Preparing my tour for Denmark

Hello friends!

Hope life is good to you all!

I am now in the middle of preparing my tour for Denmark. Rehearsals next week with my band, and that is very exciting. I hope we will get the chance to play some new songs that we have been working on. The concerts is inspired by the beautiful light we have during our four seasons here in the North. And outside now there is this intense light of autumn! Ah!

I am also working on a program for purchase.( A little extra memory from the concert). I will have pictures and a story from the year that is soon over. A year of many great experiences! This picture is from this summer! Sidsel(harp), Åshild (violin) and myself, and one of the boys sneaking in in the background..... It was I recall, very fresh air! We just had to go out in the snow! A couple of hours before we had been by the fjord in light summer clothes.

But now it is autumn and I do love this crispy air and bright sun, and the storms and rain showers! As long as there is a nice mix of them!

I do hope that you all will have some time to enjoy this beautiful time of year. 

Take care!

;-)

Sissel

Back again!- Hello!

Hello dear friends!

What a swim!.... That took a while....  ;-)

Well, I haven't had the time to write here lately, sorry about that. School has started and a lot of work and traveling. I do hope you all had a wonderful summer!

 Right now I have returned back from one of my many trips and it is so wonderful to feel the crispy air and this very bright light outside. The autumn is here, even though summer time is trying not to give in....not yet.

I was up in the mountains with my family not long ago, and the colors were changing. We went hiking and the first thin layer of snow was laying on top of the mountains. It was so beautiful with all these warm colors and the first hello from Mr Winter. 

I am trying to get some pictures from my summertour out on the page, but everything takes time....

I did a concert for a big company in Norway and that took place in the  Nidaros Domen in Trondheim. What a treat! That cathedral is so wonderful to sing in and I haven't sung there since the Royal wedding of Princess Märtha Louise and Ari Behn. It was piano ( Kjetil Bjerkestrand), choir (the same as on the Northern Lights dvd/cd) and me.  A friend of mine sent me this picture, and now I would like to share this with you. Well, I am the long dot on the  left... Hard to see maybe...

Till next time... 

Have a wonderful time! And enjoy the coming of the autumn.

;-)

Sissel

Hello Dear Friends!

I have had some wonderful days working with my band. We tried out some new songs at our concert in Alvdal, Tronsvangen Seterhotel. What a view and place for a concert! Perfect for our start ''Dovregubbens hall'' , from "Peer Gynt"  by Edvard Gireg! 

It was so nice to see some of you again from former shows. Thank you so much for coming all the way! I really do hope that you enjoyed the time up in the mountains as much as we did!

Now I will have some time off with my family and friends. Relaxing and enjoying the summer holiday.  But even though it is holiday I can't help my mind working with the new songs. Maybe I will get some new ideas? You never know.... But first I will go for a swim....

Take care and enjoy the summer!

;-)

Sissel

Rosendal

Hello dear friends!

Thank you so much for all your kind greetings for my birthday! I had a wonderful time with family and friends! -As I did the day before, so a bit tired at the end of the week.....

Now I am sitting at the castle 'Baroniet in Rosendal' writing to you. I had 2 concerts here with my guitarist , Geir , and pianist Kjetil some days ago. It went very well. It was great fun! The atmosphere here at the castle is so special. Calm, peacefully and loving.  These thick walls have many stories to tell! And that itself is an inspiration as the nature outside.

 The Rose garden is breathtaking right now. Last night I was so lucky to be asked if I wanted to go out and pick myself a big bouquet of roses.  I felt like a princess there I walked through the park with my choice of roses. 

;-) 

For the moment I am working on some new material and as you may understand; this is a perfect place to be....

Take care! And I am looking forward to the next concerts this summer!

;-)

Sissel

St Hans

Hello dear friends!

tonight is the night here in Norway and Denmark where we celebrate St. Hans (named after the Johannes the Baptist). This is two customs put together a far as I know.

 The celebration of the new life , the spring, which had arrived and where the fire was meant to 'clear' the sky , the air from the cold winter ,force the bad, the dangerous and fearsome away. Burn the winter away, and celebrate the summer light. Then there is the celebration of Johannes the Baptist's birthday which is said to be on June 24. Because  we have a tradition here of celebrating seasonal days the night before, (as we do at Christmas in the evening of December 24th. ) the celebration is on the 23th. This is the perfect day to have a wonderful time together in the beautiful Nordic summer night. So the bun fires are to be seen all over the country and along the long coast line tonight.  

Have a great St Hans!

;-)

Sissel

ps. Some have asked me what the music in the background on my page is. It is a special version of the song 'Hallowed Mountains' , from 'Northern Lights' album.

Beginning of summer'08

Hello dear friends!

Got back from two great experiences with the first 2 concerts of this summer. 

We were very lucky with the weather as the weather had changed from a warm lovely summer to a cold and wet summer. We had sunshine on both concerts! 

                                                               :-)

It is always a bit exciting on the first shows with some new songs and how they respond.  I think it all went very well and I am very happy with the results.  It was so fun! 

We arrived at 3 o'clock in the morning in Årdal after a long busdrive from Jessheim right outside Oslo. Wow I was tired! We arrived in daylight, cause the sun was up.  

Waking up the next morning to this beautiful view of the fjord and mountains with spots of snow at the top , was breathtaking. Incredible beautiful! And it was warm and very nice!

The picture is of me by the stage (and back stage). That's also the view the audience had. Å Vestland, vestland! 

I feel so lucky and blessed to travel and work in this beautiful country!

Next stop is Rosendal. Another heartbreaking beauty, and another kind of concert. A piano, guitar and the voice. It will be so intimate and cosy! I can hardly wait! A true tradition as we would  say in Bergen. (When something has been done twice, it is a tradition.)

Take care and enjoy the light and the summer!

;-)

Sissel

 

Bergen

Hello dear friends,

Bergen! My wonderful hometown!
The music Festival of Bergen is such an inspirational experience. Between these beautiful mountains the music life is blooming! Right now it is full summer, which is rare for this time of year.
This weekend I was also in London and saw Morten, Pål and Magne, Aha in Royal Albert Hall. I really enjoyed myself. An evening of great music! - and so fun to see the three of them with their own musical projects and at the end together. I can't wait for their new albums. Three brilliant musicians and artists.
Yesterday I took the funicular up to the top to Fløyen where you get a perfect view over the town of Bergen and the beautiful sunset out in the North Sea. ........ I love this city!
My friend took a picture of me, but the sun was too strong to show the view of the city, but the view over the south side is also beautiful!
Hope you all will have the oppertunity to visit my Bergen one day!
Take care!
;-)

Sissel