sunde@kosunde.no
+47 93 44 13 58
Bio
Knut Olaf Sunde is a composer and artistic researcher working with conceptual and site-oriented music, extended duration and immersive musical situations. His artistic PhD project Site Awareness In Music – recontextualizing a sensation of another place (Norwegian Academy of Music 2020) explores how context and site influence our perception and interpretation of music. Sunde often combines prerecorded acoustical instruments with processed, synthesized material and soundscapes. He is educated in Oslo and Gothenburg.
Statement
I work conceptually with place, siting and the context of music. I start every process with a conceptual and contextual reason for the the work. Music is never played in a vacuum. Music is dependent on a medium. The sound waves must have a material to be propagated in. Sound does not exist without space. Music is not played in a neutral zone, in a place uninfluenced and timeless. Nothing is neutral. Ever. Thus the context of creation and realization of music informs the creation itself as well as our sensory perception and interpretation of the result.
Given the significance of place and the sense of location has to our memory, I explore situating and created situations in what I mean by the term land music, where the conceptualizing of the music is informed by the site at which the music unfolds and engages in a relationship with the site. A key concept is being there, in extended durational and immersive situations. Musically, my work is marked by insisting harmonies, noise, ascheticism and slowly evolving monotony. I tend to combine prerecorded acoustical instruments, processed synthesizer material and soundscapes.
Earlier works include site-oriented works in acoustic landscapes, evening concerts and music for theater and film and map art. My works or contributions to works have been performed at own productions and a.o. Ultima, MoMA, CPH:DOX, Bergen International Festival, Det Norske Teateret Oslo and by ensembles like Aksiom, the Norwegian Radio Orchestra, Oslo Sinfonietta, Poing, Cikada String Quartet, Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra and Asamisimasa. Released three albums. The album Vertigo Room nominated to the prize Spellemannprisen 2018 in the category Contemporary music.
CV kosunde pdf (english)
CV kosunde pdf (no)
CV
EDUCATION
| 2014-2020 | Artistic PhD, Norwegian Academy of Music, Oslo and and DIKU Norwegian Artistic Research Programme. Viva Voce 14. Sep 2020. |
| 2001-2005 | Postgraduate Diploma in Composition with Ole Lützow-Holm at Göteborg University, Sweden |
| 1996-2000 | Cand. Mag Composition (Bachelor of arts) Norwegian Academy of Music, Oslo, Norway. Asbjørn Schaathun, Olav Anton Thommessen, Bjørn Kruse and Lasse Thoresen |
| 1995-1996 | Cand. Mag Instrumental at the Norwegian State Academy of Music, Oslo, Norway |
| 1995 | PPL-A Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, USA (pilot license) |
WORKSHOP/COURSE/OTHER (selection)
| 2024 | Residency On Duration with Raegan Truax, Blanca, Spain |
| 2022 | Residency Castro Marim, Portugal as part of the project Particular Universal |
| 2021- | Assignments as seminar leader/lecture/moderator DIKU Norwegian Artistic Research Programme |
| 2021 | Established, running topography studio AS to produce Big Ivan (now: Public Eye) and other projects |
| 2020- | Subject manager for sound art at the Norwegian Encyclopedia (Store Norske Leksikon) snl.no with several articles |
