JOHANNES BERGMARK

[Bergmark playing the Finger Violin]

Bergmark playing the Finger Violin.
Photo © by Greg Locke, St. John's Newfoundland.

See a large photo, playing the Whalefish!
(© by Bertl Muetter, Austria.)

Music with live electronics, instrument inventions and improvisation


Johannes Bergmark plays free improvisation solo and in many groups, with a display of unique instruments.
He plays live electronics, the musical saw, Micro Moog (sometimes also keyboards like the clavinet, clavichord, harmonium, piano or Fender Rhodes), a number of small instruments, sounding objects and original inventions such as the Finger Violin: with five strings from the fingers of one hand, through one and to the other of two violin lids, Brillolin: a miniature violin with two strings to a spectacle frame tied round the head, Veloncell Marcel (after Duchamp): a bicycle wheel on a stool - the sound of the dynamo's electricity and of the playing on the spokes with bows etc. is amplified, Whalefish, a one-man-band instrument with many home-made sound objects, toys and kitchen utensils, and he also uses his voice.

The Stringed Stirrups (or Angel Strings).


In this instrument, the two piano wires are fastened in the ceiling, and at the lower end in a pair of horse stirrups, in which he stands, hanging in the air with the resonator on his chest. This instrument needs some height of the ceiling and is usually played, indoors or outdoors, as a solo performance (10-20 min). However, sometimes a duo of this instrument can be heard by Acrobatic Music. 		[Bergmark playing the Stringed Stirrups]

Bergmark playing the Stringed Stirrups.
Photo © by Gudrun Edel-Rösnes.

See a larger version of this picture!

... and take a closer look at the instrument!
Photo © by Johannes Bergmark.

The collection is in more or less constant development and change, usually with the Whalefish, Moog and voice as fixed components. The saw is sometimes played two at the same time, with unique clashes of non-harmonic overtones.

Solo playing sometimes includes acting, surrational texts that explore ways of thinking that are beyond the acceptable (or comprehensible); sound poetry, poetic objects or jester tricks.

Bergmark also makes electroacoustic compositions, music for site-specific, theatre, dance, slide show, poetry, film, radio and tv-projects.

Groups and major collaborations:


Duet with Hal Rammel (saw and inventions, Wisconsin) since '87. Performances in Chicago Illinois, Madison, Wisconsin and St John's, Newfoundland.

Swedish group Cloudchamber since '98 with Christian Werner (violin, stool, voice etc), Martin Küchen (saxophones, percussion, radios) and Sören Runolf (electric guitar, cello, electronics).

Norwegian group Fretlessarméén with Terje Mentyjærvi and Harald Beckstrøm since '94, all of which are inventing instruments and sound sculptures.

Duo with Terje Mentyjærvi: Acrobatic Music, physically involving instruments and slapstick musical comedy. Collaborations with theatre group Stella Polaris and Jaga Jazzist.

Norwegian group Hunger since '97 with Bendik Hagerup (violin, cello, piano) and Risto Holopainen (prepared piano, keyboards, Hawaii guitar).

Duo with Martin Klapper (Cz) (toys, amplified objects, tapes, theremin).

Other / temporary collaborations (except for the above):

