"It comes Unadorned", performed by Embla
Bæverfjord has been employed at DMMH since 2010, where she has worked on a variety of projects within the music field. She has also made significant contributions to music outside of DMMH.
- I am lucky to experience a lot, get invited to perform concerts in other places, competitions, and experience a variety of choral music, says Associate Professor Hanne Bæverfjord at DMMH.
Choir
Bæverfjord has been active in the choir community in Mid-Norway for many years, both as a singer, composer, arranger, and conductor. Several of the choirs have participated in competitions, and both Øremazzørene and Trønderkor hold gold diplomas from international competitions and are ranked at an international level.
Her passion project, and where she has had the most projects, is the women's choir Embla.
- I have been with Embla since Norunn Illevold Giske started the choir 30 years ago, while I was studying music at Dragvoll. Here I am both a singer and the house conductor, the latter means I handle the daily rehearsals of the songs.
Together with Embla, Bæverfjord has won many awards. They have also collaborated with Olavsfestdagene and NRK on the project Sangfoni, a performance where classical children's songs receive new arrangements. Embla emphasizes traditions and has performed its own show Barnesangskatten multiple times. This winter, they will release a Christmas album, where several composers are invited to give the songs a new arrangement.
- It is a contribution to preserving the Christmas song tradition we also have, but which is now being forgotten, says Bæverfjord.
Compositions
In 2019, Bæverfjord had the honor of being the composer of the year for the prestigious Cornell University Chorus. Cornell is ranked as one of the world's best universities, and every year since 2003, they have commissioned a work from a female composer and with a female lyricist. The project "No Whining, No Flowers" aims to expand the repertoire for women's choirs, or "upper voices".
Bæverfjord delivered the work "It comes Unadorned", which is based on a poem by Nobel Prize winner Toni Morrison.
- Much more music has been written for mixed choirs than for women's choirs, explains the composer.
- With this project, the choir wants texts with slightly different qualities; traditionally, a lot of heartache and beautiful flowers are set to music.
Cornell University Chorus performing Hanne Bæverfjord's composition It comes Unadorned, based on a poem by Toni Morrison. (Photo: Private)
Discovered through previous works
Cornell has taken the commissioned work on tour, and this is often how knowledge of new composers is spread.
- To be heard, it is advantageous to have music published, both scores and recordings. Some of my pieces are sung at competitions and spread that way. I always bring the program home when I attend a concert to stay updated on new music.
- Much has changed in choral singing since the 90s. New elements have been added that expand the genre. It is inspiring to listen to others, but also to work with Embla. I write for all types of choirs, but mostly for women's choirs. When I write for Embla, I know exactly how it will sound because I know them so well. There can be a big difference in how different choirs shape a work.
Hanne Bæverfjord, DMMH, together with Robert Isaacs, Director of choral activities at Cornell University. (Photo: Private).
Music becomes more individualized
The music teacher has lived for and with music her entire life and has no doubt that music has great significance for people.
- Music has been its own subject since the dawn of time. It is a way to entertain, to communicate, to interact. Now the mobile phone has perhaps become our biggest source of musical experiences, we no longer share a community through the songbook. Music has become much more individualized and is no longer a shared experience to the extent it was before; people walk around with headsets.
In a choir, music experiences are shared. And there are many who sing in choirs in Norway. In fact, so many that there is a bit of a shortage of conductors at the moment. A survey commissioned by the Norwegian Choir Association (2022) shows that 172,000 people sing in choirs, and that as many as 700,000 would like to start. So Bæverfjord trusts that the situation will turn around.
- There is a big effort now; studies for choir conductors are being established in several places. I sit on the board of the Association of Norwegian Choir Conductors (FONOKO), we are working to create courses for choir conductors so that they can develop.
The path to DMMH
As with most music teachers, Bæverfjord's path involved several small positions.
- I have a major in music, with piano as my main instrument. After my studies, I had various jobs as a conductor, choir teacher, music teacher at high schools and at the University College in Nord-Trøndelag, as well as at the Cultural School, she says. At DMMH, she also has many and varied tasks, including being a subject group coordinator and course responsible. In addition to teaching music.
- It is very fun to work with the students when we see that they start to push themselves a bit. We often see it towards the end of the year when they have acquired some skills and they realize they can develop even more, they want to do well.
Otherwise, she really enjoys playing with the House Band and other colleagues at graduations, matriculations, and other events.