The Music
Kari Beate Tandberg prefers to work with acoustic instruments both in chamber format and for orchestra as well as vocal music and electro-acoustic works. She explores and utilizes modern playing techniques as a means to expand the sound palette. Her music is playful, humorous, inquisitive, dramatic and expressive. Her musical references are rooted in the classical music. She draws on different types of jazz and rhythmic, improvised music. The focus on the sound as a forming object has been composer models such as Saariaho, Gubaidulina, Lachenmann and Ligeti. This has inspired her since she was introduced to sonology as an auditory tool of analysis at the composition studies (Norwegian Academy of Music). Also geology and nature has been a starting point for making music. In Porphyry Imitations for violin and piano the texture of a rock (porphyre) has been a source for musical ideas. Faults in the mountain gave inspiration for the piece Displacements for solo piano. The title of Polynya for bassoon and piano, premiered 27th of October 2024, refers to a natural icehole or an area surrounded by sea ice. Fabel for orchestra (premiered January 13th 2023) fantasizes about the Earth as an organism. Several works include or are linked to text. Poems by Jon Fosse are integrated in Attitudes II for piano quintet and actor. The double bass concerto Dét (premiered January 13th 2023) is inspired by the lyrics of the Danish poet Inger Christensen. The book “The Unwomanly Face of War” by Svetlana Alexievich (Nobel Prize in Literature 2015) is an important backdrop for Blooming for piano and sinfonietta (premiered September 24th 2023).
Releases:
DEVIATIONS Accordion and strings
(Simax 11.09.24)
Andreas Angell and Telemark Chamber Orchestra/Per Kristian Skalstad: “Concertos” Christophersen, Tandberg, Skjelbred
https://open.spotify.com/album/7l5aLTwKOF2TdgDgyT6Dnl?si=FAkKWm8gTUer5KMRZHR0uw
Anmeldelse:https://klassiskcd.blogspot.com/2024/11/musikalsk-lengsel.html#more
DEEP DIVE (Dypdykk) Tandberg; orchestra- and chamber music:
Dét - Fabel - Porphyry Imitations
(Aurora 29.11.24)
https://klassiskcd.blogspot.com/2025/01/ord-stein-fantasi-klang.html#more
MODES AND MOVES Tandberg;
chamber music:
Modes and Moves - Dwindle - displacements - Optophonia - Attitudes II (Euridice 2016)
https://open.spotify.com/album/08xtTHMiQdGR2bTm6FvGXl
Works
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Blendverk — Orchestra (2025/26) 12 min. (Upcoming)
Blooming — Piano and sinfonietta (2023) 30 min.
Duggpunkt — 7 instruments (2023) 8 min.
Fabel — Orchestra (2020) 11 min.
Deviations [Avvik] — String orchestra and accordion (2021) 12 min.
Dét Double Bass and orchestra (2019) 15 min.
Fløy — Flutequintet (2018) 11 min
Jubileumsbrudd — Ensemble-groups (2016)
(W)hole — Percussion trio (2015) 30 min.
Attitudes — Pianoquintet (2011) 18 min.
Attitudes II — Pianoquintet + Actor, 4 integrated poems by Jon Fosse 18 min (2015)
Symbols — Sinfonietta (2011) 9 min.
Eagle Nebula — 8 trombones version for 5 trb (2010) 12 min
Modes and Moves — Windensemble (33 instr.) (2008/16) 9 min.
Thymos — Alt-saxophone, marimba and windensemble (2008) 18 min
On pins and needles — 8 instruments
Version b) — 2 saxophones (ss, as) trumpet, horn (F) (2007) 6 min.
Ballade-Riss [part by KBT] — Windensemble (2007) 4 min.
View — String quartet, 2 percussionists (2006) 10 min.
Optophonia — Sinfonietta, enlarged (2005) 19 min.
Abstraktes Bild — String-orchestra (2001) 6 min.
Skulpturlandskap Nordland — en musikalsk dialog — 8 instruments (2001)
Tremble — 9 instruments (1999) 10 min.
Trakt — Orchestra (1999) 11min.
Grace notes — Pianoquintet (1998) 9 min.
Summit — For fløyter og ensemble (1997)
Riss — 11 strings, 6 percussionists (1996) 8 min.
Nexus — Sinfonietta (1995) 8 min.
Koloritt — Horn (F), stringquartet (1993) 8 min.
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Delta ∆ — Flute, alto sax violin and cello (2025/26) 10 min. (Upcoming)
Kløkt— Piano 4 hand (2024/25) 3:30 min.
