Masterclass
THIS IS OUR MASTERCLASS
For BOTH pianists and singers
The Nordic Song masterclass takes place every year in August at Trollhättan’s impressive building “N3 – Meetingplace for young culture”. The lessons will be both individual and with an audience.
Our Masterclass is a unique blend of instruction in technique, analyzing skills, reflection, interpretation, improvisation, aimed at enhancing each artist’s personal creativity and imagination. Both pianists and singers will enjoy a comprehensive schedule that artistically develops them with new ideas and methods.
The Masterclass emphasizes that pianists and singers engage in a fruitful dialogue, where both equally participate in the process of interpreting and studying both music and text. This way of working is extremely important for the renewal of musical performance.
Our teachers at the Nordic Song Festival 2025:
Miah Persson, soprano – SWEDEN
Benjamin Staern, composer in residency – SWEDEN
Mette Borg, dramaturg, mag. art. – DENMARK
Gitta-Maria Sjöberg, sopran, vocal coach – SWEDEN/DENMARK
Mats Jansson, pianist – SWEDEN
Gunnar Gu∂björnsson, tenor, Dekan– ICELAND
Matti Borg, baryton, composer, vocal coach – FINLAND/DENMARK
Robert Pukitis, Director, Workshop Improvisation – SWEDEN
There will be more lecturers and researchers.
See more here
“The masterclass has been a great experience. As a pianist I understood how important it is to create beautiful music landscapes, and think about the dramaturgy part of the music I’m playing, in order for the public to fully understand the music, even though it’s in a foreign language. We also have solo lesson, where we work on Nordic repertoire, and thanks to this I felt I could express myself at my best with the music, surrounded by a great atmosphere and a lot of fun!”
Beatrice Vanzo, pianist, Masterclass 2022
THIS IS OUR MASTER CLASS
For pianists and singers
The instruction will be held at N3 – a meeting point for young culture in Trollhättan (https://www.trollhattan.se/n3/) as a Master Class every year in August – both before an audience and as individual lessons without one. For singers the Master Class offers song instruction to the active participants and solo and accompanying instruction to the pianists. On top of that there will be instruction in text analysis, physical and scenic training, techniques in posture and breathing, improvisation, interpretation, etc.. The pianists will work together with 2 singers each. The participants will be invited to perform at a concert in Vänersborg, and the Master Class will be ended with a concert in Trollhättan. Both concerts will be directed by Mette Borg – pianists will have the opportunity to perform as soloists in one of these concerts. There will be concerts and opera with professional artists during the entire festival week.
masterclass schedule overview 2023
- August 4th, Arrival at 14.00 welcome and rehearsals in groups in N3, Nohabsgatan 3, Trollhättan.
- August 5th Instruction starts on at 9.30 in Kammarmusiksalen, N3.
- August 8th, First Master Class concert in Vänersborg Theatre.
- Sunday, August 13th Master Class: the final concert at 19.30 in Trollhättan. Live streaming may take place.
THIS IS HOW YOU APPLY TO THE MASTER CLASS
You are welcome to apply to
NORDIC SONG FESTIVAL 2023
N3 Meeting point for young people. TROLLHÄTTAN
5 – 13 August, 2023
Mette Borg, dramaturg, mag. Art. Director, lecturer – Denmark
Gitta-Maria Sjöberg, soprano, vocal coach – Sweden/Denmark
Stig Fogh Andersen, tenor – Denmark
Sunleif Leivsson Rasmussen, Composer of the Year – The Faroe Islands/Denmark
Mats Jansson, pianist – Sweden
Kåre Björköy, , tenor, former professor – Norway
Matti Borg, barytone, composer, vocal coach – Finland/Denmark
Robert Pukitis, director, Workshop improvisation, – Sweden
We will work with Nordic arias/songs/romances and Nordic solo pieces for piano.
Each active participant in the Master Class is supposed to study up 6 Nordic arias/songs/romances. The Nordic countries Sweden, Finland, The Faroes/Denmark, Norway and possibly Iceland must be represented and at least one vocal piece must be composed by a now living composer. The singers are supposed to know their repertoire by heart at the start. The pianists can prepare 1-2 piano- pieces by a Nordic composer.
Course fee: 12 000 SEK (deadline March 1st 2023), 10 000 SEK “Early Bird” (deadline January 20)
APPLICATION
Send a short description of yourself (biography) and a video (ex.g. Youtube) including an opera aria and a romance/solo piece. Complete the application form
The application must be received on March 1st or “Early Bird” on January 20th.
Our decision of acceptance will be sent on February 1st (Early Bird) / March 15th 2023.
Target group: Professional singers and pianists plus singers and pianists studying at conservatories or similar. The course is limited to 18 participants.
Language: Instruction is given in Swedish/Danish/Norwegian/English
Course fee: 12 000 SEK (deadline March 1st 2023), 10 000 SEK “Early Bird” (deadline January 20)
The course fee includes:
- All meals, shared hotel room at the Clarion Collection Hotel Kung Oscar, Drottninggatan 17, 461 32 Trollhättan. Extra cost for single room.
- 7 days of individual song and piano lessons.
For pianists: 2-3 lessons with singers (ca 2 – 3 á 55 min)/day and 2-3 solo lessons during the Master Class
Singers: minimum 2-3 lessons/day (ca 2 – 3 á 28 min) - Text analyses lessons
- Workshops regarding stage performance, text analyses, interpretation, physical preparations and exercises, workshop in improvisation, contemporary music with the composer of the year.
- At least 5 Master Class lessons in front of an audience
- Tickets to all concerts and operas at the festival
- Participation in 2 concerts + 2 dress rehearsals with Mette Borg as Director – the pianists have the possibility of performing as soloists in one of the concerts.
When participation has been confirmed 1200 SEK shall be paid as part payment no later than February 15th (Early Bird) or April 1st. This amount is not refundable. The remaining amount shall be paid no later than June 15th.
Audience: There will be spectators in the afternoons from the 7th to the 12th of August.
Scholarships: Adresslista till stipendiumfonder
An arrangement in cooperation with the Nordic Song Festival and N3, a meeting place for young people, Nohabgatan 15, 461 53 Trollhättan, Sweden.
Welcome to apply!