| 2017 | Spatialisation workshop with Thibaut Carpentier (IRCAM) at NOTAM, Oslo, Norway |
| 2017 | Course university pedagogy with Jon Helge Sætre, Norwegian Academy of Music (not completed) |
| 2017 | Presentation Context of Music at conference EPARM Antwerpen, Belgium |
| 2015 | Ambisonics workshop with Trond Lossius – BEK Bergen Centre for Electronic Art, Bergen, Norway |
| 2013 | Programming, synthesis and signal processing in Max – course by NOTAM |
| 2012- | Map drawing on assignment from Aksjon bedre vei and Vegforum øst-vest |
| 2011 | biKUBEN, initiative to and participatin in study on transformation of earlier bank building to a place for music and sound art. |
| 2011 | Expo -74 – conference and workshop on Max/msp in New York |
| 2011 | Technology and Aesthetics – symposium NOTAM, Oslo |
| 2008- | Running the label MERE records (by Karlstrøm&Sunde) |
| 2008 | Sound in Theatre, seminar by METROFON with Lisbeth Bodd, Morten Cranner, Asle Nilsen, Henrik Hellstenius |
| 2007 | Lives in Berlin |
| 2006 | Work residence half year in New York, work residence "Gammel Have", Denmark |
| 2006 | Open Music programming class, NOTAM |
| 2005 | Report on alternative location for new GA airport for Oslo, ordrered by Kjeller Aerosenter |
| 2000/2002 | 40. and 41. Internasjonale Ferienkurse für Neue Musik, Darmstadt |
| 1999 | Stockhausen-Kurse in Kürten, Germany |
| 1996-2004 | Lessons/mastercall/seminars with Gerald Bennett, Hanspeter Kyburz, Dieter Kaufmann, Salvatore Sciarrino, Brian Ferneyhough, Klaus Huber, Helmut Lachenmann, Julio Estrada, Jonathan Harvey, Michael Finnissy, Christoph Neidhöfer, Sven-David Sandström |
| 1995-1996 | Private studies in composition with Henrik Hellstenius |
| 1985-1996 | Tuba studies with Petter Sørvold, Bjørn Beverli, Torbjørn Kvist |
PERFORMANCES (selection)
| 2024 | Memory of Oblivion, Particular Universal, group exhibition Aug-Oct Nitja Centre for Contemporary Art, Lillestrøm |
| 2023 | Himdalen film, Fringe Arts Bath – Radiant Objects, U.K. |
| 2023 | Memory of Oblivion, Ny Musikk Only Connect, Trondheim |
| 2020 | Mirnyj, Jakob kirke, Ny Musikk Periferien |
| 2020 | Himdalen film, Ny Musikk Only Connect |
| 2018 | Premiere Mirnyj, Jakob Kirke, Oslo, Norway |
| 2018 | Premiere Himdalen, KLDRA Himdalen, Akershus |
| 2015 | Comfort Music premiere Aksiom/Notam at Ultima festival, Oslo |
| 2015 | Time Passes short movie by Ane Hjort Guttu, Bergen International Festival – Festspillutstillingen, MoMA, South London Gallery a.o. |
| 2013 | Untitled (the City at Night) music for HD video by Ane Hjort Guttu, Bergen Assembly |
| 2013 | Fragile ballet by Kjersti Engebrigsten, Lisboa, Tallinn, Sandvika. |
| 2013 | Antichrist theatre version of Lars von Trier movie, directed by Peer Perez Øian, Det Norske Teatret, Oslo |
| 2011 | Vertigo Room premiere Cikada string quartet, Ultima |
| 2009 | quo premiere The Norwegian Army Band Bergen/Trond Korsgård |
| 2009 | Fagervann Sunday sunrise concert around small forest lake, Ultima |
| 2009 | Molladalen 280709 og 290709 site specific mountain concert |
| 2007 | Acoustic mountain concert in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. Molladalen 160707 |
| 2006 | The day of happiness. Rolf-Erik Nystrøm at Parkteatret, Oslo |
| 2005 | Premiere Comatose for orchestra. Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra/Johannes Gustavsson |
| 2003 | Göteborg Art Sounds. Loudspeaker installation Stimulator at Chalmers Tekniska Högskola |
