MIC Norway - new steps forward
The Norwegian music scene is more vibrant and alive than ever before. Within a wide variety of musical genres, expressions and styles, our musicians and composers make an ever-greater impact on the musical stages world wide
The rise in interest for Norwegian music has inspired us at the Music Information Centre Norway to modernise the centre's by-laws, name and graphic design as well as our online web services. The "new" MIC was launched at a press conference held in Oslo on October 16th.
MIC Norway changes its name from Norwegian Music Information Centre into Music Information Centre Norway. A small change of name, however, it marks a substantial change of activities. From being primarily occupied with contemporary art music since its conception in 1979, the MIC Norway shall now promote all the qualities associated with the Norwegian music scene through active information and profiling. As a non-biased and genre neutral resource centre, the new MIC's role as a key partner in a co-operation between the players of the Norwegian music scene and national and international decision-makers will be further developed.
Our native language on-line news services, ballade.no, has since its modest start in September 2000 expanded to reach 1 million hits in September 2002 - a remarkable feat considering Norway's population of only 4,5 mill.
October 16th saw also the MIC presenting its newest project: the brand new English web-portal - mic.no/english.
This new web-site is designed both as a news service and as a working tool for everyone with interest in Norwegian music. Just a few clicks away, you can find contact information on artists, composers, venues, promoters, agents, labels, festivals, as well as listings of biographies, repertoire, scores, discs, performances, photographs and, of course, up-to-date news. All of it inter-connected with relevant links and explanations.
Our news service will bring updated information on the successes related to Norwegian music. The integration of audio streaming and the online music web-shop is also new, and will enable you to discover the music itself, and to act directly towards the relevant set of links.
Newly appointed Editor of Mic.no/english is Tomas Lauvland Pettersen, who in addition to having a background from the nation's thriving independent record industry, is himself a bass player in some of Norway's most interesting bands.
Discover one of the most refreshing musical landscapes of today at mic.no/english, and - enjoy your surf!
Morten Walderhaug
Director
Headlines:
Himmelkvad
Celebrated vocal ensemble Nordic Voices is currently out on its promo tour for their new outing ‘Himmelkvad’, a critically acclaimed album presenting Norwegian composer Lasse Thoresen’s unique vocal universe. MIC Norway takes a closer look at the cutting-edge vocal ensemble and ground-breaking composer.
I was the devil in my younger years
Late Feb sees Enslaved heading out on a month-long European tour. MIC Norway hooked up with Enslaved’s Ivar Peersen to talk about musical cross pollination, inspirational sources, humour and his fascination for singer-songwriter Stein Torleif Bjella.