   Sweden: Jörgen Adolfsson, Tommy Adolfsson, Magnus Alexandersson, Lars Almqvist, Andreas Andersson, Andreas Axelsson, Jonny Axelsson, Johan Berthling, Thomas Bjelkeborn, Tommy Björk, Svante Drake, Carl-Michael Edenborg, dancer Katarina Eriksson, Dror Feiler, Arne Forsén, Robert Fuchs, Thomas Mera Gartz, Mats Gustafsson, Tuomo Haapala, Andreas Hedwall, Catherine Christer Hennix, Per-Åke Holmlander, Christian Hörgren, Hans Isgren, Martin Jonsson, poet Age Kempe, Niklas Korssell, Göran Kunstbergs, poet Stefan Lakatos, Stefan Larsson, Maria Liljas, Erik Lindman, Mats Lindström, Ida Lundén, poet Petra Mandal, Henry Moore Selder, Benny Nilsen, Anders Nilsson, Lise-Lotte Norelius, Ulf Nygårds, Hans Olding, Johan Petri, Dinka Pignon, Paul Pignon, Christian Munthe, Herman Müntzing, Mattias Pettersson, Clara von Rettig, Mattias Ribbing, Kalle Runesson, Sten Sandell, Daniel Scott, Amit Sen, David Stackenäs, Mikael Stavöstrand, performance artist hans t sternudd of the Belacqua Project, Raymond Strid, Leo Svensson, Peter Söderberg, Johan Söderling, Kent Tankred, Nicklas Tapper, Bo Valpeters, Jonny Wartel, Stefan Wistrand, Per Åhlund, butoh dancer Susanna Åkerlund (SU-EN), Daniel Älgå.
   Norway: Knut Aalefjær, Erik Balke, Øyvind Brække, Steven Cuzner, Jens Bugge Wesseltoft, Helene Dick-Henriksen, Anders Elsås, Jon Øystein Flink, Per Gisle Galåen, Frode Gjerstad, poet Simen Hagerup, John Hegre, Arve Henriksen, Thomas Hildebrand, Fredrik Hossmann, Ingebrigt Håker Flaten, Per Oddvar Johansen, ceramic instruments maker Birte Kittilsen, Håkon Kornstad, Are Mokkelbost, Paal Nilssen-Love, Jonas Qvale, Alexander Rishaug, Trygve Seim, Jostein Stalheim, Håkon Stene, Øyvind Storesund, Helge Sunde, Hans Kristian Kjos Sørensen, Øyvind Torvund, poet Bror Wyller, Ingar Zach. Hornorkesteret; Spunk with Maja S. K. Ratkje, Kristin Andersen, Hild Sofie Tafjord, Lene Grenager; Østfold Wienerensemble with Odd Hannisdal and Tom Simensen; Forsvarets Distriktsmusikkorps Østlandet; dance group Prosjekt Impro with Camilla Grønneberg, Katrine Kirsebom and Bibbi Winberg.
   Denmark: Henning Frimann, Peter Friis-Nielsen, Søren Gorm, Christer Irgens-Møller, Lars Juul, Jacob Riis, Erik Rytter, Ketil Theissen, Niels Winther, dancer Anne Kristine Van der Zaag.
   Finland: Teppo Hauta-aho, dancer Pia Lindy, Sakari Luoma, Aija Puurtinen, Jorma Tapio, Janne Tuomi.
   England: Tony Bevan, Adam Bohman, Jonathon Bohman, Lawrence Casserley, Charlie Collins, Peter Cusack, Hugh Davies, Phil Hargreaves, John Jasnoch, juggler/musician Alastair Laurence, Marion Leibl, Steve Lewis, Phil Minton, Phil Morton, Neil Murphy.
   Germany: C.O.Caspar, Paul Lovens, choreographer Ingo Reulecke, Hans Tammen, butoh dancer Gregor Weber.
   Holland: Jaap Blonk, dancers VLK (Rolf Meesters) and Frank van de Ven.
   Czech Republic: Jindrich Biskup, Martin Janícek.
   USA: Matthew Burt, John Corbett, Glenn Engstrand, Jesse Frazier, Tom Hamilton, Craig Hultgren, Terri Kapsalis, Chris Kelsey, Fred Lonberg-Holm, Thomas Magee, Trish McCarl, Clifford McPeek, Steve Nelson-Rainey, Jair-Rohm Parker-Wells, Gino Robair, LaDonna Smith, Russell Thorne, Ken Vandermark, Davey Williams, Michael Zerang.
   Russia: Misha Feigin, Arcady Kirichenko, Sainkho Namtchylak (Tuva/Russia), Boris Rayskin.
   Belgium: André Goudbeek, Peter Jacquemyn, Fred Van Hove.
   Canada: Paul Dutton, Art Pratten.
   Australia/NL: Jon Rose
   Japan: (Tsutomu) "Quagero" Imazawa.
   Ukraine: Yuri Zmorovich.

