About the project Sonisk Selskap
Sonisk Selskap brings musicians together in new constellations, in a supportive and open “residency” environment, and challenges them to generate new musical material through strategies of improvisation and experimentation led by selected directors. Unlike traditional recording sessions, Sonisk Selskap emphasises the value of low-pressure processes and moments of inspiration or “magic”, challenging the notion that “time is money”. Everything gets recorded to the highest possible standards, because magic can happen when it’s least expected.
Each Sonisk Selskap residency ends with a 30 minute public sharing of the process, where dancers and visual artists join the improvisation from other rooms throughout Wrap, creating a unique interactive audiovisual experience, presented to both live and online audiences. Documentation from these events leaves a growing archive of beautiful and interesting interdisciplinary videos.
Sonisk Selskap is inspired by annual gatherings of like-minded musicians that took place each summer during the early days of Wrap (in Ibsensgate 31).
Wrap’s AV Lab is a very flexible and technically sophisticated environment for music production. Together with the experienced engineers/technicians who understand its full potential, and Wrap's artistic/curatorial leadership, this offers an opportunity to create unique projects that offer unusual opportunities and possibilities. Sonisk Selskap has taken place two or three times per year since 2021, resulting in a 30 minute public sharing and music video each time. The dance collective, ImproLaBergen, has participated in the public sharing (concert/event) every time, and has become an integral part of the concept.
A new leader, known as the Sonic Sheriff, is appointed to lead each edition of Sonisk Selskap. Their job is to define the musical terrain, invite appropriate musicians, prepare each session during the relevant period, and lead these sessions in cooperation with the Studio Manager, Cheif Sound Engineer and Studio Technician. They may also take initiative to (and responsibility for) post-production implementations, in collaboration with the technical crew.
Sonic sheriffs are chosen that have broad experience of working within a particular musical sphere and leading musical projects. Sonic Selskap guidelines prevent a Sonic Sherif from inviting only people with whom they are currently working. It is important to us that the project is about exploring new collaborations and new dynamics, rather than providing an exclusive platform for established ensembles. Invitations must therefore be discussed and approved by Wrap.
The public sharing (concerts/event)
The concerts may often be part of our sporadic Søndagskrydder events, always combined with dance improvisation performed by ImproLaBergen.
The collaboration with ImproLaBergen invites dancers who are members of the lab to improvise in reaction to the music. The dancers inhabit different designated spaces throughout Wrap. Sound and video-over-network (not over internet) technology enables the dancers to react to the music in real time, and be seen on projection screens around the musicians on stage.
A new framework for the dance improvisations is defined for each edition by choreographer/dance artist Veronica Robles Thorseth, together with an invited member of ImproLaBergen. This framework consists of two scores, as well as some directions regarding costumes/clothing.
What happens to the recordings?
The public sharing at the end of each Sonisk Selskap edition gets streamed to YouTube with live video from the concert, as well as the dancers in various rooms. This documentation becomes a spontaneous (sometimes re-tweaked in post) music video, providing a permanent interdisciplinary record.
Time can be set aside between sessions for listening, for post-production in the form of editing, mixing, and the option of overdubs.
It is our intention that highlights from the Sonisk Selskap recordings will be released, either "as is" or "remixed" using various techniques, on a dedicated record label called Sonisk Plateselskap.
A focus of this label will be to promote the recordings for synch (film, TV, advertising etc.) as well as for performing arts productions. Depending on the nature of this material, recordings may also be presented/marketed in a variety of other ways, such as streaming services.
All participating musicians will be registered with Gramo in the event of a formal release. We are also exploring the possibility that everyone who participates as a musician, sonic sherif or engineer will receive a proportional stake in the record label its self!
We want the Sonisk Selskap recordings to be something that can be developed, edited and used either by Wrap or by the musicians that contribute, within an ethical, respectful and legally correct framework.
Genre and ethos
Sonisk Selskap understands improvisation to be a broad set of practices and strategies that can cover all genres of music. Some form of rules must usually apply in order for improvisation to “work” whether these rules consist of fixed scales and time signatures, abstract scores, or signals from a conductor or other band member. Sometimes listening and intuition are all that's needed. Our project aims to cover a wide range of genres and musicians by inviting sonic sheriffs from very different musical backgrounds and milieus to lead each period.
Sonisk Selskap 2025
How Did We Get Here? 31.10 - 02.11.
