NIELS RØNSHOLDT

  • HOME
  • WORKS
  • NEWS
  • MEDIA
  • CONTACT
  • HOME
  • WORKS
  • NEWS
  • MEDIA
  • CONTACT

WORKS

Please contact publisher Edition•S for scores, performances and performance material. All rights reserved.

DEN SIDSTE OLIE
(The Last Rites)
Chamber opera (2022)
​For 4 singers and ensemble
​Duration: ca. 65'
Danish text by Niels Rønsholdt
'Den Sidste Olie' (The Last Rites - Die Letzte Öhlung) is a chamber opera about exploitation of territories, natural ressources and each other. The opera takes place in 18th century Copenhagen and goes back to the starting point of several of the pressing issues of today: Colonialism, climate crisis, consequences of human behaviour. It is cold and dark everywhere and the four characters Power, Moral, Cynicism and Skepticism set out to find more animal oil for the lamps. In a vision they discover a much richer source than cold water animals: The earth itself is a giant whale full of oil to be burned.. The text is loosely based on Ludvig Holbergs 18th century play 'Trial between Poverty and Wealth'. The opera was premiered in a setting by Louise Beck on the ice of a skating facility in Copenhagen.
Picture
score

MEMORIAM
Performance ballet (2022)
for 2 singers, violin, viola and percussion
Duration: ca. 60'
​Text by Niels Rønsholdt
Picture
score

​CENTALOG
String Quartet in one hundred movements (2021)
​For 2 violins, viola and cello
​Duration: ca. 45'
score

​COUNTRY
Concerto for cello and chamber orchestra in 18 songs (2019/2020)
​For singing solo cellist, chamber orchestra and sample playback
​Duration: Part One 27', Part Two 33'
Program / Text
score
‘Country’ is a cello concert in the shape of a song cycle. The soloist plays the cello as a guitar and sings while playing. The piece is based on the part of the american country-folk tradition based on music brought with immigrants from Europe. ‘Country’ is an ambiguous reflection on belonging and authenticity. The songs are shaped as duets between the soloist and an enigmatic voice (sampler) - the earth, nature, a loved one, the country.

BOOK OF PRAYERS
Oratorio (2019)
​For choir, speaker and sinfonietta
​Duration: ca. 50'
SCORE
'Book of Prayers' is a reflection on and tribute to protest, but also about the potential pitfalls of popular movements. The oratorio is based on political slogans from demonstrations in the streets of DDR cities in 1989 collected and archived by Stasi agents. These fragments are combined with and juxtaposed to slogans of right wing protests in the same streets thirty years later as well as religious texts on praying by a.o. Luther.
This live recording is from the first performance by Mogens Dahl Chamber Choir and Athelas Sinfonietta Copenhagen conducted by Mogens Dahl.


ARCHIVE OF EMOTIONS AND EXPERIENCES, Book 1 (Birds)
​For piano solo (2019)
​Duration: ca. 45'
Picture
nielsroensholdt · Archive of Emotions and Experiences 1 - no. 4

ARCHIVE OF EMOTIONS AND EXPERIENCES, Book 2 (Justice)
​For piano solo (2019)
​Duration: ca. 45'
Picture
Archive of Emotions and Experiences I & II are pieces for solo piano with optional staging. The pianist is an oracle-like figure from a fictive future who records and archives human emotions and experiences before they are gone and it is too late. His or her only language and tool is the piano. The first book is subtitled Birds, the second book Justice.

LAS INCANTADAS
​Octet / 4 duos to be played individually or in any combination (2019)
For flute, bass clarinet, piano, string quintet
​Duration: ca. 3' - ?'
SCORE

CIVILIZATIONS
National Romantic Symphony (2017)
​For small orchestra, Greenlandic choir, speaker and sample playback
​Duration: ca. 23'
SCORE
‘Civilizations’, subtitled National Romantic Symphony, is a critical response to Danish arrogance and reluctance to acknowledge and sufficiently redeem our colonial past - and present. A fictive caricature of a eurocentric musicologist talks about the difference between civilized an uncivilized music and the orchestra adds ‘civilized’ musical elements in the language of nineteenth century orchestral music to historical samples.

X & X
​For voice, piano, objects and light (2017)
In collaboration with Juliana Hodkinson
​Duration: ca. 22'

GAZE FOR GAZE
Performance opera (2017)
​For voices, actors and ensemble
​Duration: ca. 90'+
SCORE
LIBRETTO
Picture

UNTIL NOTHING LEFT
For performing accordionist and objects (2017)
​Duration: ca. 25'
score
Picture

BREATHLESS MOMENT
Opera app by Klejs & Rønsholdt (2016)
​For voice, brass and choir
Developed in collaboration with CAVI, The Danish National Vocal Ensemble, Royal Opera House
Download on app store (iPhone/iPad) 
Picture

EXILE
for voice(s) and piano (2016)
Songs to texts by Bertold Brecht written in Danish exile

Commissioned by The International Brecht Symposium Oxford 2016
​Duration: 18'

SHAME
for amplified quartet of instruments and voices: Voice/el-guitar, voice/piano, voice/percussion and saxophone (2016)
Commissioned by Lore Lixenberg & Trio Zoom
​Duration: 19'
SCORE

