Norsk Jazzforum (Norwegian Jazz Forum) - http://www.jazzforum.no
TONO (publisher) / NCB (Nordic Copyright Bureau) - http://www.tono.no
LIMA - Leeds Improvised Music Association - http://www.limaonline.org.uk


For more detailed information on artisic work, please use the Agenda pages on this website.

Download CV (Adobe Acrobat PDF files): English CV

Education:

2006 – 2007: In private tuition with Europe’s leading Dhrupad singer and composer, the Italian born, Amelia Cuni.

2004 – 2005: Master Degree in Performance/Jazz and Contemporary Music at Leeds College of Music, England. Graduated in October with high Distinction. Main project: solo project, Melatonin.

Was in private tuition with Indian classical musician Jesse Bannister. Was also in private tuition with electro acoustic composer and specialist in extended vocal techniques Trevor Wishart.

2001 - 2004: Bachelor of Arts (Award BA Hons 1st) in Jazz Music at Leeds College of Music, England. Did majors in performance and composition. Was given the Leeds College of Music’s Prize for Singing (Jazz and popular style) 2004.

2001 - 2004: In private tuition with Indian classical musician Jesse Bannister. In private tuition with jazz singers/musicians Anna Stubbs, Lee Gibson and Tina May.

In tuition with free improvisation musicians Didrik Ingvaldsen and Petter Frost Fadnes. In private tuition with composer Dr. Graham Hearn.

1996 – 1999: Did the Norwegian equivalent to A-Levels at the pedagogic experimental and student ruled college Forsøksgymnaset in Oslo, Norway.

1995 – 1996: Studied music/performance and recording techniques at Namdals Folkehøgskole, Norway.

1994 – 1995: In private tuition with classical singer and conductor Marilena Zlatanou.

1992 – 1995: Did Norwegian equivalent to secondary school at Tangenåsen Ungdomsskole, Norway.

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Artistic work experience:

1. As soloist:

CONCERTS / STAGE SHOWS / SIMILAR

• February and March 2005: Was booked as soloist for touring North of England with the up and coming world music ensemble Sawa Teen. The tour was supported by British Arts Council and Art in Leeds. The concerts were at; Alhambra Studio Theatre (Bradford), Bramham Village Hall (Bramham), Clothworkers Centenary Concert Hall (Leeds), Hebden Bridge Little Theatre (Hebden Bridge) and Lawrence Batley Theatre (Huddersfield), in addition to a ’live’ interview and performance on BBC Radio.

• April 2005: The Norwegian contemporary dancer Trude Lirhus utilized recordings of Jardardottir’s solo Melatonin work for a dance show staged at Gamle Aker Kirke, Oslo, Norway.

• August 2005: Was commissioned to collaborate with artist, poet and publisher Alec Finlay (founder of Morning Star Press), sound recordist Chris Watson (the man behind the sound recording work for BBC’s TV series; ”The Life of Birds”, BAFTA Awarded for Best Factual Sound, ”The Life of Mammals”, ”Talking with Animals”, ”Big Cat Diary”) and folk singer Clive Powell in the lyrical multimedia piece “siren” supported by British Arts Council. “siren” was published by “platform projects” in the format of a book and a CD in March 2006.

• September 2005: Was booked as solo improvising musician to part take in choreographer Matilde Mørk’s piece “May all beings be happy and Marie Hallager” performed at Denmark’s main stage for contemporary dance, Dansescenen, Copenhagen, (7th and 10th of September) and at Idrætsskolerne i Oure (The International College of Sports) in Oure, Denmark (13th of September).

• October the 18th and December the 3rd 2005: Booked as soloist and guest musician for concerts with the Indian underground cross over ensemble Kushboo. Kushboo performs original music with strong influences from Indian classical music and modern Western rhythmic music, and has improvisation as a main musical expression. The concerts were at Love Apple (Bradford) and The Hifi Club (Leeds).

• May the 25th 2006: Booked as solo improvising musician for a performance at the launch night of the sound and multimedia collaboration ”siren” at Cumberland Arms in Newcastle, England. (The collaboration project is described further up this page).