Musicians (residency and concert):
Njål Paulsberg - analog synths
Gabriela Garrubo - vocals
Torkil Hjelle - upright & electric bass
Martin Borge - guitar
Herman Kirkenær Krogh - drums, percussion & electronics
Kjetil Traavik Møster - sax, clarinet & percussion
Dancers (from ImproLaBergen collective):
Ewa Lorenc
Katja Nyqvist
Rita María Muñoz Farías
Malin Nøss Vangsnes
Roskva Yasmin Andersen
Anaïs Martinez Carreras
Guest: Veronica Robles Thorseth
Choreographic scores:
Roskva Yasmin Andersen and Veronica Robles Thorseth
Live drawing and performance:
Gillian Carson
Technical Director: Leo Preston
Sound Engineer: Leo Preston
Technical Assistent: Julia Engan Skei
Cameras (dance & drawing/performance): Øystein Nesheim
Camera (musicians): Nils J. Nesse
Streaming & video-over-nettverk: Thomas Brandt
Projections (for live audience): Øystein Nesheim & Thomas Brandt
Highest Heaven, Empyreum - 10th, 11th & 12th of October
Musicians (residency and concert):
Cello: Mathias Monsen
Percussion: Bruno Tagliasacchi Masia
Vocals/Harpeleik/Glockenspiel: Hilde Annine Hasselberg
Double Bass: Eline Rafteseth
Organetto: Anders Hannevold
Pedal steel/guitar: Henning Hodne Mjanger
Dancers from ImproLaBergen:
Ewa Lorenc
Teresa Kurowska
Katja Nyqvist
Rita María Muñoz Farías
Malin Nøss Vangsnes
Ine Terese Hogstad
Guest: Veronica Robles Thorseth
Choreographic score:
Katja Nyqvist and Veronica Robles Thorseth
Live illustration:
Øystein Nesheim
Crew:
Technical Director: Leo Preston
Sound Engineer: Matias Grønsdal
Camera (dancers, artist and musicians in Studio B): Julia Cremers and Nils J. Nesse
Streaming & video-over-network: Thomas Brandt and Julia Cremers
Hope in Darkness - 10, 11 & 12th of January
Musicians (residency and concert):
Kristin Bolstad: vocals
Ragnhild Sannes: cello
Owen Weaver: percussion
Bodil Lunde Rørtveit (Sonic Sheriff): vocals
Dancers from ImproLaBergen:
Malin Nøss Vangsnes-Weaver
Monica Reksten
Ewa Lorenc
Eik Leknesund Elnes
Katja Nyqvist
Rita María Muñoz Farías
Johanne Sundfør
Guest: Veronica Robles Thorseth
Choreographic score:
Rita María Muñoz Farías and Veronica Robles Thorseth
Live illustration:
Øystein Nesheim
Crew:
Technical Director: Leo Preston
Cheif Sound Engineer: Leo Preston
Assistant Sound Engineer: Priscilla Miranda Navas
Cameras (dancers and artist): Øystein Nesheim
Camera (musicians in Studio B): Nils J. Nesse
Streaming & video-over-network: Andreas Lassen
Sonisk Selskap 2024
A Sonic Protocol of the Mind - 6th - 8th September
Musicians (residency and concert):
Eva Pfitzenmaier: vocals
Sondre Närva Pettersen: vocals/keys
Knut Jonas Sellevold: electronics
Nils H. Sagvåg: double bass
Matias Monse: cello
Owen Weaver: percussion
Daiyen Jone (Sonic Sheriff): Flutes/electronics
Dancers from ImproLaBergen:
Teresa Kurowska
Ine Terese Hogstad
Malin Nøss Vangsnes-Weaver
Monica Reksten
Ewa Lorenc
Roskva Yasmin Andersen
Eik Leknesund Elnes
Katja Nyqvist
Brita Grov
Rita María Muñoz Farías
Guest: Veronica Robles Thorseth
Choreographic score:
Brita Grov and Veronica Robles Thorseth
Live illustration:
To be confirmed
Crew:
Technical Director: Leo Preston
Cheif Sound Engineer: Leo Preston
Assistant Sound Engineer: Priscilla Miranda Navas
Cameras (dancers and artist): Øystein Nesheim
Camera (musicians in Studio B): Nils J. Nesse
Streaming & video-over-network: Thomas Brandt
Sustained Vibrations - 11th - 13th April
Musicians (residency and concert):
Amund Nordstrøm - Trommer / perk
Anders Hannevold - Organetto
Daiyen Jone - Fløyte & elektronikk
Feronia Wennborg - Fiolin & elektronikk
Sergej Tchirkov - Trekkspill