SONGS OF DOUBT (PROSPECT / RETROSPECT)
10 songs for solo voice, ondes martinet, choir & video (2015)
Commissioned by Intro in Situ in collaboration with Studium Chorale, Musica Sacra and November Music
​Duration: 55'
Buy the album:
Picture
Also available on all digital platforms, for example:
Spotify: goo.gl/JiZP2t
iTunes: goo.gl/kWcHvn
score

FORGRENINGER (RAMIFICATIONS)
permanent public installation in Fredensborg
bronze, water, light & audio (2015)
in collaboration with Signe Klejs
Commissioned by Fredensborg Kommune and the Danish Arts Foundation
Picture

ME QUITTE (ORCHESTRA)
Songs I-VII version for orchestra (2014)
for 2 singers (female and male), piano, guitar and orchestra (2222 2210 2pc Strings)
Commissioned by SCENATET and Danish National Chamber Orchestra
Duration: 35'
score

FEAR AND LOATH IN G MINOR
for amplified ensemble (2014)
flute, clarinet, piano, violin, cello & contrabass
Commissioned by Klang Festival and DissonArt
Duration: 12'
SCORE

ORD FOR ORD (WORD FOR WORD)
solo performance opera (2014)
Commissioned by Acts Festival and Spor Festival
Duration: 30'
Picture

AMERICANA
for amplified string quartet (2013)
Commissioned by Jack Quartet (US) and AUT
Duration: 12'
score

HOME
LoveRacer #3
Interactive audio / video installation (2013)
In collaboration with Signe Klejs
Commissioned by Click Festival and 3LeggedDog, New York
Picture

ME QUITTE
11 Chansons
for 2 singers (female and male), piano, percussion, guitar, violin & cello (2013)
Commissioned by Ensemble SCENATET
Duration: 55' full version (the songs can be performed in smaller sets as well)
BUY studio recording CD here!
SCORE

BURNING
for violin, flute, cello, piano and optional video (2012)
Commissioned by The Pearls Before Swine Experience
Duration: 10'
SCORE

SKIN
LoveRacer #2
Interactive audio / video installation (2012)
In collaboration with Signe Klejs
Commissioned by Click Festival and produced in collaboration with 3LD New York and Edition•S
Picture

RACER
LoveRacer #1
Concert-performance for 4 strings, video and audio playback (2011)
In collaboration with Signe Klejs
Commissioned by Athelas Sinfonietta
Duration: 20'
Picture

FISH & FOWL
album project in collaboration with Juliana Hodkinson and SCENATET (2010).
Original booklet poem by Ursula Andkjær Olsen and pictures by Anka Bardeleben.
Buy it on iTunes
Picture

ARCHEOPTERYX X
Performance-opera for 2 performers and ensemble with audio playback (2010)
In collaboration with Lisbeth Sonne and Kasper Daugaard.
Duration: 60’

GLOOMY ROOM
Performance
for percussionist, live video and audio playback (2009)
commissioned by Mathias Reumert
duration: 8’
Link to video with interview and performance excerpts

HONEYMOON
Interactive opera installation
two versions (male and female) for solo audience (2009)
3D stereo video, 4-channel audio and wind machines
in collaboration with Signe Klejs
commissioned by The Danish National Opera and CAVI
Duration: 10'

THE MERMAN
large ensemble (0121 1000 pc pn 4220) with live electronics, audio playback & optional video (2008)
or
chamber ensemble (fl, cl, sax, trbn, perc, pno, vl, vla, vc) with live electronics, audio playback & optional video (2013)
commissioned by Transit Festival (B) and Champ d'Action
Duration: 20'
score

AL-AQSA [The Furthest] 
miniature for wind quartet (2008)
commissioned by The Jutland Ensemble
Duration: 6'

UNTER DEN LIDERN
off-stage violin, viola, cello & bass with audio playbacks, lights & video (2007)
commissioned by Akademie der Künste and Kammerensemble Neue Musik Berlin
Duration: 13'

DIE WANDERIN
violin, piano, percussion, audio playback & optional video (2007)
commissioned by Ensemble Intégrales & Sound Around Biennale
duration: 10'

ROOM OF RELATION
interactive installation (2007)
audio, video, animatronics and objects
in collaboration with Signe Klejs
Reportage on Kunsten.nu
Picture

HAMMERFALL
piano, saxophone & percussion w. optional lighting (2006)
commissioned by Edition Wilhelm Hansen & Trio Zoom
duration: 9'

TRIUMPH
opera (2006)
for female voice, clairnet, double bass, percussion & electronics
duration: 30'
commissioned by Figura

LUST, MELANCHOLY
melodrama (2005)
voice & flute, cello, percussion
duration: 16'
commissioned by Ning Ensemble, Oslo

WIR I
guitar & audio playback (2005)
commissioned by Fredrik Munk Larsen
duration: 7'

INSIDE YOUR MOUTH, SUCKING THE SUN
chamber opera in five scenes (2002-04)
soprano, bass-barytone, clarinets, trombone and electronics
co-creator and set design: Signe Klejs
duration: 60'

DRINK ME, MAKE ME REAL
alto saxophone, percussion & audio playback (2002)
commissioned by Duo Kapow
duration: 7'

REACH OUT AND TOUCH ME
mezzo soprano and cello or
soprano, viola da gamba, recorder and violin (2001)
commissioned by AUT