Aria Borealis Bodø is a festival as well as an innovative international singing competition for Early Music singers. The Aria Borealis Bodø singing competition is the centerpiece of the festival taking place in the Arctic town of Bodø, Norway, June 24 – July 2, 2022. All music enthusiasts and lovers of early music are invited to enjoy the festival’s concerts, workshops, masterclasses and opportunities to make music together, while at the same time following this unique competition in a town buzzing with Baroque music for over a week.

Follow a competition created to encourage singers to delve into the Early Music repertoire, and watch their performances come to life in the playful communication between singers and ensemble, as well as with the audience. The repertoire will be Baroque, with an added splash of folk music from the home of each candidate. All live concerts will be streamed.

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Watch the rehearsals
Live concerts, June 27th and July 2nd
Jury

Don’t miss the opportunity to hear some of the finest performers of Early Music come together and colour the town Baroque. Renowned groups and names, like L’Arpeggiata, Emma Kirkby DBE, Lars Ulrik Mortensen, Stefan Herheim, Rolf Lislevand, Maja Ratkje, Bjarte Eike, and musicians from Concerto Copenhagen, The Finnish Baroque Orchestra, Drottningholm Baroque Ensemble (Sweden) and Barokkanerne (Norway), all join hands to give the Aria Borealis Bodø a wide and exciting musical pallet, throughout the week.

You will also be able to hear lunch talks, where some of the Early Music scene’s topmost performers share some of their wisdom and knowledge, collected through decades of music making. All talks will be free, and the audience are welcome to ask questions.

Concerts
Lunch talks
Calendar
Festival pass

Jurors, festival musicians and internationally renowned instrumentalists will guide musicians of all levels into the playful world of Early Music. Masterclasses will give each individual performer valuable input, while the workshops will make ideas and impulses flow freely within the group. A festival pass to all the events is included, as well as access to the rehearsals for the competition. Not a singer or instrumentalist yourself? Come as a Session Observer!

Throughout this week, we will create a living and vibrant village of music enthusiasts, musicians, local audiences and interested international visitors who enjoy Early Music on a grand scale. Everyone is invited to come together and eat with us at the Stormen Concert Hall, we are arranging excursions and boat trips, and the locals are joining in on the fun.

This introductory program (“Young Baroque”) invites musicians aged 10 – 20 years, to play alongside and be mentored by professional musicians in a fun and exploratory setting. 

Led by the vibrant and engaging violinist Bjarte Eike and one of Europe’s finest
Baroque trumpeters Mark Bennett, participants will have playful fun with
improvisation, elements from folk music, Baroque dance and movement after the
Timani principle. They will get into the swing of things with friendly guidance and
encouragement from their professional co-musicians, hand-picked orchestral
performers from Barokkanerne.

To put the Baroque B in Bodø for the whole festival, some of Early Music’s great capacities will be there to teach and perform. From the experienced but playful and approachable jury members to brilliant visiting concert artists and workshop leaders, as well as orchestra musicians from the four orchestras in the Nordic Baroque Scene. Find them all here.

Aria Borealis Bodø

Opening hours: Monday – Friday 09:00–15:30 CET