SEAN BELL
Countertenor and Performance Artist
The duo Andersen/Bell is the long lasting collaboration between guitarist and multi-instrumentalist Andreas Vangen Andersen and countertenor Sean Bell.
They have specialised in working with atmospheric expression in songs through inventive and delicate arrangements. Through non-traditional rearrangements the duo combines different musical styles and traditions in an innovative way.
With experience from classical music, jazz and folk music, combined with distinctive instrumentations, the duo holds a unique place in the Norwegian music scene.
Baroque Project
In their latest project, the duo explores the combination of oud and countertenor. In the encounter between the ancient Arabic instrument and the European voice type, cultural contrasts are explored through a common musical material.
Based on music from two of the masters of the baroque; Henry Purcell and J. S. Bach, the oud's role in the history of the lute is explored. By placing the instrument in a new tradition, the music is formed through the oud's character and belonging musical landscapes.
Mjukt Skjer Åra
Folklore meets modernism.
An exploration of Norwegian composers through vocal music, with Geirr Tveitt as the anchor point. With this project, the duo delve into songs by various Norwegian composers from the last century and draw lines from Grieg to the present day.
By focusing on Geirr Tveitt's songs, the duo comment on his role in the Norwegian music history. There are many hidden gems in the Norwegian song repertoire. In this project the duo has made a varied selection of songs that reflect the times they were written and shows how their themes interact.