• May the 31st 2006: Booked as soloist to perform with The Silhouette Ensemble and The Saffron Beagley Jazz Orchestra for a two act show debuting two inspirational and original jazz projects lead and conducted by composer and saxophonist Saffron Beagley: From program notes: “The Silhouette Ensemble presents a collaborative performance combining jazz, cross cultural music and voice in an original live sound track by Saffron Beagley, with shadows by Armchair Puppet Theatre animating the enchanting story The Blue Bird by Maurice Maeterlinck. The Saffron Beagley Jazz Orchestra: Graceful, sometimes raucous and always adventurous, Saffron's innovative compositions are written for her 17 outstanding Yorkshire musicians. The performance will include pieces by Maria Schneider and Kenny Wheeler.” The event was at The Wardrobe, Leeds, England.

• May 2006: German musician and composer Alex Gunia initiated a collaboration project where Maria is writing, performing and recording the voice material for several tracks on Gunia’s next CD release where on there also are contributions from other Norwegian musicians such as Kjetil Møster, Ole Morten Vågan, Andreas Bye and Audun Waage.

• June and July 2006: The Danish music festival Roskilde Festival of 2006 commissioned a cross art collaboration project conceived by Danish choreographer and dancer Matilde Mørk wherein Maria contributed as main performing and composing musician bringing in her solo project Melatonin as the musical framework for writing a full length live-based electro acoustic score for solo voice and electronics. The commissioned piece is called "meet the mind that moves", its theme is isolation and liberation and it was performed on the opening night of the festival (29th of June 2006) on an extensive outdoor installation stage right after midnight when all other events of that day were closed down. The nature of the piece involved contemporary and butoh dance combined with electro acoustic voice based music, all of a very expressive and raw character.

• July 2006: From shared initiative with the French guitarist, producer and turn-table/electronics player Franck Vigroux the two, along with more LIMA members (Leeds Improvised Music Association), were conceiving a new collaboration project where of the initial meeting and development of the collaboration was debuted concert at The Packhorse in Leeds, England, July the 19th.

• October the 12th 2006: Concert with the band Punch Drunk Bitch lead by voice musician and composer Elisabeth Nygaard. The ensemble works with original material written by Nygaard and comprises a blend of English and Norwegian musicians; Tom Leaper (alto sax), Didrik Ingvaldsen (trumpet), Maria Jardardottir (voice), Adam Fairhall (piano), Paul Moore (double bass) and Ståle Birkeland (drums). Alsager Arts Centre, Cheshire, UK.

• October the 24th 2006: Maria was booked as contributor to a concert with the Canadian duo Outward Sound Ensemble i Holy Trinity Church, Leeds, UK.

• December the 20th 2006: Studio recording with the English electro acoustic composer Dale Perkins who booked Maria as performer for his latest piece wherein he works with the voice as the only sound source. Perkins has chosen to use Maria as his sound source for the piece. The piece was premiered 1st of May 2007 in The Venue, Leeds, UK.

• March the 2nd 2007: Jardardottir and dancer and choreographer James E. Jackson Hawkins recently founded an original and experimental collaboration duo where they both cross each others’ boundaries as creators and performers in their respective art forms and meet in an expression where the body and the voice is their mutual, one instrument: The dancer utilizes the voice and expresses himself musically just as much as the musician, and the musician utilizes the body and expresses herself through movement just as much as the dancer. The work has a wide spectre of influences: memories, images, journeys, soul searching, the safe versus the unstable and a questioning of the individual’s comfort zone and boundaries. The collaboration’s first piece "Accepted, Division, Unity, Taboo" was debuted at the Northern School of Contemporary Dance in Leeds, UK, the 2nd of March.

• June the 12th and 13th 2007: The company Exchange House Dance Opera in London has booked Maria for the key character, Inanna, in the opera “The Descent of Inanna” composed by Jenni Roditi with libretto by Lyn Gambles. Parts of the opera will be recorded in June 2007 and used for promotional material towards setting up a full stage version of the piece in future. The other part takers are: Singers: Marie Angel, Adey Grummet, Carol Grimes, Kerry Andrew, Nigel Robson, Michael Solomon Williams, Jeremy Birchall and Nawroz Oramar. Players are: The Smith Quartet: Ian Humphries, Darragh Morgan, Nic Pendelbury, Dierdre Gordon, plus instrumentalists: Corrado Canonici, Nancy Ruffer, Dai Pritchard, Julian Jacobson, Walter Fabeck, Martin Allen and Joby Burgess. Conductor is Alexander Ingram.

