Mpiri
Encyclopedia
The vocal ensemble Mpiri is a Faroese
choral ensemble
based in Copenhagen
. The members are mostly Faroese studying or working in Copenhagen. The conductor is Gorm Larsen.
(2000–2002) and Gorm Larsen (2003–present). Lise Christensen Bjerno was guest conductor in the spring semester of 2011.
, Thomas Tallis
, Mozart, Hassler
and many other classical composers. Given the roots of Mpiri, Faroese traditional music has a firm place in the repertoire.
Most of 2007 was spent recording 12 commissioned and 3 older Christmas songs to make up the CD Upp Gleðist. The CD was released in late November to early December with a small tour to Thorshavn
with concerts in The Nordic House and around the city.
Faroe Islands
The Faroe Islands are an island group situated between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, approximately halfway between Scotland and Iceland. The Faroe Islands are a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, along with Denmark proper and Greenland...
choral ensemble
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
based in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
. The members are mostly Faroese studying or working in Copenhagen. The conductor is Gorm Larsen.
History
Mpiri was formed in January 1998 by Marjun Hoydal, Bogi Peturson Nielsen, Bogi Mouritsen and Tróndur Bogason. The idea was conceived in December 1997, and within a month, 16 young Faroese got together and formally formed Mpiri. Mpiri has had three conductors: Bogi Mouritsen (1998–2000), Sunleif RasmussenSunleif Rasmussen
Sunleif Rasmussen is the foremost Faroese composer of classical music.Rasmussen studied in Norway, then returned to Tórshavn in the Faroes as music teacher and jazz pianist. From 1990 to 1995 he studied musical composition at the Royal Danish Academy of Music in Copenhagen under Ib Nørholm and...
(2000–2002) and Gorm Larsen (2003–present). Lise Christensen Bjerno was guest conductor in the spring semester of 2011.
Style
From the very start, Mpiri has sought out new and inspiring music to perform. In this pursuit, Mpiri has commissioned more than 30 choral works from more than 10 composers. This means that Mpiri through the years has performed much contemporary music. However, this is not the full story of the style of Mpiri. Mpiri has also performed works by GesualdoGesualdo
Gesualdo may refer to:*Gesualdo, Campania, a town in Italy*Gesualdo Bufalino , Italian writer*Carlo Gesualdo , Italian late Renaissance composer**Gesualdo: Death for Five Voices, a film about the composer...
, Thomas Tallis
Thomas Tallis
Thomas Tallis was an English composer. Tallis flourished as a church musician in 16th century Tudor England. He occupies a primary place in anthologies of English church music, and is considered among the best of England's early composers. He is honoured for his original voice in English...
, Mozart, Hassler
Hassler
Hassler is a toponymic surname derived from a number of places called Hasel or Hassel in German-speaking parts of Europe.People of this name include:*Des Hasler Australian rugby league footballer and coach...
and many other classical composers. Given the roots of Mpiri, Faroese traditional music has a firm place in the repertoire.
Projects and concerts
- A project where a number of non-faroese composers are commissioned to create choral music to contemporary faroese poetry, was begun in 2010. Recordings are scheduled to begin in the fall of 2011.
- Lise Christensen Bjerno was signed as guest conductor for the spring semester of 2011.
- Opening Copenhagen Paint Party 2011 (part of Copenhagen DistortionCopenhagen DistortionCopenhagen Distortion is a middle-size festival for party/club culture, taking place in the streets of Copenhagen, Denmark, and in dozens of unusual locations around city, every year during the week of the first Saturday in June...
) - Backing TeiturTeitur LassenTeitur is a Faroese singer-songwriter. On 3 March 2007, he was awarded Best Male Singer at the Danish Music Awards.The word teitur is Old Norse and means happy. In Modern Faroese, it is archaic but used as a male given name....
at a Friday Rock concert in Tivoli - Performing at the 10'th year anniversary concert for The Danish QuartetDanish Quartet- Den Danske Kvartet :1935 the Danish Quartet was a quartet for flute, violin, cello and piano which was active 1935-1957. Members included:* Holger Gilbert-Jespersen , flute.* Erling Bloch , violin....
