Contact:

Office: Vågsallmenningen 1, 5014 Bergen - - Post address: Postboks 848 Sentrum, 5807 Bergen, Norway
Tlf: + 47 55312200 - Faks: + 47 55210640

Borealis i supported by:
Norsk Kulturr åd,
Bergen Kommune,
Hordaland Fylkeskommune,
Fond for Lyd og Bilde, Bergens
Tidende, Bergen Kunsthall,
Norsk Komponistforening,
Griegakademiet,
Østerrikes Ambassade,
Argentinas Ambassade, Lindemans Legat, Augustin
Hotell, Komponistenes Vederlagsfond, SAS, Fritt Ord,
Bergen Kammermusikkforening, Barnas Hus, BEK, Ny Musikk Bergen,
Kunsthøgskolen i Bergen,
NRK, norsk film, dnah-group, Transformator,
Den kulturelle bæremeisen, Logen, Artist in Residence
USF og Bergen Næringsråd

Members:
Ny Musikk Bergen,
Bergen Filharmoniske Orkester,
BEK,
BIT20 Ensemble,
Bergen Kunsthall,
Bergen Kammermusikkforening,
Opera Vest,
Vest-Norges Opera,
USF,
DNS,
Griegakademiet,
Pilota,
Forsvarets Divisjonsmusikk

Before Borealis was Music Factory og Autunnale. In 2003 these two former festivals agreed to unite into a new creature - Borealis.

Music Factory was established in 1987. The visionary founder of Music Factory was Geir Johnson who remained in this position till 1998. Then he became festivaldirector of Ultima in Oslo. He was strongly influenced from his experiences from  his time as artistic coordinator of the supermodern avantgarde setting at Henie Onstad Kunstsenter, Høvikodden, Oslo. Among his guests over there were John Cage.  HE also edited 'Prismanytt' - the periodical of Høvikodden Kunstsenter and the contemporary music review 'Ballade'.   A main motif in the early programming of Music Factory was Johnson's large network in USA. One of the early spiritual mentors of MF was the legendary American pianist and composer Yvar Mikhashoffi. He came every year from New York to perform at Music Factory.  Later on the extreme-virtuoso scottish pianist og composer did annual appearances at MF- James Clapperton.  He was artistic director after Geir in the years 1999-2002.  The last years Berge Osnes also participated as producer. Øyvind Hånes was artistic director in 1989.  The very first years Music Factory  nested at USF - United Sardine Factory - therefore the name. Later the festival moved to other venues in Bergen.  The festival-composers of MF have been maestros like Salvatore Sciarrino, Klaus Huber, Brian Ferneyhough, Michael Finnisey, Helmut Lachenmann, Gavin Bryars og Julio Estrada.  The festival period was in the end of May.

Autunnalefestival was the autumnal counterpoint to Music Factory and established in 1997.  This festival was mostly managed by the local composers in Bergen. The socalled KGB - Komponistgruppen i Bergen - (the composers group in Bergen) where the founders. The last years the festival was run artistically by Andrè Stene Johnsen. Autunnale was established because the former Nordlydfestivalen - an annual project run by the Norwegian Section of Society of Contemporary Music (Ny Musikk) one year was placed in Bergen. This inspired the local enviroment and  the festival started to grow - both artistically and economically. Composers like Karen Tanaka and Hans Abrahamsen were among the composers visiting the festival. Many will remember Mario Caroli's Sciarrino sudden solorecital in 2002.  Autunnale was the contemporary campfire in the dark bergensiana autumn.

Borealis is:
Artistic director:
Nicholas H. Møllerhaug
Administrative coordinator:
Anne Szefer Karlsen
Artistic advisor:
Øyvind Torvund
Designer:
Lasse Marhaug
Webdesigner:
Espen Sommer Eide
Production-coordinator:
Eirik Kydland
Producers:
Henrik Svanevik
Fredrik Saroea
Technical maestro:
Thorolf Thuestad
Administrator of the masterclass:
Morten Eide Pedersen
Market/press-consultant:
Agnes Kroepelien
Accountant:
Mona Igland

Board of the festival:
Rune Gaustad, chairman;
Aashild Grana, vice chairman;
Arne Fagerholt;
Hilde Sandvik,
Hild Borchgrevink.
Varaer:
Janne Stang Dahl,
Grethe Melby,
Roar Sletteland

Artistic Council :
Nicholas H. Møllerhaug,
Øyvind Torvund,
Maia Urstad,
Ruben Sverre Gjertsen

Office: Vågsallmenningen 1, 5014 Bergen - - Post address: Postboks 848 Sentrum, 5807 Bergen, Norway
Tlf: + 47 55312200 - Faks: + 47 55210640