Nordic Baroque Scene (NBS) is a new collaboration platform for four Nordic baroque orchestras from Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden. Barokkanerne, Concerto Copenhagen (CoCo), Drottningholm Baroque Ensemble (DBE) and Finnish Baroque Orchestra (FiBO) have come together to strengthen the Nordic baroque scene with aims to develop a new and long-lasting collaboration on several areas, such as networking, financing, audience development, working possibilities and resources. The main projects are coordinated by the Finnish production company Teatro Productions.
Strengthening the operations for Nordic baroque orchestras
The idea of the NBS project came to light in 2019 after a successful collaboration between several of the Nordic baroque orchestras led by FiBO, where hundreds of children joined the professional musicians for Viking Baroque. The ensembles enjoyed the opportunity to work together and later met to explore the possibilities which a formalized collaboration could entail. The prospect of developing the field of early music, the need of expanding funding possibilities and the synergy potential in exchanging ideas, experience and expertise led to the foundation of a collaborative platform.
“The early music ensembles’ contribution to innovation and development of the classical scene has been substantial”, says Laura Kajander, who is the chair of the project as well as FiBO’s General Manager.
The ensembles have joint, equal ownership of the NBS, and the project uses an organizational model where none of the orchestras themselves act as the main coordinator or producer. To undertake the production work, the orchestras have chosen a Finnish production company, Teatro Productions. With extensive experience from successful opera and multi-art productions, the company has a staff with professional skills that benefit the project, a strong partner network and a desire to provide an operating environment for non-profit projects.
Project funding from The Nordic Culture Fund
The launching of the Nordic Baroque Scene is possible through project funding from The Nordic Culture Fund, which works to support the innovative and dynamic artistic and cultural life in the Nordic Region. In the grant award letter, The Nordic Culture Fund describes the NBS as “…a professionally driven project with high Nordic relevance which has good potential to reach its goals. Especially plans for collaboration and networking are well-grounded and processes are described clearly. The partners in the project represent several Nordic countries and they are top class professionals.”
The NBS ensembles have already been exchanging concert productions and doing joint chamber music projects.
Through NBS collaboration the ensembles are looking to create top quality projects also through cooperating with other institutions within the classical music field. Future projects of the NBS will include an international baroque singing competition as well as joint opera productions for touring the Nordic countries and Europe. More info about the NBS and the ensembles can be read from the website www.nordicbaroque.com which opens on 12 April.
Press inquiries:
Kaisa Näreranta
Teatro Productions Ltd
+358 50 584 487 / kaisa@teatro.fi
Project website: www.nordicbaroque.com
Links to social media:
https://www.facebook.com/nordicbaroque
