Melodic Harmony of the Barents Region

The group “TRI” was established as a Norwegian-Russian project, now finishes last preparations for their tour around the Barents region. Word “TRI” is equally harmonious for Russian and Norwegian, as well as in many dialects. That is why the group members Vegard Austli Kjøsnes, Laila Renate Buer Storli and Nikolay Vimorkov chose is as their group name.

- Culture is a bridge for cooperation. I’m absolutely motivated for communication between musicians and audience, and I’m very glad to have the opportunity of working with representatives from different cultures, says Vegard Kjøsnes, the group leader.

Three week tour
Their three-week tour around the Barents region has 12 concerts on the plan. The project idea sprang to his mind in 2010-2011, when Vegard was in Arhangelsk participating in student exchange program. It was marvelous 10 months spent in talks to students, learning history of Russia and the language. For Vegard, as a result, culture became the only visible opportunity for removal of bureaucratic barriers and communication despite the borders.

Group “TRI” consists of three experienced musicians with unique perception and creative taste:
Nikolay is a young composer, sings and plays guitar. Vegard got classical musical education and today is a composer and plays harmonica. Laila is a folk-musician, singer, plays a traditional Norwegian instrument - fiddle. All of them had already participated in a number of festivals and projects. Individuality of each group member in combination with folk melodies flavored with common issues are likely to amaze the Northern audience with something fresh and new.

Original music
The guys believe that their “meeting” may lead to creation of original and distinctive music. Their intricate, emotionally-colored material, lyrical and fluty music based on the Russian and Norwegian folklore, is going to be a kind of experimental use of harmonica in its execution.

The project idea got inspiration for its development under the support in special cultural program “BarentsKult” organized by the Norwegian Barents Secretariat.

- For me it was extremely important to get support from both sides. We cooperate with Russian representative offices of our donors in Naryan-Mar, Murmansk and Arkhangelsk, together with Norwegian musical clubs “Spelt” (Tromsø), “Baluba”(Salangen). And this activity shouldn’t be underestimated, says Vegard Austli.

First tour steps would be done in Russia, followed by 7 concerts in Norway: 8. November was occupied by the concert in Novodvinsk, “THE TIMES” club, 9. November – there was a concert for participants of Seminar for young scientists in the Nordic (Arctic) federal university named after M. V. Lomonosov 10. November – concert in Severodvinsk, café “ETAZHI” 11. November – concert in Naryan-Mar 14. November – concert in Murmansk, “LEDOKOL” club

For more information, please, follow the link: http://www.myspace.com/gruppa-tri

Text: Daria Shirokova