Øystein Sevåg
Encyclopedia
Øystein Sevåg is a Norwegian classical and world music composer and musician.
, Norway
in 1957, beginning piano lessons at age five. As a teen he played bass in a rock band but returned to his classical roots in time to study piano, flute and composition at a private Music Conservatory in Oslo; by the 1980s, however, Sevåg had become fascinated by the possibilities offered by the development of the synthesizer, and he plunged into electronic music with his self-released 1989 debut LP Close Your Eyes and See.
The product of five years in the studio, the album slowly crept into Billboard
's New Age
charts in the USA, and it landed Sevåg on the Windham Hill label to issue the follow-up, 1993's Link. He returned two years later with Global House, a record reflecting a newfound interest in acoustic sounds and worldbeat textures, including didgeridoo and string quartet; the ambient album Visual, a collaboration with guitarist Lakki Patey, followed in 1996. Signing to Hearts of Space Records
, Sevåg resurfaced in 1997 with the acclaimed Bridge
, now including the Philharmonia Orchestra
(London), winning the Indie Award in USA for the best new age recording of the year.
From 1999 to 2005, he lived in Freiburg
, South Germany, where he among other things has been working with music therapy together with Maria Sevag and the psychologist Katharina Martin.
In April 2005, Sevåg's new album Caravan was released, 8 years after his previous album Bridge. The new material was introduced on a concert in Oslo in March. In June one of his new compositions in the classical area - a string trio - had its first performance on Casa dei Mezzo Music Festival on Crete
, Greece, and in April 2006 in Madrid. In October 2005 he had two concerts in Norway with his "Global House Band" - followed up by ten small solo concerts at the Vigeland
Mausoleum in Oslo.
In the spring 2006 Øystein Sevåg moved to Oslo. He produced singer/songwriter Eliksir
's debut album Earthly Things, released in 2007. His latest album Based on a True Story was released in 2007. In February 2006 he met the singer/songwriter Benedicte Torget, and worked with her as a co producer, arranger and piano player on her debut album After a Day of Rain, released in August 2008.
In April 2010 he released his studio album The Red Album collaborating with Peter Wettre, Bendik Hofseth, Andreas Bye, Paolo Vinaccia, Ole Marius Melhuus, Zotora Nygard, Sara Övinge, Audun Erlien and Eivind Aarset.
Biography
Øystein Sevåg was born near OsloOslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
in 1957, beginning piano lessons at age five. As a teen he played bass in a rock band but returned to his classical roots in time to study piano, flute and composition at a private Music Conservatory in Oslo; by the 1980s, however, Sevåg had become fascinated by the possibilities offered by the development of the synthesizer, and he plunged into electronic music with his self-released 1989 debut LP Close Your Eyes and See.
The product of five years in the studio, the album slowly crept into Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
's New Age
New Age
The New Age movement is a Western spiritual movement that developed in the second half of the 20th century. Its central precepts have been described as "drawing on both Eastern and Western spiritual and metaphysical traditions and then infusing them with influences from self-help and motivational...
charts in the USA, and it landed Sevåg on the Windham Hill label to issue the follow-up, 1993's Link. He returned two years later with Global House, a record reflecting a newfound interest in acoustic sounds and worldbeat textures, including didgeridoo and string quartet; the ambient album Visual, a collaboration with guitarist Lakki Patey, followed in 1996. Signing to Hearts of Space Records
Hearts of Space Records
Hearts of Space Records is an independent record label owned by Valley Entertainment.From the label’s website, “Launched in 1984, this record label was created as an extension of the weekly syndicated radio show Hearts of Space...
, Sevåg resurfaced in 1997 with the acclaimed Bridge
Bridge
A bridge is a structure built to span physical obstacles such as a body of water, valley, or road, for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle...
, now including the Philharmonia Orchestra
Philharmonia Orchestra
The Philharmonia Orchestra is one of the leading orchestras in Great Britain, based in London. Since 1995, it has been based in the Royal Festival Hall. In Britain it is also the resident orchestra at De Montfort Hall, Leicester and the Corn Exchange, Bedford, as well as The Anvil, Basingstoke...
(London), winning the Indie Award in USA for the best new age recording of the year.
From 1999 to 2005, he lived in Freiburg
Freiburg
Freiburg im Breisgau is a city in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. In the extreme south-west of the country, it straddles the Dreisam river, at the foot of the Schlossberg. Historically, the city has acted as the hub of the Breisgau region on the western edge of the Black Forest in the Upper Rhine Plain...
, South Germany, where he among other things has been working with music therapy together with Maria Sevag and the psychologist Katharina Martin.
In April 2005, Sevåg's new album Caravan was released, 8 years after his previous album Bridge. The new material was introduced on a concert in Oslo in March. In June one of his new compositions in the classical area - a string trio - had its first performance on Casa dei Mezzo Music Festival on Crete
Crete
Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
, Greece, and in April 2006 in Madrid. In October 2005 he had two concerts in Norway with his "Global House Band" - followed up by ten small solo concerts at the Vigeland
Emanuel Vigeland
Emanuel Vigeland was a multitalented Norwegian artist. He is most known for a variety of decorations of Scandinavian churches and for Tomba Emmanuelle, his mausoleum at Slemdal in Oslo.-Background:...
Mausoleum in Oslo.
In the spring 2006 Øystein Sevåg moved to Oslo. He produced singer/songwriter Eliksir
Eliksir
Eliksir is the second studio album by Norwegian Hard rock band Skambankt. The first single "Tyster" received a decent amount of radio airplay, and it entered the Norwegian album charts on 8th place the week after its release. A video was made to promote the record's second single "Dynasti"...
's debut album Earthly Things, released in 2007. His latest album Based on a True Story was released in 2007. In February 2006 he met the singer/songwriter Benedicte Torget, and worked with her as a co producer, arranger and piano player on her debut album After a Day of Rain, released in August 2008.
In April 2010 he released his studio album The Red Album collaborating with Peter Wettre, Bendik Hofseth, Andreas Bye, Paolo Vinaccia, Ole Marius Melhuus, Zotora Nygard, Sara Övinge, Audun Erlien and Eivind Aarset.
Albums
- 1989: Close Your Eyes and See
- 1993: Link
- 1995: Global House
- 1997: Bridge (Hearts of Space RecordsHearts of Space RecordsHearts of Space Records is an independent record label owned by Valley Entertainment.From the label’s website, “Launched in 1984, this record label was created as an extension of the weekly syndicated radio show Hearts of Space...
) - 2005: Caravan
- 2007: Based on a True Story
- 2010: The Red Album
Compilations
- 1999: Pearl Collection
- 1999: Private Collection
- 2001: Early Works
Collaborations
- 1996: Visual with Lakki Patey
- 2003: Amor Fati with Kristin Flood - English and Norwegian version
- 2007: Eliksir: Earthly Things - producer
- 2008: Benedicte Torget: After a Day of Rain - coproducer, piano player, arranger
- 2011: Anette Askvik: Liberty - producer, piano player, arranger