Elisabeth Holmertz soprano
Kenneth Karlsson piano, Indian harmonium
Holmertz and Karlsson worked together for the first time in 2005 in the opera Ophelias:death by water singing by Henrik Hellstenius, where Elisabeth sang the main part. After this, the Cikada ensemble (Karlsson is the artistic leader) invited Holmertz to sing on several projects. One of these became the critically acclaimed CD “Nordheim”, that was also nominated for a Norwegian Grammy award.
The Duo was formed at Karlssons birthday party, in the summer of 2010. Late in the night Holmertz/Karlsson spontaneously started to perform Swedish romantic music pop songs etc. and the duo was formed
Kenneth Karlsson- Elisabeth Holmertz work within a large musical spectrum. A big part of their work is contemporary classical music and working closely with the composers like Helmuth Lachenmann, Klaus Lang, Rolf Wallin, Carola Bauckholt. They also have a burning passion for lieder, Swedish romantics and performing known music in new and different ways; like Bob Dylan, Josephine Foster etc. often using Karlsson’s Indian harmonium.
Elisabeth Holmertz-Kenneth Karlsson also have formed the group VOLLEN UNITED. An experimental group that mixes genres like baroque, contemporary, pop, and improvisation. Vollen United appears in different shapes and members include Fredrik Bock-theorbe, Per Bure-barockviolin, Karin Hellqvist- violin, Poul Low-whistle
Together with composer Rolf Wallin Holmertz Karlsson have formed the trio SCRATCH
Selected programs
Got Lost
Helmuth Lachenmann : Got Lost 2009 30 min
Robert Schumann : Dichterkreis (Lieder-remix) ca 15-20 min
Botschaft des Ridicolas
Jon Øivind Ness : Meditationer over Georges de la Tour 2017 16 min
Rebecca Saunders : Shadow 10 min
Helmuth Lachenmann : Got Lost 2009 30 min
Scratch : music by Rolf Waliln
Seven Imperatives 20 min /Three Poems by Rainer Maria Rilke 15 min /
Remix, Impro, Electric Ballons/...though what made it has gone 16 min
Scratch
Photo Blunderbuss
New album released April 1 on LAWO Classics
Helmuth Lachenmann Got Lost
Jon Øivind Ness Meditationer over Georges Latour
Rolf Wallin...though what made it has gone