Stórval by Charles Ross & Ensemble Stelkur

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The paintings of outsider artist, Stefán from Möðrudalur (Stórval), are translated into music compositions by Charles Ross and performed by the contemporary ensemble, Stelkur with accompanying visual images. Stórval is probably Iceland's most celebrated "outsider" artist and his paintings of mount Herðubreið can be found inside some of the most prestigious buildings in Iceland.




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Charles Ross has for a long time been preoccupied with under documented music and art histories. Be it the music and art of Oceania, Art Brut, ancient chess games and contemporary experimental music he tends to be preoccupied with hidden cultures. Through this interest he is all but embracing "the other" and "the strange". With such interests, where he lives it doesn't take much for himself to be considered strange.

Having grown up in the countryside of Scotland and having decided to spend most of his adult life in the countryside of East Iceland he is a natural inhabitant of rural places.

His scores are strange art objects in and of themselves, looking like maps of the countryside or sailing paths in Oceania. Yet it all seems to have a function, like an ancient Persian chess game perhaps. It's relationship to the music of Christian Wolff is, however, not entirely co-incidental.

Charles Ross has been a resident of East Iceland since 1986.
He studied composition with Frank Denyer and briefly with Morton Feldman. He currently holds a Ph.D in music composition from University of Glasgow.

As an improviser he has performed with several improv ensembles including Ilan Volkov‘s band „Mines“,“ With Lumps” and the “Glasgow Improviser‘s Orchestra”. He has also performed with electric guitarist Fred Frith.

His works have been performed by members of the Icelandic Symphony Orchestra and the BBC Scottish Orchestra. Works have been broadcasted on RUV and BBC radio 3.


charlesrosscomposer.blogspot.is

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