| 2003 | Norwegian Broadcasting Orchestra/Peter Szilvay. Verk uten navn at UNM-festival, Oslo |
| 2003 | Opening event with carillon of Oslo city hall: Puppenballettspiel at UNM-festival, Oslo |
| 2002 | Premiere on Verk uten navn in Växjö concert hall, with Musica Vitae/Mikael Bartosch |
| 2002 | Men en maskin... premiere, TWINE at Oslo concert hall, Ultima |
| 2001 | Gaudeamus Musc Week, Amsterdam (selected). («But Brother Ass, there is...) with Poing |
| 2001-2006 | Performed at 5 UNM festivals in Aarhus, Reykjavik, Norrköping, Oslo and Copenhagen |
| 2000 | Premiere on («But Brother Ass, there is...) Poing at the jazz club Blå |
| 1999 | Oslo chamber music festival. ASK, Oslo Sinfonietta |
COMMISSIONS AND GRANTS (selection)
| 2022 | Nordic Culture Point | Production grant | Public Eye pilot phase 2 |
| 2020 | Nordic Culture Point | Production grant | Big Ivan/Public Eye pilot phase 1 |
| 2020 | Norwegian Government grants | Work grant 3 y | |
| 2019 | Arts Council Norway and Foundation Fritt Ord | Commission and production | Blood Road |
| 2019 | Norwegian Government grants | Material grant | |
| 2017 | Arts Council Norway | Art and new technology | Himdalen |
| 2016 | Arts Council Norway | Commission | Mirnyj |
| 2014 | Norwegian Government grants | Work grant 1 y | |
| 2014 | Arts Council Norway / Det norske komponistfond | Commission | Comfort music |
| 2013 | Komponistenes Vederlagsfond | Work grant 1 y | |
| 2012 | Bærum Kulturhus | Commission | Fragile |
| 2012 | Det Norske Teatret | Commission | Antichrist |
| 2011 | Komponistenes Vederlagsfond | Material grant | |
| 2010 | Norwegian Government grants | Material grant | |
| 2008 | Ultima/Det norske komponistfond | Commission | Fagervann |
| 2008 | The Norwegian Army Band, Bergen/Arts council Norway | Commission | quo |
| 2007 | Oslo Sinfonietta/Arts council Norway | Project grant | Comfort Music |
| 2007 | Cikada/Det norske komponistfond | Commission | Vertigo room |
| 2006 | Norwegian Government grants | Work grant 3 y | |
| 2005 | Thomas Kjekstad/Det norske komponistfond | Commission | What if you never speed? |
| 2005 | Norwegian Government grants | Establishing grant | |
| 2005 | NOTAM/Det norske komponistfond | Commission | The day of happiness |
| 2001 | Pål Størset/Arts council Norway | Commission | Otherwise... |
RECORDINGS
| 2022 | The album Himdalen (10.5 H Album Edit) on MERE |
| 2018 | The album Comfort Music released on MERE |
| 2018 | The album Vertigo Room released on MERE |
| 2008- | Released a number of albums as producer on MERE |
| 2008 | The album But a Machine released on MERE |
| 2003 | Giants of Jazz released by Poing: («But Brother Ass, there is a whole dimension lacking to what you say. How is it possible for one to convey this in Oxford English?») |
OTHER
| 2019 | Himdalen nominated to the prize Edvardprisen 2019 in the category Challenger |
| 2019 | The album Vertigo Room nominated to the prize Spellemannprisen 2018 in the category Contemporary |
ASSIGNMENTS
| 2024- | Executive Chairman of the board, Norwegian Society of Composers |
| 2024- | Board member of TONO |
| 2023-2024 | Board member foundation Martello |
| 2021-2024 | Board member Norwegian Society of composers |
| 2019-2024 | Member of TONO’s revenue distribution committee – pilot project and working group for entirely new revenue model |
| 2019-2023 | Deputy board member TONO |
| 2013-2017 | Chairman of the housing co-operative Borettslaget Normannsgata 43 |
| 2012- | Board member Aksjon Bedre Vei (Organisasjonen Bedre veier and Bedre Vei AS from 2016) |
