SEAN BELL
Countertenor and Performance Artist
Sean Bell is a countertenor and performance artist from Oslo, Norway. He holds a Master’s degree in Early Music Voice from the Royal Conservatoire, The Hague (NL), where he studied with Catrin Wyn-Davies, Pascal Bertin, Robin Blaze, Peter Kooij and Tineke Steenbrink. He also holds a Bachelor’s degree in Performance and Music Pedagogics from the Norwegian Academy of Music, studying with Mona Julsrud.
Sean performs operatic, chamber, and sacred works from the classical and early music canon. He also investigates new methods of interpreting this repertoire. Through contemporary sonic imaginations he has made new arrangements of old works, including a synth-pop album of songs by John Dowland. His investigation into refiguring early repertoire has led to a series of collaborations and solo performances on the border line between classical music and performance art. Sean also works extensively with contemporary music and has premiered and commissioned several pieces for countertenor.
Sean has worked with a variety of ensembles including Ny Norsk Messingkvintett (New Norwegian Brass quintet), Oslo 14, Early Voices and The Norwegian Soloist Choir. Bell plays baroque guitar, is an active improviser, and engages in instrument building and music electronics.
In 2021 he made his debut at Høstutstillingen (the Norwegian state’s annual exhibition) with his performance work ‘Stille Amare’. In November 2023 he made his solo debut at the Norwegian Opera and Ballet in the role Johan in the opera ‘Ingenting (Nothing)’ by David Bruce. In spring 2024 and autumn 2025 he toured his album ‘Dowland Downloaded’ across Europe.
Sean is currently pursuing a PhD in Artistic Research at the Norwegian Academy of Music. His project, titled Revive the Leaden Strings, is an exploration of 17th century British vocal music through a poetic, experimental and ‘haptic’ approach to Historically Informed Performance.
Selected concert and stage work
Upcoming
21st of February 2026 - Norwegian Academy of Music. The album Dowland Downloaded in concert marking the 400th burial day of John Dowland. Presented alongside vocal and guitar students from the academy. More info.
09-11th of April 2026 - EPARM conference on artistic research, at Norwegian Academy of Music. Lecture-performance presenting Lab project 1: Recording Nostalgia. More info.
26th of April 2026 - Muziekgebouw Amsterdam. Violence and Purity with Nieuw Amsterdams Peil and Petra Cini. More info.
16th - 18th of May - Münchener Biennale Festival. crypt_ by Yuri Umemoto, with Oslo Sinfonietta. Three performances. More info.
28th of May 2026 - In Bloom series at Korzo, den Haag. Meandering with the Wind, collaboration with composer Petra Cini. More info.
Previouse
Tour with Dowland Downloaded in den Haag (The Grey Space in the Middle), Launceston Cornwall (Borderlands Festival), Ålesund (Høstscena Festival), Oslo (Hausmania) , Dublin (Kirkos), Cork (Maureen’s pub), Bergen (Bergen Kjøtt). September-October 2025.
Meandering with the Wind, collaboration with composer Petra Cini. Presented at Paviljoen Ongehoorde Muziek, Eindhoven. June 2025.
Chamber opera Nara by Tze Yeung Ho, premiere March 2025 at Borealis festival in Bergen.
Tour of Dowland Downloaded in Dublin (Unit 44), Gallway (Mechanics Institute), Birmingham (Centrala), den Haag (Slagroom), Utrecht (Gaudeamus Terrapolis) and Oslo (Black Box teater and cafe Mir). April-May 2024.
Performance concert FICTION at Rom for dans in Oslo. May 2024.
Debut at the Norwegian Opera and Ballet in the role Johan in the opera Ingenting (Nothing) by David Bruce. Premier in November 2023.
Minaminotori, stage performance for eight singers and tape loops by Daniel Cross, performed by NKK NXT 22/23. Teater Stefanus, Wonderfeel, Gaudeamus, Tilburg. A Nederlands Kamerkoor and Rosa Ensemble co-production. May-September 2023.
Tonehimmel contemporary music festival Volda, Norway. Performing pieces by Kristin Bolstad and Tze Yeung Ho, with Ny Norsk Messingkvintett (brass quintet). June 2023.
Tilen Lebar: Vicinity of Solitude, Zavod Sploh production. Mono-operetta for countertenor, harp, percussion, saxophone and violin, 12.10.2022 premier in Koper, Slovenia. 19.10.2022 performance at Studio Loos in den Haag.
St. John Passion, J. S. Bach. Altsoloist with Stokka Kantori. Conductor: Ghislain Gourvennec 10.04.2022 – Stokka church, Stavanger.
Debut at Høstutstillingen 2021 (the Norwegian state’s annual exhibition) with the performance work ‘Stille Amare’ (2021).
Sick Trance Glory Mud by Zephyr Brüggen, a theatre work in the Amsterdamse Bos in 2020.
‘Eg er ein frosk’ performance for children. With Ny Norsk Messingkvintett by composer Kristin Bolstad. With texts by Kurt Johannessen. Premiered in Oslo May 2018.
Education
2025–2029: PhD in artistic research, Norwegian Academy of Music
2020–2022: Master of Early Music Voice, The Royal Conservatoire, The Hague
2018–2019: Erasmus+ student, The Royal Conservatoire, The Hague
2015–2019: Bachelor of Music in Music Education, Norwegian Academy of Music
2014–2015: Musicology studies at University of Oslo.