• July the 7th 2007: Jardardottir and dancer and choreographer James E. Jackson Hawkins performed their collaborative duo piece "Accepted, Division, Unity, Taboo" at Independent Dance/Siobhan Davies Studios, London, England.

• July the 12th 2007: Jardardottir and dancer and choreographer James E. Jackson Hawkins performed their collaborative duo piece "Accepted, Division, Unity, Taboo" at Northern School of Contemporary Dance in Leeds, UK.

2. With the solo project Melatonin:

- Jardardottir works as both performer and composer in this project.

From program notes:

“Maria Jardardottir’s electro acoustic solo project, Melatonin, is founded on exploring her own voice as the only sound source. She creates samplings and loops ‘live’ on the spot as well as making use of pre recorded entities and forms haunting and moving sound-scapes and sonic journeys. In Melatonin, Jardardottir blends her collection of musical styles and vocal expressions and techniques into one strong essence where improvisation and creative composition is the core idiom; human, earthbound and elusive.”

CONCERTS

• June the 1st 2004: The Venue, Leeds, UK
• January the 21st 2005: The Venue, Leeds, UK
• February the 25th 2005: Lawrence Batley Theatre, Huddersfield, UK
• March the 12th 2005: Leeds International Jazz Conference, Leeds College of Music, UK
• May the 11th 2005: The Wardrobe, Leeds, UK
• May the 12th 2005: The Old Reading Room, Newcastle, UK
• October the 17th 2005: The Venue, Leeds, UK
• October the 18th 2005: The Hifi Club, Leeds, UK (Performed solo work as part of a larger concert with the ensemble Kushboo).
• May the 3rd 2006: Acoustic church concert in Holy Trinity Church, Leeds, UK
• May the 25th 2006: The Cumberland Arms, Newcastle, England
• December the 6th 2006: Holy Trinity Church, Leeds, UK

RECORDINGS

• June 2004: Album “[Monotonine Meditasjoner – Monotonine Meditations]”. Full length. Self financed independent release. All work involved such as recording and sound treatment done by Maria Jardardottir.

• May 2006: Album “Waves of Air and Seasons through Me”, the first release of a CD-series by the name “Private Imperfections”. Full length. Independent release supported by the private individuals Sunniva Bøstein Myhr and Elin Bøstein as well as the funding institutions Komponistenes Vederlagsfond and Fond For Lyd og Bilde. All work involved such as recording and sound treatment done by Maria Jardardottir.

OTHER

• May the 6th 2005: Melatonin was presented in the radio program “Jazz On 3” on BBC Radio 3.

• June the 29th 2006: Performance of the commissioned full length live-based electro acoustic score for solo voice and electronics specifically created for the dance collaboration project and show “meet the mind that moves” at Roskilde Festival, Denmark.

3. With the vocal quartet Røyst:

- Jardardottir works as both performer and composer in this project.

The other three members are the Norwegian voice musicians: Kari Nergaard Bleivik, Cecilie Giskemo and Therese Ulvan. Røyst performs original composed and improvised material: varied, human and bold with inspiration from jazz, contemporary music and voice use, Norwegian folk music and other world music.

CONCERTS

• May the 23rd, 2003: Leeds College of Music, Leeds, UK
• November the 5th 2003: The Wardrobe, jazz club, Leeds, UK
• November the 30th 2003: The HI-FI Club, Leeds, UK
• April the 21st 2004: The Wardrobe, jazz club, Leeds, UK
• June the 1st 2004: BBC The Venue, Leeds, UK
• June the 3rd 2004: The Wardrobe, jazz club, Leeds, UK
• July the 13th 2004: HotHat, Molde International Jazz Festival
• October the 14th 2004: Milo, club, Leeds, UK
• February the 22nd 2006: The Wardrobe, jazz club, Leeds, UK
• July the 8th 2006: Vestafor Virkeligheta, Sauøya, Norway
• July the 10th 2006: Hegge Kirke, Beitostølen, Norway

TOURS

• Juni and July 2003: Tour in Norway with concerts at, amongst others; Kristiansund Kystkulturfestival, Hoppsjødagene på Hitra and Molde Int. Jazz Festival.

