Oslo Circles was founded in Oslo in 2015, and consists of some of the most established musicians in Scandinavia within the world of Baroque music. The members of the group regularly play in orchestras like Concerto Copenhagen, Barokksolistene, B'Rock, Barokkanerne, Academia Montis Regalis, Finnish Baroque Orchestra. The Baroque violinist Astrid Kirschner has gathered a “musical circle”, where all the members bring to the group their unique talent and musical experience, adding their personal input of different styles, nationalities and backgrounds. Oslo Circles has a passion for showing how modern Baroque music can be - through playfulness and freedom in the moment of performing. Oslo Circles has worked with soloists like David Hansen (counter-tenor), Marianne Beate Kielland (mezzo-soprano), Berit Norbakken (soprano), Barthold Kuijken (traverso), Magnus Staveland (tenor), Halvor Festervoll Melien (bass-baritone), Rinaldo Alessandrini (harpsichord) and many more. Oslo Circles has performed at international festivals like Tage Alter Musik, Regensburg (Germany), Froville Festival (France), Baroque & Beyond (Sweden), Oslo kammermusikkfestival (Norway), Wunderkammer (Trieste/Italy), Korkyra Baroque Festival (Croatia), Spazio & Musica (Vicenza/Italy) and Varazdin Baroque Evenings (Croatia), where Oslo Circles in September 2019 also won the critic's prize for the festival's best musical interpretation.
Oslo Circles' recordings "One Charming Night" (Simax, 2020, David Hansen, counter-tenor, music by Henry Purcell) and "Lamento" (LAWO, 2022, Marianne Beate Kielland, mezzo-soprano) were released to high critical acclaim from the international press. "Lamento" was also nominated for the German classical award Opus Klassik 2022 in three categories.
Oslo Circles receives the support of The Norwegian Arts Council, Music Norway, The Aksel Bye Foundation, the Fund for Performing Artists and Oslo district. |