Freedom to Move with Sofia Jernberg

Freedom to Move Kortrijk 2023 — 2/3 Photo: Lies Depraetere

Sofia Jernberg explores the voice with singers from across Europe

Sofia Jernberg is known for her incredible voice and improbable performances. She masters a wide range of vocal techniques – opera and pitchless (singing sounds that are not notes), but also jazz and improv. The common thread in her performances is always the same: experimentation and crossing boundaries. Her questions are always the same what is our voice capable of doing? What are the specificities of the voice compared to other instruments? Is language a prerequisite for singing? On stage, Jernberg expands the instrumental possibilities of the voice, in incredible high and low tones, with inarticulate vocal performances and great moments of improvisation.

Freedom to Move explores the intersection of freedom and genre boundaries in contemporary classical music. Jernberg focuses here on the voice, the most personal musical instrument, as our cultural background also influences the sound.

As a workshop leader, Jernberg boasts a wealth of experience. She studied not only jazz music, but also composition. Among others, Jernberg has worked with the Trondheim Jazz Orchestra and improvisers such as Mats Gustafsson, Nate Wooley, Petter Eldh and Christian Lillinger. She has also starred in compositions by Arnold Schönberg (Pierrot Lunaire), Chaya Czernowin and Anna Thorvaldsdottir.

5 Sounds Now festivals are participating in Freedom to Move, each selecting local singers with Sofia Jernberg as the connecting link.

Freedom to Move is presented at November Music (NL), hcmf// (UK), Wilde Westen (BE), Onassis Stegi (GR) and Ultima (NO).