• June 2004: Tour in USA. A three week tour in Minnesota and North Dakota, with concerts at, amongst others; Nisswa Stämman Scandinavian Folk Music Festival, Mindekirken, Nordic Initiative Midsummer Fest and Scandinavian Hjemkomstfest. The tour was supported by Amscan and Norsk Jazzforum.

• June and July 2005: Tour in Norway with concerts at, amongst others; Nynorskfestspela, Teaterfabrikken i Ålesund, Norsk Fjellfestival, Busekaillfestivalen, Molde Int. Jazz Festival, Hamar Jazzklubb, Jazzklubb at Dattera til Hagen in Oslo, Henie-Onstad Kunstsenter and Tingvoll Middelalderkirke. The tour was supported by Norsk Jazzforum and Frifond.

• November 2005: Tour in USA. A two week long tour in California with concerts at, amongst others; The Beacon House, Coffee Gallery Backstage, Don Quixotes International Music Hall and Monterey Live. Also, workshops at Musicians Institute (Hollywood) and Valencia High School (Valencia) and live performances and interviews on the radio stations KPIG and KUSP. The tour was supported by Amscan and Norsk Jazzforum.

• August and September 2006: Røyst carried out an extensive four week tour in Norway where they did a combination of concerts and workshops in singing, improvisation and voice use. Some of their engagements on this tour were at Fagerlia Videregående Skole and Teaterfabrikken in Ålesund, Bjørnsonfestivalen and Solberget Scene in Molde, Nordisk Institutt for Scene og Studio, Bare Jazz, Midt I Musikken (NRK Radio) and Nesodden Kirke in the Oslo area.

• May and June 2007: Røyst toured for a month in England woth concert and workshops engagements at Helmsley Art Centre, The Packhorse in Leeds, Arts Depot in London and Voice Box in Derby. As part of the Røyst was debuting a very special collaboration project with English saxophonist and composer Iain Ballamy and an additional saxophone quartet in concert arranged at The Wardrobe in Leeds and at The Yardbird in Brigmingham, UK. Some of Røyst’s members have composed original pieces for this exciting collaboration. The double bills included Ballamy/Strønen Duo, Røyst (as pure vocal quartet) plus Røyst/Iain Ballamy/Sax Quartet Collaboration also featuring Thomas Strønen.

RECORDINGS

• June 2005: Album “Nordic Initiative”, full length. Independent release supported by Frifond.

OTHER

• July 2003: Live performance and interview with Knut Borge from Molde Int. Jazz Festival’s outdoor scene broadcasted on NRK Radio.

• February the 11th 2004: Participation as singers and actresses in the play “Promenades” at West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds, UK.

• May the 2nd 2004: Recording of improvised music as part of the soundtrack for Alan Ottesen’s awarded art film ”In a Mind”.

• October the 7th 2004: Workshop at Leeds College of Music, Leeds, UK.

• July the 12th 2004: Performance in the opening ceremony of Molde Int. Jazz Festival.

• June the 20th 2005: Recording of radio jingles and interview for Radiorakel, Oslo.

• June the 24th 2005: Live performance and interview for NRK radio.

• June 2005: Commissioned work for Dei Nynorske Festspela in Volda. Composed music to poems by Ivar Aasen and Edvard Hoem.

• July the 13th 2005: Workshop for singers, Café Hjorten, Hitra.

• November the 15th 2005: Workshop in vocal performance/improvisation at Musicians Institute, Hollywood.

• November the 17th 2005: Workshop and master class in vocal performance/improvisation at Valencia High School, Los Angeles.

• November the 20th 2005: Live performance and interview on KPIG radio, Santa Cruz.

• November the 21st 2005: Live performance and interview on KUSP radio, Santa Cruz.

• July the 7th 2006: Workshop in improvisation and voice use, Café Hjorten, Hitra.

• July the 8th 2006: Workshop in improvisation and voice use, Froan Kapell, Sauøya.

FUTURE ENGAGEMENTS

• Mexico and California (US) Tour November 2007: Røyst is currently working on booking engagements for a tour in Mexico and California (US).

4. With the vocal duo Curious Voice Duo:

- Jardardottir works as both performer and composer in this project.

