Berit Opheim Versto (born 18 June 1967 in

Voss Voss () is a municipality and a traditional district in Vestland county, Norway. The administrative center of the municipality is the village of Vossevangen. Other villages include Bolstadøyri, Borstrondi, Evanger, Kvitheim, Mjølfjell, ...

Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the ...

) is a

Norwegian Norwegian, Norwayan, or Norsk may refer to: *Something of, from, or related to Norway, a country in northwestern Europe * Norwegians, both a nation and an ethnic group native to Norway * Demographics of Norway *The Norwegian language, including ...

singer, known for her interpretations of

folk music Folk music is a music genre that includes traditional folk music and the contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be called world music. Traditional folk music has b ...

Career

Opheim studied at Bergen Musikkonservatorium (1987–90) and

Norges Musikkhøgskole The Norwegian Academy of Music (Norwegian: ''Norges musikkhøgskole'', NMH) is a university-level music conservatory located in Oslo, Norway, in the neighbourhood of Majorstuen, Frogner. It is the largest music academy in Norway and offers the c ...

(1990–92), and has worked since 1992 for the Ole Bull Academy in

, as well as engagements at NTNU and

. Opheim was the front figure in Orleysa (multiple releases), a soloist in Bergen Domkantori (release in 1990). A recording of ''kveding'' (a traditional Norwegian singing style) from Urnes stavkirke resulted in her debut ''Eitt steg'' (

NorCD NorCD (established 1991 in Oslo, Norway) is a Norwegian record label for folk, jazz, world music and improvisational music, led by the founder saxophonist and composer Karl Seglem. NorCD is distributed through Musikkoperatørene, and is a member ...

, 1996) which won her a

Spellemannprisen Spellemannprisen, often referred to as the Norwegian Grammy Awards in English, is a Norwegian music award presented to Norwegian musicians. The award was established by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), an organizat ...

nomination. A long-held interest in history resulted in the book ''Solè mi sela'' (Ole Bull Academy, 1996), a collection of texts from

. She has led the Småkvedarane from

to a release (

, 1998) and has also been active in the Voss Spellemannslag. She has also worked on many releases by

Utla United Teachers Los Angeles is the main representative of certified, non-administrative staff in the Los Angeles Unified School District. Prior to 1970, primary and secondary school teachers in Los Angeles were chiefly represented by a local of ...

. Recently, she has been a soloist with the BIT20 Ensemble on a number of records, won the Landskappleiken, played the role of ''Månefruva'' (The Queen of the Night) in a

version of

The Magic Flute ''The Magic Flute'' (German: , ), K. 620, is an opera in two acts by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to a German libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder. The work is in the form of a '' Singspiel'', a popular form during the time it was written that in ...

, with the

Rikskonsertene Concerts Norway ( no, Rikskonsertene) was established in 1967 on the initiative of the Arts Council Norway ( no, Norsk kulturråd), with its main purpose described as follows: "Concerts Norway is to make living music of high artistic quality acces ...

(2004) and won the

Gammleng-prisen The Gammleng Award ( no, Gammleng-prisen) is a Norwegian culture award created by ''The Fund for Performing Artists'' in 1982, 25 years after the fund was established in 1957. The award's official name is the ''Rolf Gammleng award to performing art ...

in the folk music category in 2003. In 2005 she performed with «Sullekoppane» ( Ole Hamre and Yngve Ådland). In the «BNB» trio, she has since 1998 played with the violinist

Nils Økland Nils Andreas Økland (10 June 1882 – 1969) was a Norwegian Esperantist and teacher in Stord (Hordaland), Norway. He spent some years in his youth on the island Utsira, where his father was a school teacher. Nils Økland was married to Hanna ...

and bassist

Bjørn Kjellemyr Bjørn Kjellemyr (born 4 December 1950 in Bamble, Norway) is a jazz double bassist, known from a variety of musical contexts like Terje Rypdal & The Chasers, Joe Henderson, Bob Berg, Chet Baker, Art Farmer, Pat Metheny, Mike Stern, Dag Arnesen, K ...

. They released ''Ein Song For Dei Utsungne Stunder'' (2005) with their own compositions. Opheim was a soloist in the song for Dei nynorske festspela 2006, ''Ny rørsle'' by

Karl Seglem Karl Seglem (born 8 July 1961 in Årdalstangen, Norway) is a Norwegian Jazz musician (saxophone and bukkehorn), composer and producer, known from a series of combined jazz and traditional music releases, as well as leading his own record label ...

. Her other release is ''Den blide sol'' (

, 2007) with organist

Sigbjørn Apeland Sigbjørn Apeland (born 10 May 1966 was raised in Sveio, Norway) is a musician (organ and Harmonium) and scientist, known from several recordings and for his work in the borderland between folk music, church music and improvisational music. Car ...

recorded at Voss kirke.