2010
- Mpiri had four concerts and one performance with Eivør . Two concerts in Sjónleikarhúsið, a performance at Saltsiloin, one concert at G! festivalG! FestivalThe G! Festival is held annually at the seaside village Gøta on Eysturoy. It is one of the two largest music festivals on the Faroe Islands, the other being Summarfestivalurin. It was founded by Sólarn Solmunde and musician Jón Tyril, both locals. Jón is also the present chairman of the festival...
and one concert in Lille Vega in CopenhagenCopenhagenCopenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
in the fall. All concerts were promotional for the CD Larva that Mpiri recorded with Eivør in 2009. - Mpiri recorded with TeiturTeiturTeitur is a male given name. In Old Norse the word means happy. In Modern Faroese, it is archaic but used as a male given name.-People:*Teitur Lassen , a musical artist from Faroe Islands....
(only female singers) - Mpiri recorded a CD with Knút OlsenKnut OlsenKnut Olsen was a journalist for the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation since 1983. Starting in 2008 he was the news anchor together with Nina Owing. He also lead various political debate programs. He died from cancer on January 11, 2011.-External links:* **...
choral works, in collaboration with faroese based choir Tarira in the spring. The CD Mai Mynd was released in the fall. - Mpiri collaborated with the faroese string quartet DORIADoriaDoria, originally de Auria , meaning "the sons of Auria", and then de Oria or d'Oria, is the name of an old and extremely wealthy Genoese family who played a major role in the history of the Republic of Genoa and in Italy, from the 12th century to the 16th century.-Origins:According to legend, a...
in three concerts
2009
- Mpiri did a tour of the Nordic countries in the fall, performing Barbara with Saga Dance Art Collective. The tour started late October with two performances in Hafnafjörður, Iceland, followed by two performances in the Faroes Islands (Løkshøll in Rúnavík and Nordic HouseNordic HouseNordic House may refer to:* Nordic House in Iceland, designed by Finnish architect Alvar Aalto* Nordic House in the Faroe Islands...
in Tórshavn). The tour ended with a perforance in the black diamondBlack Diamond-Minerals:* Anthracite* Carbonado, a natural diamond that is black in color* A black synthetic diamond, specifically CVD polycrystalline diamonds or HPHT polycrystalline compact diamonds...
(Royal Library) in Copenhagen, Denmark on the 9'th of October which is the cultural night in Copenhagen. - Mpiri recorded with the band ValravnValravnIn Danish folklore, a valravn is a supernatural raven. The ravens appear in traditional Danish folksongs, where they are described as originating from ravens who consume the bodies of the dead on the battlefield, as capable of turning into the form of a knight after consuming the heart of a child,...
in the spring. Review of the recording is available further down. - In the fall Mpiri went to the studio with Eivør to help her record 8 songs for her up coming CD.
2008
- Performed at kulturnatten (cultural night) in the faroese house in Copenhagen.
- Participated at Expo 2008Expo 2008Expo 2008 was an international exposition held from Saturday, 14 June to Sunday, 14 September 2008 in Zaragoza, Spain, with the theme of "Water and Sustainable Development". The exposition was placed in a meander of the river Ebro...
the world's fairWorld's FairWorld's fair, World fair, Universal Exposition, and World Expo are various large public exhibitions held in different parts of the world. The first Expo was held in The Crystal Palace in Hyde Park, London, United Kingdom, in 1851, under the title "Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All...
hosted in ZaragozaZaragozaZaragoza , also called Saragossa in English, is the capital city of the Zaragoza Province and of the autonomous community of Aragon, Spain...
, Spain where he performed at the Danish Pavilion on the Danish national day - 2. July. The performance of Barbara - a famous novel by the Faroese author Jørgen-Frantz Jacobsen, as a modern ballet set to music by Tróndur Bogason was performed with dancers from Saga Dance Company.
2007
Faroe Islands
The Faroe Islands are an island group situated between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, approximately halfway between Scotland and Iceland. The Faroe Islands are a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, along with Denmark proper and Greenland...
with concerts in The Nordic House and around the city.
2004
- Concert in sydslesvig
- Tour of FinlandFinlandFinland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
with concerts at the 80 year celebration of Pohjola in TurkuTurkuTurku is a city situated on the southwest coast of Finland at the mouth of the Aura River. It is located in the region of Finland Proper. It is believed that Turku came into existence during the end of the 13th century which makes it the oldest city in Finland...
, Sibbo and in Berghälls church in Helsinki.
2002
- Tour of Faroe Islands, Sweden and Iceland. Performed three concerts in Iceland, one in Sweden and one in Faroe Islands.
- Faroese parliament 150 years. Mpiri performed at the galla event.