| 2007-2013 | Board member Det Norske Komponistfond |
| 2006-2012 | Vice chairman Norwegian Society of composers |
| 2004-2005 | Deputy board member Norwegian Society of composers |
| 2001-2004 | Chairman Ny Musikk's Composer Group |
| 2001-2004 | Board member Ny Musikk |
| 2000-2006 | Vice chairman and paymaster UNM Norway |
WORKS
| w.i.p. | Europe Across | 24 h | Audiovisual concert installation |
| w.i.p. | Public Eye – shaping land | 1 year | Collaborative project of any media / installation with concert expansion |
| w.i.p | Sonotopographic Study, N61 21 57.1 E8 14 24.9, 1387 AMSL | 4 h 45 min | Installation and film mode (Big Ivan/Public Eye prototype) |
| 2024 | Blodveien (The Blood Road) | 2 h 41 min | Music based art documentary with live performance |
| 2023 | Memory of oblivion | 46 min | Video essay |
| 2019 | Himdalen (film) | 50 min | Film from Himdalen |
| 2018 | Himdalen | 13 h | Land music site specific mixed media concert |
| 2018 | Mirnyj | 4 hours | Auiovisual (music/film) |
| 2015 | Comfort Music | 1 h 30 min | Concert installation |
| 2015 | Time Passes – music for short film by Ane Hjort Guttu | 46 min | Film music (4 min) |
| 2013 | Untitled (The City at Night) – music for short film by Ane Hjort Guttu | 22 min | Film music (5 min) |
| 2013 | Fragile: Touched – music for ballet by Kjersti Engebrigtsen | 20 min | Ballet music (Bærum Kulturhus) |
| 2013 | Antichrist – scene-version of Lars von Trier's film (dir. P P Øian) | 1 h 25 min | Music and sound design (Det Norske Teatret) |
| 2011 | Vertigo room | 41 min | String quartet and loudspeakers |
| 2009 | quo | 12 min | Stripped music for wind band |
| 2009 | Fagervann | 40 min | Sunrise concert for wooden lake and wind ensemble |
| 2007 | Molladalen | 40 min | Site specific concert, four trombones, walking audience, acoustic valley |
| 2006 | The day of happiness | 11 min | Sopranino-/alto-sax and electronics |
| 2005 | Circolo maledetti | 16 min | Amplified ensemble, text projection |
| 2005 | What if you never speed? | 10 min | Acoustic guitar with capo and slidesteel |
| 2004 | Comatose | 18 min | Orchestra |
| 2003 | Stimulator | Installation: 120 suspended loudspeakers, 8 channels, sensors, microphones | |
| 2003 | Puppenballettspiel | 3 min | 49-bell Carillon auto and manual |
| 2002 | Verk uten navn | 8 min | String orchestra |
| 2002 | Otherwise the belief is that a kind of lense at the size of Turkey would make a spacecraft accelerate to half the speed of light in only two years. – But this prospect would also lie some time into the future. | 10 min | Piano with leaden weights |
| 2002 | But a machine that was powerful enough to accelerate particles to the grand unification energy would have to be as big as the solar system – and would be unlikely to be funded in the present economic climate. | 6 min | Percussion duo, bells and metal |
| 2002 | Ljuuud | Sound installation – collaborative project | |
| 2001 | Black holes ain’t so black | 14 min | Large church organ |
| 2000/02 | Verewigter Duft ist paradox | 10 min | Ensemble |
| 1999 | («But Brother Ass, there is a whole dimension lacking to what you say. How is it possible for one to convey this in Oxford English?») | 11 min | Sopranino-/alto-/baryton-sax, accordeon, contrabass |
| 1998-99 | ASK | 16 min | Sinfonietta |
| 1996 | Mennesket | 7 min | Trio |
| 1995-96 | An Nafud | 12 min | Ensemble |
Knut Olaf Sunde. Photo: Henrik Beck Kæmpe
Knut Olaf Sunde. Photo: Henrik Beck Kæmpe