Tijs Ham (Sonic Sheriff) - Elektronikk & DIY celo
Dancers from ImproLaBergen:
Ine Terese Hogstad
Malin Nøss Vangsnes
Monica Reksten
Ewa Lorenc
Roskva Yasmin Andersen
Eik Leknesund Elnes
Katja Nyqvist
Guest: Veronica Robles Thorseth
Choreographic score:
Monica Reksten and Veronica Robles Thorseth
Live painting:
Mariano Pignatiello
Crew:
Sound Engineer - Mathias Grønsdahl
Assistant Sound Engineer - Priscilla Alejandra Miranda Navas
Cameras (dance and painting) - Øystein Nesheim
Streaming & video-over-network - Andreas Lassen
Camera (concert) - Nils J Nesse
Technical Director - Leo Preston
Sonisk Selskap 2023
That All Sounds Very Important - 1st - 3rd December
Musicians (residency and concert):
Bjørnar Erevik Nilsen - Samples & percussion (Sonic Sheriff)
Henrik Nesse - Drums
Hans Marius Andersen - Saxophone
Dancers:
Meg Dodini
Rita Maria F. Munoz
Brita Grov
Anaïs Carreras
Teresa Kurowska
Ine Terese Hogstad
Malin Nøss Vangsnes
Ewa Pyclik (performer + score)
M. Veronica L. Robles Thorseth (performer + score)
Live Illustration:
Kim Holm
Crew:
Sound Engineer - Paal Rasmussen
Assistant Sound Engineer - Priscilla Alejandra Miranda Navas
Cameras and video-over-network - Øystein Nesheim
Streaming - Leo Preston
Camera (concert) - Nils J Nesse
Technical Coordinator - Leo Preston
Sonisk Selskap 2022
DeltaJazzLand - 15th - 16th October
Musicians (residency and concert):
David Pavels - Guitars & Slide (Sonic Sheriff)
Julio Valencia - Percussion
Tor Bjarne Bjelland - Drums
Torbjørn Hillersøy - Bass
Are Ovesen - Trumpet
Nave Pudnik - Harmonica
Lauritz Isaksen - Keys
Dancers:
Meg Dodini
Monica Reksten
Roskva Yasmin Andersen
Rita Maria F. Munoz
Anaïs Carreras
Malin Nøss Vangsnes (performer + score)
M. Veronica L. Robles Thorseth (performer + score)
Crew:
Sound Engineer - Leo Preston
Assistant Sound Engineer - Elaine Maltezos
Cameras and video-over-network - Øystein Nesheim
Streaming - Jonas Skarmark
Camera (concert) - Nils J Nesse
Technical Manager - Leo Preston
Voices That Create - 11th - 13th February
Vocalists/musicians (residency and concert):
Ingvill Espedal - singer (Sonic Sherrif)
Anett Omdahl Skansen - actress & singer
Tora Finne - singer, philosopher & student nurse
Alexander Fiske Fosse - singer & composer
Marcus Davidson - singer & composer
Greta Andersberg - singer
Dancers:
Rita Maria Farias Munoz
Ewa Lorenc
Monica Reksten
Ine Terese Hogstad
Brita Grov
Roskva Yasmin Andersen
M. Veronica L. Robles Thorseth (performer + score)
Crew:
Sound Engineer - Paal Rasmussen
Technical Coordinator - Leo Preston
Streaming - Jonas Skarmark
Video-over-network - Leo Preston
Real-time Projections - Stian Remvik
Camera - Marte Bleu
Camera - Nils J. Nesse
Camera - Sebastian Holmlund
Sonisk Selskap 2021
Drums & Drones - 12th - 14th November
Musicians:
Espen Lund - Trumpet/Electronics
Simon Kjelsvik - Double Bass (5 string)
Kristoffer Riis - Guitar
Bjørn Ognøy - Guitar
Jard Hole - Drums
Nils Are Drønen - Drums
Thore Warland - Drums
Dancers:
Rita Maria Farias Munoz
Ewa Lorenc
Monica Reksten
Ine Terese Hogstad
Marit Loe Bjørnstad
Anaïs Carreras
M. Veronica L. Robles Thorseth (performer + score)
Crew:
Sound Engineer - Paal Rasmussen
Technical Coordinator - Leo Preston
Technical Assistent - Aisté Žumbakyté
Musicians:
Stian Brungot - Bass
Nils Are Drønen - Drums
Kjetil Hana - Marimba and Percussion
Hades Heriberto Hernandes Rodriguez - Cuban Percussion
Linn Merethe Myrtveit - Vocals
Leo Preston - Guitar/Sonic Sherif
Carlos Salinas - Andean Flutes
Crew:
Paal Rasmussen - Sound Engineer
Suzanne Starr - Technical Assistant