The White Heron and The Passing World — Shakuhashi, koto, flute guitar (2025) 6 min. WP Kyoto 25.03.25
Metis — Euphonium+Baritone (soloist) and brass quintet (2024/25) 10 min. WP 28.02.2026
Polynya — Bassoon, piano (2017/2024) 10 min. WP 23.05.25
Den Membranøse Labyrint — Violin, piano (2023/24) 10 min.
Duggpunkt — EnsembleCLBb, Alto-sax, div. perc. str.quartet (2023) 8 min.
Chiaroscuro — Trio violin, horn (F), piano (2022/23) 17 min.
Parnassius nomion — String quartet (2022) 7 min.
Drøs — Piano 4 hand (2022) 5:30 min.
Ørkenvandring — Actor, saxophones (s, bs), piano. Texts by Einar Økland (2020) 15 min.
Ørkenvandringar [alternative version] (2022)
Processus — Trio accordion, guitar, cello (2020) 12 min.
Tsudoi — Trio Flute, koto, celtic harp (2019) 7 min.
Tsudoi II — Version for flute, violin, viola (2022) 7 min.
Sound–Tales — Alto-saxophone, piano (2018) 15 min.
Polynya — Bassoon, piano (2017) 10 min
Porphyry imitations — Violin, piano (2017) 15 min.
Exposures — Trombone, piano (2012) 11 min.
Sétsi — Euphonium, african percussion instruments (2010) 14 min.
Brudd 2 — Saxophones (ss, as) (2010) 10 min.
Akantus — Voice, shamisen (2010) 10 min.
Dwindle — Stringquartet (2009) 10 min.
Grace notes — Pianoquintet (1998) 9 min.
Zest — Percussion trio (1997 10 min.
Condition — Trio soprano, flute, small perc. instruments Text: Louis Kvalstad (1995) 8 min.
Kali — Violin, percussion (1992) 14 min.
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Displacements — Piano solo (2015) 7 min.
Vuoi — Percussion soloist 3 pieces (2014) 14:00
Siluett — Ephonium solo (2013) 11 min.
Transit —Cello solo and actor (2011) 3 min.
I sinn og skinn — Clarinet (Bb) solo (1997) 10 min.
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Visuell musikk/audtive bilder [visual music/auditive pictures] (2019) 30 min. In collaboration with Mia Göran.
Contains: Fossefall (4:45) Trær i vann (1:45) Skygge (4:10) Grønn flate (3:35) Boiling (3:30) Grenseland (5:12) Tåke (2:30) Portrett 1 (6:45)Glassblås — Audiovisual performance Flute-quartet, 2 laptops, 2 glassblowers (2016). In collaboration with Mia Göran.
Songlines — Bass Clarinet solo, electronics (2000) 10 min. -
Den eneste verden — choir SATB and cello text Inger Christensen, translated by Endre Ruset (2025/26) 10 min. Upcoming
Variabiliteter — Narrator and choir S/MS/A/T/Bar/B text Inger Christensen, translated by Endre Ruset (2024/25) 10 min. WP 30.05.2026
Unfathomable — 3 Pieces SATB Text: Percy Bysshe Shelley (2014) 14 min.
Kaiwa — Voice, shamisen, mans choir (TTBB) (2013) 3 min.
NKLMT — Womans choir (SSA) text Eldrid Lunden (2011) 6 min.
Siv — En valgopera act 3, 3 Voices and ens. text Torgeir Rebolledo Pedersen (2010) 4 min.
Hummarandakt — Mans choir text Einar Økland (2002) 5 min.
Cirkeln är inte en återkomst — Mezzo + 6 instruments, text Gunnar Ekelöf (1996) 17 min.
Søren Sørpå & Nora Nordpå — Text André Bjerke, Soprano + 4 instruments (1996) 14 min.
Custodia — Soprano, Mezzo, Alto + 8 instruments text Octavio Paz (1995) 18 min.
En skjeggete brud — 3 voices, children choir + 5 musicians text Tor Åge Bringsværd (1993). Cl Bb/bs cl, trb, pno, perc. 14 min.
Songcycle — Vocal, carinett, piano. (1990?) Text Einar Økland. Parole, Ein slager, Og, Kan ikkje
3 Songs — Vocal, carinett, piano. Text Einar Økland (1989?). Du er min beste venn, Tida går, Himmelnatta
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Brass
Collodictyon — Brassband (2012) 10 min.
Theater, Pedagogical, Other
Lyset i mellom — Text: Ragnhild
Vannebo (2012) 10 min.I møte med — 6 vocalists and EA + ballet-ensemble. Text: Tarjei Vesaas, Innbying (2002) 9 min.
Brikker — Piano 6 hands, 6 piano-players (1998) 5 min.
Leik — Clarinet-quintet and percussion-ensemble (1990) 3 min.
Order Scores at NB Noter