Notable performances:

French Surrealist Group Exhibition, Paris '94. Czech and Slovak Surrealist Group Exhibition, CZ '95. Autunnale, Bergen, N '95, London Musicians' Collective-festival Against the Grain, London '95. Sound Symposium, St John's, NF CAN '96 (review). Knitting Factory, New York '96. Workshop and concert, Birmingham Improv 96 Al, USA (review). Colourscape Music Festival, London '96. Organizer and performances at OSLO IMPRO '97. Momentum Nordic Contemporary Art Festival '98, Moss, N (12 performances in 4 projects). Elektronmusikfestivalen, Skinnskatteberg '98. Nursery Injection, m/s Stubnitz from Rostock in Stockholm '98. Copenhagen International Experimental Festival Cief #5 '98. Arvikafestivalen '98. Till Tibet från Omberg '98. Organizer and performances at Eventa 4 Antivernissage Material Music - Nature's Consciousness, Ekeby Qvarn Artspace, Uppsala '98. Kerava Youth Prison, FIN '98 (workshop and concert). Telakka Theatre, Tampere, FIN '98. Ung Nordisk Musikk festival Oslo '98 (lecture and concert). Tampere Jazz Happening, FIN '98. Fylkingens Improvisationsdagar '99 (concerts and seminar). Meeting performance series, Stockholm '99. The Free Music XXVI '99, organized by WIM vzw, Antwerpen, BE. Mutation I organized by The Nursery, at Kulturhuset, Stockholm '99. Sounds -99 organized by FRIM and Blue Tower Records, at Fylkingen, Stockholm. Vårflod -00 organized by FRIM at Fylkingen, Stockholm. 7 + 1 at Teaterhuset Avantgarden, Trondheim (N) -00. Colourscape Music Festival, Liverpool '00. Motståndsfestivalen E. Burman, Riddarhyttan, '00. Stardust festival by Fylkingen and Modern Museum, Stockholm '00. Logos, Gent, BE '00. O da Guarda festival, Portugal '00. Dodorama, Rotterdam '00. Extrapool, Nijmegen, NL '00. Kraakgeluiden, Amsterdam '00.

Other:

Occasional arranger of festivals, concerts and networks for improvised and electronic music.
Lecturer, musical instructor and workshop leader (children, students and adults).
Writer for international music- and surrealist magazines.

Worked in SU-EN Butoh Co as a musician/dancer '91-'94. Tours in Sweden. Still often collaborates as a musician.

Actor and musician in professional street theatre group Stella Polaris tour '95 - '97 and '99.
Actor and musician in Fossbryterne canal performance by Skuespillerkompaniet '97.

Work for children and young people:
Tour for kindergarten children by Norwegian Rikskonsertene '97.
Tours in Norway and Finland as actor, musician and composer with children's theatre group Eventyrteatret '95 - '98.
School concerts at Fylkingen, Stockholm '97.
Lectures and concerts at Kunsthøjskolen på Holbæk Slots Ladegård, Denmark '97 and '99.
Workshop for 8-year old children building experimental musical instruments and performing on them, with Jon Halvor Bjørnseth and Harald Skullerud of Drivhuset, Ås Kulturskole, Norway '99.

Two interactive sound installations at the Fylkingen exhibition Lydbilleder V at Museet for Samtidskunst, Roskilde, Denmark, '99. One of these at present on exhibit at the "Rainbow Realm" exhibit in the Liverpool Museum in February - May '00.

Member of Fylkingen in Stockholm (member of the production team '98 -'99), FRIM (member of board of directors '98 - '00), The Surrealist Group in Stockholm and Musikcentrum. Citizen of The Kingdoms of Elgaland-Vargaland. Member of SKODK (Svenska Konstnärers Organisation för Digital Konst, that runs CRAC (Creative Room for Art & Computing).

Educations: piano at Kommunala Musikskolan; Stockholm University, Musicology 1 1/2 years; Lund University, Philosophy 1 year; Hantverkets Folkhögskola Leksand, Piano Technician 1 1/2 years; Musikk Instrument Akademiet, Moss, Piano- and Harpsichord Builder 3 1/2 years. Journeyman as a piano and cembalo builder in Germany '96. Different courses, currently last semester of the Electroacoustic Music 2 years education, at EMS, Electroacoustic Music in Sweden.
Workshops: John Tchikai, Arne Forsén / Mats Gustafsson, Phil Minton, David Moss, Jaap Blonk, Maggie Nichols, Dorothea Schürsch, Theo Loevendie / Guus Jansen, Gino Robair, Cecil Taylor, Kapotte Muziek.

Grants: Musikaliska Akademiens Stipendier För Instrumenttekniker; Konstnärsnämnden (several times); Sleipnir (twice).

Electroacoustic compositions (Swedish).

Recordings and order catalogue.

Technical and other performance needs.

Email: bergmark@flashback.net

The Welcome page

Updated the 12th of October 2000.

http://www.flashback.net/~bergmark/cv.html