Artists

Get to know our members for the 2013–14 edition!
A full list of participating composers will be available soon…

Mira Benjamin, violinist & co-director

Mira Benjamin was born in Vancouver, Canada, into a family of music theorists, and began studying the violin at the age of three. Now based in Montreal, her musical energy and versatility have made her an active contributor to Canada’s artistic community. A devoted performer of new music, Mira works regularly with composers and has premiered over one hundred new works by Canadian and international composers. Since spring 2011 she has been a member of Canada’s Quatuor Bozzini. In 2011 she founded nu:nord with the goal of building a platform for dialogue and community-building between emerging new music creators. Mira holds an Artist Diploma and Bachelor of Music degree from McGill University’s Schulich School of Music. She is a founding member of the McGill-based music outreach program, Chamber Music Without Borders, which continues to operate today, run by McGill music students to benefit the Montréal community.

Stine Sørlie, composer & co-director

Stine Sørlie is a Norwegian composer who has studied at Gotland Tonsättarskola in Sweden and the Norwegian Academy of Music in Oslo. Her works include solo, chamber and orchestral pieces, and music for film, theater and dance. Sørlie is interested in creating compositional formats that include different variables which engage the musicians in an active manner, offering them options and flexibility when interpreting the music. Her works have been performed at festivals such as the Stockholm Chamber Music Festival, NuMusic, Borealis and Ultima.

Silje Aker Johnsen, soprano & dancer

Silje was educated at the Grieg Academy of Music in Bergen, Universität deer Künste, Berlin, and holds a master degree in classical singingfrom the Norwegian Academy of Music, Oslo. She has had a strong focus on contemporary music in addition the the baroque and classical vocal repertoire. She has interpreted such roles as Io in The Io Passion by Harrison Birthwistle, and the female lead in A Gentle Spirit by John Tavener, both with Berliner Kammeroper in Konzerthaus. In 2011, Silje performed The National Theatre of Norway in a production of I år skal det være moderne by Liv Heloe. Silje has also worked as a dancer in the Polish Dance Theatre in the 2011/2012 season. Recently she has been performing in the dance music piece Thousand Rooms, with choreography by Gunhild Bjørnsgaard and music by Georges Aperghis. Silje has created several vocal pieces and has been featured at festivals including the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival, Die Donaueschinger Musiktage, Ultima Contemporary Music Festival and Bergen International Festival. Silje was granted the Norwegian Government Grants for Young Artists in 2011/2012.

Gregor Riddell, cellist & composer

Gregor Riddell is a cellist and a composer of acoustic and electronic music. He is a founder member of the Solstice String Quartet who have performed at major European concert halls and premiered a substantial number of works including his own, “Touch-In, Touch-Out”. He is also a member of Living Room In London who have commissioned works by Peter Wiegold, Raymond Yiu, Milton Mermikides, Cevanne-Horrocks-Hopayian and Charlie Piper; they released their debut album on SessionWork Records in 2012 and have recently reached the finals of the ClassicalNext scheme. Gregor read Music at Cambridge University and composition at the Royal College of Music. He recently held an Artist Residency at the Banff Centre where he wrote a substantial work for cello and electronics which he also recorded last autumn with producer Rob Lewis. Gregor enjoys taking part in the Nu:Nord composers conference and in 2013 will teach composition and cello in La Paz, Bolivia through the ‘Bolivia Classsica’ scheme which helps local children develop their musical talent. Upcoming 2013 performances include Kings Place, Spitalfields Festival and concerts in Bolivia, Canada, Australia and Norway.