Fun, fit and gifted, young Norwegian virtuoso pianist and composer Aksel Kolstad is taking the world by storm. Called the ‘new Norwegian Victor Borge’ in the US press after his debut at the Carnegie Hall, New York, to a full house and a standing ovation, Aksel has filled opera houses and concert halls in Oslo, St Petersburg, Gothenburg, Perth and Estonia. He has performed in most of the biggest chamber music festivals in Norway, Russia and Estonia. He speaks perfect English and can do a mean Russian accent. He flies from Sladers Yard to his premiere in Japan.
Friday 21 and Saturday 22 September 8pm
Classical pianist, Composer, Stand-up Comedian
‘The Franz Liszt of our time’ Gothenburg Post
‘Aksel Kolstad is a musical happy pill’ Adresseavisa (Norwegian Press)
‘Aksel Kolstad is a classical pioneer’ Dagsavisen (Norwegian Press)
Aksel will play his own compositions:
Kolstad: L´amour invisible
Kolstad: La Follia
Rachmaninov/Kolstad: Variations on a theme by Rachmaninov
Kolstad: 5 surreal interpretations over 5 lyric pieces by Edvard Grieg
Bach/Kolstad: Harlekin variations
Kolstad: Variations over a theme by Gershwin
Kolstad: 5 Goldfish preludes
Kolstad: Étude Norvègienne
Born 1981 in Oslo, Aksel started to play the piano and compose as soon as he was big enough to sit on a chair. His mother was an actress and singer who started to improvise with him on the piano. He took piano lessons from the age of four. When he was twelve, the legendary Professor Eva Sandvik Stugu took him under her wing and made sure he had everything he needed to develop his talent until the end of his teenage years. Since the age of 17 he has performed his own virtuoso works for piano solo and conducted his orchestral works all over the world.
Aksel’s father was, amongst many other things, the national basketball coach for Norway. Aksel played piano and basketball together until he was 17, but then he had to choose. He chose music as a profession but kept wearing his basketball sneakers. While he says he ‘may not be the best classical pianist in the history of the world, he is probably the fittest!’ Since he was 17 he has improvised live on stage and written for large orchestras as well as for piano solo.
He completed his bachelor degree under Professor Sigurd Slattebrekk at the Norwegian Academy of Music in Oslo in 2006 and continued to complete his master’s degree with the same professor performing George Gershwin’s piano concertos. In 2009 he opened his own atelier in Oslo where hundreds of people gather to hear him perform.
What Aksel does that amazes audiences the most, is that makes them laugh. He turns his concerts into magical storytelling moments. Don’t miss his first UK performance in the beautiful setting of Sladers Yard, West Bay, Dorset.
THE AKSEL KOLSTAD SHOW
At Sladers Yard
West Bay,
Bridport,
Dorset DT6 4EL
t: 01308 459511
Classical pianist, Composer, Stand-up Comedian
Friday 21 and Saturday 22 September 8pm
Tickets: £18 or £33 with ‘New Norwegian’ Supper
For tickets call 01308 459511. Book early to avoid disappointment.
