Karuzela
Polish songs in Norwegian and Polish with Jørn Simen Øverli, Tora Augestad and Joanna Lewandowska-Zbudniewek. A surprising picture of Polish surrealism, humour, depression and hope. 2011
In the mirror of wine
"I vinens speil" (In the mirror of wine). Texts by Persian mystics, created in a Muslim context of Hafez and Rumi, meet SKRUK's musical Christian spirituality. 2010
Scent of Reunion
Love duets across enemy lines. With Mahsa Vahdat, Iran, and Mighty Sam McClain, the USA. 2009
Mass for Kari and Ola
"Messe for Kari og Ola" (Mass for Kari and Ola), featuring SKRUK and Katia Cardenal. Misa Campesina – a musical icon from Nicaraguan liberation theology, rendered in Norwegian by Erik Hillestad. 2008
Songs across Walls of Separation
Duets across walls that separate people and countries. Participants from Palestine, Kashmir, Morocco, Cyprus and more. Western artists interpret the original songs. The project was also developed into a theatrical production by Nina Wester in 2006. Released on CD in 2008.
Jacob's masses
Sufi poems at "Jakobmesser" (Jacob's masses), a long series of textual encounters between gospel texts and poems by Persians Hafez, Rumi and Khayyam, read in parallel during the divine services at Kulturkirken Jakob (Jakob Church of Culture ) in the autumn of 2007 and all of 2008. At times also discussed and commented by representatives of Islam and Christianity prior to the masses.
Dialogue
A musical encounter between Sondre Bratland and a Qawalli singer from Lahore, Javed Bashir, with recordings from mosques in Pakistan and Syria and churches in Norway. Released after the caricature conflict in 2006.
Furnishing
Furnishing a chapel for Muslims next door to the Christian chapel at the University of Oslo in 2006.
The Art of Being a Church
Participation in the design of the Church's culture report "Kunsten å være kirke" (The Art of Being a Church), a joint venture between Norske Kirkeakademier (Norwegian Church Academies), Kirkerådet (the Church Council) and KKV, where many of the underpinning ideas of the church of culture concept were expressed. 2005
Lullabies from the Axis of Evil
A collection of lullabies from Iraq, Iran, North Korea, Syria, Afghanistan, Palestine and Cuba with English language comments and interpretations. Duets with female voices from many worlds from the East and the West. 2004
Rampant hymns
"Salmer på ville veier" (Rampant hymns), an embracing of hymns that were never let into the warmth of the Church, but which deserve a place in the hymn book. Authors; Erik Bye, Rudolf Nilsen, Åge Aleksandersen and others. Soloist: Bjarne Brøndbo from the DDE band. 2002
Jakob Church of Culture
Establishment of Kulturkirken Jakob (Jakob Church of Culture), a professional art scene in a church, a meeting-place between free art and the scenography of church with expressions of the presence of God, tradition and the long lines of history. The opening on 18 February 2000 was the start of something that today resembles a culture church movement with branches in many countries, not least Germany.
Prøysen in Spanish
"Prøysen på spansk" (Prøysen in Spanish), cloaking the Norwegian poet and musician Alf Prøysen in the Spanish language and Nicaraguan context and music. Featuring Katia Cardenal. 1999
Tranzania
A CD cooperation with the techno group Acid Queen and musicians and singers from Zanzibar and Dar Es Salam. 1998
The country we come from
"Landet vi kommer fra" (The country we come from) with SKRUK and singers and musicians from Azerbaijan. An encounter with a culture with many layers of religious traditions: Zoroastrianism, Christianity, Islam, secular Communism. 1997
Driftwood
The performance/mass "Rekved" (Driftwood) for the Church's millennium celebration at Moster during Whitsun 1995, with Sondre Bratland and the Oslo Chamber Choir. Texts by Erik Hillestad and music by Kjetil Bjerkestrand, about the encounter between early Christianity and old Norse religion at the edge of the fjord.
Heaven and scrap
The performance "Himmel og skrot" (Heaven and scrap) about eroded religiousness and secularity, with Kim Haugen and Katja Medbøe and various artists in Brødfabrikken (the bread factory) on Norabakken (street) during the celebration of KKV's 20-year anniversary in 1994.
Flowers in Soweto
"Blomster i Soweto" (Flowers in Soweto) with Marianne Antonsen and the Soweto choir Imilongi Kanut Choral Society – about liberation and reconciliation in South Africa in 1994.
Misa Andina
Featuring SKRUK and musicians from Chile and Ecuador. An encounter between Latin American liberation theology, Catholicism and a Norwegian choir. 1993
Living Gospel
An encounter between SKRUK and church musicians and choir singers from New Orleans. Live recording from a concert in the Johannes Church in Bergen.1990
Lux illuxit laetabunda
A dialogue with the past. A bridge between contemporary music for organ by Henning Sommerro and Gregorian chant by the choir Choer Gregoerièn de Paris. 1989
The red bus
"Den røde bussen" (The red bus) with Jørn Simen Øverli. A view of Polish folk song art during the Solidarity period. A Poland different from what media had portrayed since WW2. 1984
The Pilgrim Songbook
"Pilegrimens sangbog" (The Pilgrim Songbook) with Sondre Bratland. A declaration of love for the songs of the revivalist period which many at the time, including KKV employees, defined as escapist and focused on heaven. 1982
Gems from the chapel
"Smykker fra bedehuset" (Gems from the chapel) with SKRUK, a tribute to songs that represent a faded ideal of piety and a problematized theology. 1979
A musical journey to an old contemporary period
"Tonereise til ei gamal samtid" (A musical journey to an old contemporary period), delving deeply into Norwegian pietism and "Haugianisme" (a Norwegian sect called Friends of Hauge, with significant impact on Norway in the early 1800s) with Ragnar Vigdal, from 1979.