- Mpiri recorded the first CD Asbest
2001
- Opened the Arts Festival in the Faroe Islands with a concert in Húsavík, Faroe IslandsHúsavík, Faroe IslandsHúsavík is an old village in the Faroe Islands on the east of the Isle of Sandoy.*Population: 88*Postal code : FO 230*Location: *Municipality: Húsavikar...
- Concert in Round Tower, Copenhagen.
- Participate in North Atlantic Choir Festival in Copenhagen.
2000
- In the spring Mpiri performed a concert called fisk (fish) in Huset i Rådhusstræde in Copenhagen. Mpiri collaborated with the Faroese designers PAU to make new outfits for Mpiri, and a Faroese lighting artist to make the settings right. Fisk was a big success.
- After participating in North Atlantic Choir Festival in AalborgAalborg-Transport:On the north side of the Limfjord is Nørresundby, which is connected to Aalborg by a road bridge Limfjordsbroen, an iron railway bridge Jernbanebroen over Limfjorden, as well as a motorway tunnel running under the Limfjord Limfjordstunnelen....
, Sunleif RasmussenSunleif RasmussenSunleif Rasmussen is the foremost Faroese composer of classical music.Rasmussen studied in Norway, then returned to Tórshavn in the Faroes as music teacher and jazz pianist. From 1990 to 1995 he studied musical composition at the Royal Danish Academy of Music in Copenhagen under Ib Nørholm and...
took over conducting Mpiri.
1999
- Mpiri arranged the North Atlantic Choir Festival in GladsaxeGladsaxeGladsaxe Kommune is a municipality near Copenhagen in Region Hovedstaden on the island of Zealand in eastern Denmark. The municipality covers an area of 25 km², and has a total population of 62,562...
. Approximately 140 singers from Faroe IslandsFaroe IslandsThe Faroe Islands are an island group situated between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, approximately halfway between Scotland and Iceland. The Faroe Islands are a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, along with Denmark proper and Greenland...
, IcelandIcelandIceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
and GreenlandGreenlandGreenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for...
participated.
1998
- The first ever concert was in the communal house, Galgebakken, Albertslund.
- The first year Mpiri had no real projects apart from participating in the North Atlantic Choir Festival in OdenseOdenseThe city of Odense is the third largest city in Denmark.Odense City has a population of 167,615 and is the main city of the island of Funen...
. At the festival, Mpiri made its first 'first performance' with 'Stórhvalagildi' by Tróndur Bogason
Featured on
- Mai-mynd (2010) Tarira and Mpiri singing Knút OlsenKnut OlsenKnut Olsen was a journalist for the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation since 1983. Starting in 2008 he was the news anchor together with Nina Owing. He also lead various political debate programs. He died from cancer on January 11, 2011.-External links:* **...
- Larva Eivør (2010)
- Koder på snor ValravnValravnIn Danish folklore, a valravn is a supernatural raven. The ravens appear in traditional Danish folksongs, where they are described as originating from ravens who consume the bodies of the dead on the battlefield, as capable of turning into the form of a knight after consuming the heart of a child,...
(2009)- please read the review further down on this page. Review in Danish.
- Flóðir av ljósi (floods of light) choral works of Kári Bæk (2005)
Homepages
Articles
- Review of Eivør release concert of Larva featuring Mpiri - article in faroese
- MESS rates the concert 98% which is highest rating ever given by MESS
- review of concert in Heiligergeist Kirche, Flensburg, Germany 7. nov. 2009 - article in Danish
- review of "Valravn - Koder på snor" in GAFFA (Danish music magazine)
- ValravnValravnIn Danish folklore, a valravn is a supernatural raven. The ravens appear in traditional Danish folksongs, where they are described as originating from ravens who consume the bodies of the dead on the battlefield, as capable of turning into the form of a knight after consuming the heart of a child,...
commissioned Mpiri to participate in one song on their CD "Koder på snor". GAFFA gives it 5 of 6 possible stars mentioning that "Mpiri spreads gold over the grand finale".
- Valravn
- Concert in Round Tower, Copenhagen - faroese article on planet.fo
- Release concerts for the christmas CD - faroese article on planet.fo
- description of tour of Finland 2004 - Finnish article (in Swedish language) about Mpiri on tour in Finland, performing at Pohjola - Norden 80 year anniversary in Turku/Åbo
- On tour in Iceland - article from Icelandic newspaper.