Honors

*1992: Landkappleiken winner *1994: Sagaprisen *1995: Landkappleiken winner *1996: Landkappleiken winner *2000: Forbrukersamvirkets kulturpris *2003: Badnajazz-prisen *2004: Landkappleiken winner *2004:

Gammleng Award The Gammleng Award ( no, Gammleng-prisen) is a Norwegian culture award created by ''The Fund for Performing Artists'' in 1982, 25 years after the fund was established in 1957. The award's official name is the ''Rolf Gammleng award to performing art ...

*2005: Statens Kunstnerstipend (2005-06) *2005: Vossajazz-prisen *2006: Soloist in ''Ny rørsle'' for Dei nynorske festspela, by

*2007: Commissioned work for

Vossajazz Vossajazz or Vossa Jazz (established 19 December 1973) is an international jazz festival in Voss, Norway, which takes place annually during the week before Easter, and which also includes concerts throughout the year. The festival has been led by ...

''Ein engel går stilt''

Discography

Solo albums

*1996: ''Eitt Steg'' (

), nominated for the

1997 *2000: ''Syng'', with Småkvedarane frå Voss *2007: ''Den Blide Sol'' (NorCD), with

*2007: ''Solo-CD med slåttetralling'' *2007: ''Per Indrehus/O.H. Hauge'', with

Dag Arnesen Dag Syver Arnesen (born 3 May 1950) is a Norwegian jazz pianist with a series of album releases. Career Arnesen was born in Bergen, and studied classical piano under Jiri Hlinka at the Bergen Music Conservatory and got a commitment by Den ...

and Kåre Opheim *2008: ''Slåttar På Tunga'' (2L Records), with Dag Arnesen

Collaborations

*1990: ''Norske Arvestykker'', within Bergen Domkantori as soloist *1991: ''Orleysa'', within Orleysa *1993: ''Svanshornet'', within Orleysa *1994: ''Rit'' (NorCD), with

's Sogn-A-Song *1995: ''Dåm'', with Oslo Kammerkor *1995: ''Brodd'', within Utla *1995: ''Definitely Pling Plong'' *1996: ''Blå Harding'', with Nils Økland *1998: ''Dedicaces'', with Gilles Obermayer *1998: ''Spir'' (NorCD), with Karl Seglem's Sogn-A-Song *1998: ''Folketonar frå Hordaland'', Reidun Horvei *1998: ''Fryd'' ( Vossa Jazz Records), with Einar Mjølsnes,

Per Jørgensen Per Jørgensen (born 9 September 1952) is a Norwegian multi-instrumentalist with trumpet as his main instrument, also known for his vocal contributions, in collaboration with Dag Arnesen, Knut Kristiansen, Alex Riel, Jon Christensen, Jon Bal ...

and

*1999: ''Bergtatt'' within Oslo Kammerkor, nominated for the

2000 *2000: ''Straum'', with Nils Økland *2002: ''Nye Nord'', with Karl Seglem *2003: ''Skal/Skal Ikkje'', with Kvarts *2005: ''Ein Song For Dei Utsungne Stunder'' (2L Records), within BNB Trio *2005: ''Løp, Lokk Og Linjar'', with Lasse Thoresen & BIT 20 *2008: ''Fodne Ho Svara Stilt'' (Heilo catalog, Heilo Records), with

Benedicte Maurseth Benedicte Maurseth (born 7 February 1983) is a Norwegian traditional folk singer and musician. Career Maurseth picked up the fiddle at the age seven, and studied with Knut Hamre. In addition to studies at the University of Bergen (minor in a ...

, Åsne Valland Nordli &

Kristin Skaare Kristin may refer to: * Kristin (name), a Scandinavian form of Christine * ''Kristin'' (TV series), a 2001 American sitcom * Kristin Peak, Antarctica * Kristin School, a school in New Zealand See also * Kristen (disambiguation) Kristen may ...

*2009: ''Draumkvedet'', with Karl Seglem

Bibliography

*1995/1996: ''Solæ mi sela'', Collected and transcribed folk songs from Vossabygdene in the book with corresponding tape that the Ole Bull Academy released in 1996. Pictures and history of sources in addition to the music specifications.

References

External links

*
Biography
at 'Norsk Musikkinformasjon' MIC.no {{DEFAULTSORT:Opheim, Berit Norwegian women singers Norwegian folk singers Norwegian jazz singers Norwegian traditional musicians Heilo Music artists Norwegian Academy of Music alumni Musicians from Voss 1967 births Living people NorCD artists