The other member is the Norwegian voice musician Elisabeth Nygaard. The duo’s musical expression lies closely to jazz and contemporary music with influences from a vast range of vocal expressions and techniques from varied experimental and ethnic sources, - and, with improvisation as the obvious core element; free as well as structured and guided. In their efforts, the two voice musicians strive to explore their instrument in ways that cross the limits of the traditional role of the voice; as a melodic instrument. What they aim for is to put equal weight and challenge to aspects such as rhythm, harmony and the vast possibilities of sonic attributes that the voice potentially can produce.

CONCERTS

• March the 22nd 2005: The Wardrobe, Leeds, UK
• April the 13th 2005: The Adelphi, Leeds, UK
• May the 18th 2005: Holy Trinity Church, Leeds, UK
• May the 27th 2005: The Adelphi, Leeds, UK
• June the 2nd 2005: The George, Leeds, UK
• June the 9th 2005: The Venue, Leeds, UK
• October the 17th 2005: Two concerts at The Venue, Leeds, UK
• November the 25th 2005: The Fenton, Leeds, UK. Part of a festival arranged by the forum for experimental and improvised music; The Termite Club
• March the 10th 2006: Acoustic concert in Holy Trinity Church, Leeds, UK
• March the 24th 2006: Concert at the Leeds International Jazz Conference 2006, Leeds, UK
• October the 25th 2006: CVD performed a concert at The Wardrobe, Leeds, UK, as part of a night celebrating Paul Hession at 50.
• November the 17th 2006: The duo performed as part of a triple bill concert alongside acts from f-ire COLLECTIVE featuring Oriole and Ingrid Laubrock Quintet at The National Center For Early Music, York, UK.
• December the 7th 2006: Concert at The Adelphi, Leeds, UK
• March the 8th 2007: Booked by the NCM room for a concert at The Packhorse, Leeds, UK.
• March the 16th 2007: The duo was booked by Music Orbit and Kerry Andrew for the event Gobsmack featuring explorative voice work. The other artists featured were Juice Vocal Ensemble, Jamie Woon, Jenni Roditi og WanDan. The Spitz, London, UK.
• March the 19th 2007: Curious Voice Duo was one of the esnembles that part took in the launching of a new acoustic concert series, LIMAcoustic, arranged by LIMA – Leeds Improvised Music Association in Holy Trinity Church, Leeds, UK.

RECORDINGS

• March 2007: The duo released their debut album “At the Tip and the Root of the Tongue”. Full length release.

OTHER

• March the 24th 2006: Workshop/seminar at the Leeds International Jazz Conference 2006, Leeds, UK

• November the 30th 2006: The duo was featured in live performance at Leeds Annual Peace Poetry Competition, Leeds Civic Hall, UK

• December the 8th 2006: CVD part took in the dance, performance and music event Mamuska held at Yorkshire Dance Centre; Leeds, UK

FUTURE ENGAGEMENTS

• The duo is currently working on bookings for festivals and engagements 2007 and 2008.

5. With the trio Endenor:

The other members of the ensemble are the German composer and multi-instrumentalist Ove Volquartz (who in this ensemble utilizes baritone and bass clarinet, soprano saxophone and flute) and the English guitarist Chris Sharkey. From program notes:

”The three musicians have hugely different and resourceful musical backgrounds and meet on the grounds of totally free and anarchist improvisation, also at times infused with the utilization of the Norwegian poems of Jardardottir. Meaning one piece may come out as a contemporary jazz ballad, one as the sound track of a horror movie, another as a tender lullaby and yet another as a cross between a sustained folky marimba journey and a progressive rock tune.”

CONCERTS:

• 14th of October 2005: Brudenell Social Club, Leeds, UK
• 25th of March 2006: Acoustic concert in Holy Trinity Church, Leeds, UK
• 4th of November 2006: “Shopping Music”, The Apex, Göttingen, Germany
• 4th of November 2006: Göttingen Jazz Festival, Göttingen, Germany

TOURS

• 3th – 7th of May 2006: Tour in Germany with concert engagements at the Apex (Göttingen), Loft Music Series in Salzmann Factory (Kassel) and Nordischer Klang Festival (Greiswald).

