Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Norwegian Festival Special 2017
Keiservarden, 366 metres above sea level, is one of the most popular concert venues. Photo: Nordland Music Festival
North of the Polar Circle, where nature meets music Nordland Music Festival is a festival out of the ordinary. Taking place in the beautiful town of Bodø just north of the Polar Circle, it presents festival goers with world-class musical acts in addition to the opportunity to enjoy the stunning, natural landscape of northern Norway. By Linn Skjei Bjørnsen
Now in its 37th year, Nordland Music Festival has grown tremendously since its inception in 1980. Starting out as a celebration of Olsok – a holiday connected to the Norwegian church – the festival was originally centred around church music. Today, Nordland Music Festival is one of the largest festivals in Norway, attracting some of the biggest local and international names in genres ranging from classical and jazz music to folk, pop and rock. “The festival is growing every year, and in 2016 we had more than 26,000 visitors,” says festival director André Wallann Larsen. “Our main focus genre is classical music with a twist. We encourage cross-genre cooperation and every year we have productions that 44 | Issue 96 | January 2017
are exclusive for our festival, where artists from different musical backgrounds work together to create a unique concert experience.”
One with nature What really sets Nordland Music Festival apart from other festivals is its use of unconventional concert venues. A large portion of the concerts are taking place in and around Bodø’s majestic nature. For the sporty types, Keiservarden is always a popular venue. The mountaintop, rising 366 metres above sea level, attracted more than 5,000 visitors for last year’s concert with Norwegian favourite Halvdan Sivertsen. Nyholms Skandse, a
small fortress island located at the sea entrance to Bodø, offers breathtaking views of the town on one side and the endless Norwegian Sea on the other side, making it perfect for atmospheric midnight concerts. “The interaction between nature and music lies very close to our hearts. It is a trademark for us and, due to our location, the outdoor focus has become completely natural. Bodø is known for its nature, and many people come here to experience that,” Wallann Larsen says. The festival has its own smartphone app, allowing users to experience the interaction between nature and music first-hand. It is called Musical Views and is loaded with hiking routes to Bodø’s most-famous viewpoints, and some of the town’s top musicians have composed music inspired by these places. “The app is programmed so that this specific music can only be activated and played when you have reached the destination and