Challenging musical canons - a research project

Our research project has been granted a three year grant by the Norwegian Academy of Music!
Challenging musical canons is a joint research and development project that asks the following question: in which ways can we challenge and expand prevailing canonical traditions within different study- and teaching environments at NMH?

Western music history has largely favoured male composers, musicians, and tradition bearers, while women and non-binary individuals have often been overlooked by historians. Their contributions have been minimized, or they have lacked opportunities to participate in the music scene on equal terms with men. This has contributed to narratives about musical canons where important individuals, musical expressions, and perspectives are missing.

Eva Beneke (Associate Professor in Classical Guitar), Guro Gravem Johansen (Professor of Music Education) and Gjertrud Pedersen (Associate Professor in Music History) aim to develop how music history and artistic practices are taught through the project Challenging Musical Canons.

The project is a collaboration between the research centres CERM and NordART.

The magic of a 1960 Hermann Hauser II guitar

Wow. I am speechless at the way the stars align sometimes. During a recent visit to Paris, I got to sample a menu of excellent instrument, among them this exquisite Hermann Hauser from 1960. Needless to say that ever since this wonderful recording (a collaboration with GSI and Scott Tennant) his and his fathers instruments have long occupied a soft spot in my heart.

The sound created by the spruce tops made by the Bavarian masters between 1936 and 1980 is ideal, in my ears. Powerful, clear, sustained and with an unmatched noblesse that suits baroque music, contemporary works and most everything I enjoy performing these days.
This fall, a collector loaned me his instrument, to use freely for an open-ended period. I am so incrediby honored, and thankful to him for granting me this opportunity!! I look forward to reporting more on the projects that emerge from this generous loan.
…with musical greetings - Eva

Photo: Felix Salazar

Eva Beneke appointed Prof. at Norwegian Academy of Music

Big news: This Fall, I moved back to Berlin, and also started teaching as an Associate Professor at The Norwegian Academy of Music in Oslo! The Academy has a long standing central position in guitar education in Norway. The Guitar Department working group is the largest in the country.
I am particularly thrilled to be a part of such a great team of internationally acclaimed performers and pedagogues.
If you are a young guitarist looking to study music, or a grad student looking to further your carreer in Europe, don´t hesitate to contact me with any questions you may have! Our auditions are held in the Spring of 2019, and the deadline to apply or do a video audition is December 15.

Sor album release with NAXOS on August 11, 2017

Last year, Nerea Berraondo and I got to record an album with NAXOS. On two days in April, we got to work in Newcastle/Toronto with the famed Norbert Kraft, who helped us breath life into some of Fernando Sor´s lesser known and previously un-recorded works. Among them Sor´s own arrangements of Mozart arias and exhuberant French Songs, as well as some very demanding unknown works for both our instruments: voice and guitar. Needless to say, we are very excited to have this album finally out and ready for you to enjoy: as a live stream on the NAXOS site, on itunes for download, or get a copy of the CD at one of our upcoming concerts, as well as for sale online. Time to celebrate!

Fernando Sor was one of the greatest guitarists of his era and his works are still extremely popular today. His songs, however, are much less well-known. They demonstrate the superb flair of Sor’s vocal writing, in three languages, as well as the variety of his virtuosic guitar accompaniments. The three groups of songs presented here (in addition to Sor’s setting of two patriotic texts) offer distinct styles of composition, ranging from arrangements of arias from Mozart’s Don Giovanni to the dance elements of Spanish seguidillas.
The official release with NAXOS is on August 11, 2017. However, you can PRE-ORDER the album on itunes, or get a copy of the CD at the webstore.

Available everywhere now!