FUTURE ENGAGEMENTS

• 26th – 30th of September 2007: Tour in Germany; concert at The Apex, Göttingen, the 27th. More dates to be confirmed.

• 20th – 23rd of October 2007: Recording and concert dates in England.

• They are currently working on bookings for festivals and engagements in Germany, England and Norway for 2007 and 2008.

• 2008: Endenor will contribute with the music for the next full feature film by the independent film producer colleagues Lee Maloney and Pritpal Bhamras with recording in Yorkshire, UK.

6. Various:

1996 -2006: Numerous gigs and performances in different bands and projects in Norway and in England.

Clubs/venues in Norway:

Blå, HotHat, Bokcaféen på Chateau Neuf, Grunerløkka Lufthavn (now known as Café Mir), Betong, Café Tekehtopa, Hellviktangen Kunstcafé, Café Tamara and Original Nilsen.

Clubs/venues in England:

The Wardrobe (Leeds), The HiFi Club, (Leeds), The Old Reading Room (Newcastle), Alhambra Studio Theatre (Bradford), Bramham Village Hall (Bramham), Clothworkers Centenary Concert Hall (Leeds), Hebden Bridge Little Theatre (Hebden Bridge),, Lawrence Batley Theatre (Huddersfield), The Light (Leeds), The Adelphi (Leeds), The Mansion (Leeds), Café Nero (York), Dave’s Private Theatre (Leeds), Milos (Leeds), Leeds College of Music, Victoria Quarter (Leeds), Starbucks Café (Leeds), West Yorkshire Playhouse (Leeds) and BBC North’s The Venue (Leeds).

The bands/ensembles:

Røyst, Melatonin, Curious Voice Duo, Soiled, Punch Drunk Bitch, Endenor, Kushboo, Sawa Teen, The Icicle Quartet, Canopystroke, Metro, Rastafarouts, Yellow Dog Snute, Jardardottir / Hovde Duo, Jesse Bannister’s Indian Fusion Band, Jardardottir / Ellingsen Duo, Metropolis, Promenades, LCM Jazz Choir and Mark Donlon’s Latin Ensemble, Kat One with J. Picking aka Weebl - plus various collaborative projects/combinations of musicians which don’t have an ensemble name as such.

1997 -2001: Featured as guest singer on Rastafarouts’ cd Bombaklad, track 9; “Juljeitsån” (released 2001), and several times featured at their concerts at the jazz club Blå in Oslo.

1998, the summer: Composed and performed music for the opening of Henry Henriksen’s painting exhibition Kapp Melkefabrikkens gallery in Toten, Norway.

1996: Worked as actress in the musical The Rocky Horror Show at Oslo’s main musical scene Chateau Neuf. Duration of show period: from September throughout December, with rehearsals through the summer 1996.

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Work experience:

2001 – 2007: Been giving private tuition in singing, improvisation and music theory to students of varying age groups.

March 2007: Coaching voice use and developing compositional material for German choreographer Stephanie Schober’s student showcase at the Northern School of Contemporary Dance, Leeds, UK.

2006: Running an autumn term series of workshops combining explorative voice use with movement for the 1st year Bachelor Degree students at the Northern School of Contemporary Dance, Leeds, UK.

2005 – 2007: Working as front of house staff member at Yorkshire Dance Centre, Leeds, UK.

1999 – 2001: Full time vacancy as a waitress and assisting manager at Tekehtopa Café (Oslo, Norway, http://www.tekehtopa.no) with chief responsibility for training new personnel. Also worked there through summer vacations in Norway while studying in England, 2001 - 2004.

1997 – 1999: Worked as telephone interviewer for Feedback Research AS in Oslo, Norway.

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Volunteer work experience:

1997 -2001: Worked as volunteer at several music and film festivals in Norway:

Molde International Jazz Festival, Oslo International Jazz Festival, Verden I Norden Festivalen (The World in the North Festival/world music), Oslo International film Festival and Film Fra Sør Festivalen (Films From the South Festival).

The tasks have included being Musician Relation/Contact Person for bands, Head Manager for concert scenes and Assistant Sound Engineer.

_______________________________________________________CV Last updated: August the 21st 2007.
_____________________Photo by Lepti. All rights reserved. Lepti and Maria Jardardottir 2004-07 ©