano Bellincampi.

### September

* The Granittrock Festival starts in Grorud.

### October

* 18 – The 35th DølaJazz starts in Lillehammer (October 18 – 21).
* 27 – The Osafestivalen starts in Voss Municipality (October 26 – 28).
* 30 – The Oslo World Music Festival started in Oslo (October 30 – November 4).

### November

* 14 – The Vardø Blues Festival (Blues i Vintermørket) starts (November 14 – 18).

### December

* 11 – The Nobel Peace Prize Concert is held at Telenor Arena.

## Albums released
### January

| Day | Album | Artist | Label | Notes | Ref. |
| 19 | Lucus | Thomas Strønen & Time Is A Blind Guide | ECM | | |

### February

| Day | Album | Artist | Label | Notes |
| 2 | Delights Of Decay | Batagraf | Jazzland | Produced by Jon Balke, Kåre Christoffer Vestrheim |
| 2 | Live at Victoria | Solveig Slettahjell | Jazzland | Produced by Solveig Slettahjell |
| 9 | Go Dig My Grave | Susanna | SusannaSonata | Produced by Susanna and Deathprod |
| 13 | Heat | Knut Reiersrud Band | Jazzland | Produced by Solveig Slettahjell |

### March

| Day | Album | Artist | Label | Notes |
| 2 | Ravensburg | Mathias Eick | ECM | Produced by Manfred Eicher |
| 9 | Atonement | Bendik Hofseth | C+C Records | Jazz |
| 9 | Endless Love | Sivert Høyem | Hektor Grammofon | Rock / Pop |
| 9 | Joy | Karin Krog | Meantime Records | Jazz (vinyl) |
| 9 | Run Wolf | Mikkel Gaup | MTG Records | Rock / Pop / World music |
| 9 | Traces of You | Kristin Asbjørnsen | Global Sonics / Øra | Jazz |
| 23 | In-House Science | Arild Andersen with Paolo Vinaccia, and Tommy Smith | ECM | |
| 23 | Oslo | Michael Wollny, feat. The Norwegian Wind Ensemble and Geir Lysne | ACT | Produced by Siggi Loch |
| 23 | Powered By Life | Dalia Faitelson | Losen | Produced by Dalia Faitelson |
| 23 | Returnings | Jakob Bro with Palle Mikkelborg, Thomas Morgan, and Jon Christensen | ECM | Produced by Manfred Eicher |

### April

| Day | Album | Artist | Label | Notes | Ref. |
| 20 | Barxeta II | Per Mathisen & Jan Gunnar Hoff feat. Horacio "El Negro" Hernandez | Losen | Produced by Jan Gunnar Hoff and Per Mathisen | |
| 20 | Freedoms Trio II | Steinar Aadnekvam | Losen | Produced by Steinar Aadnekvam | |

### May

| Day | Album | Artist | Label | Notes | Ref. |
| 18 | A Suite Of Poems | Ketil Bjørnstad, Anneli Drecker, poems by Lars Saabye Christensen | ECM | | |

### August

| Day | Album | Artist | Label | Notes | Ref. |
| 31 | Helsinki Songs | Trygve Seim | ECM | | |
| 31 | The Other Side | Tord Gustavsen Trio | ECM | | |

## New Artists

* Birgitta Elisa Oftestad, classical cellist and winner of the NRK talent award Virtuos.

## Deaths
### January

* 29 – Asmund Bjørken, jazz and traditional folk accordionist and saxophonist (born 1933).
* 30 – Bjørn Boysen, organist (born 1943).

### February

* 4 – Leif Rygg, traditional folk Hardanger fiddler (born 1940).
* 5 – Ove Stokstad, graphic artist, jazz clarinetist and saxophonist (born 1939).
* 16 – Tor Brevik, composer (born 1932).

### March

* 9 – Ole H. Bremnes, folk singer and poet (born 1930).
* 18 – Håkon Banken, singer (born 1949)
* 31 – Frode Viken, guitarist and songwriter, D.D.E. (born 1955).

### May

* 11 – Mikhail Alperin, Ukrainian born jazz pianist, member of the Moscow Art Trio, professor at the Norwegian Academy of Music (born 1956).

### July

* 5 – Bjørn Lie-Hansen, opera singer (born 1937).
* 25 – Roald Stensby, rock singer (born 1940).