Kjetil Bjerkestrand - Kjetil Bjerkestrand og Drømmedesimetten // Blant Gazas barn

Kjetil Bjerkestrand and Drømmedesimetten / the Dream Decimette 

Amongst Gaza’s children  

With a rising sense of despair and powerlessness we have all witnessed how the population of Gaza has been bombarded and displaced by Israeli miliary forces after Hamas’ attack on Israel on 7 October. The suffering is inconceivable, and merely being a spectator to what is happening is a horrific feeling. 

When in November 2023 Kjetil Bjerkestrand sent Erik Hillestad a choral composition asking if he could write a Christmas text for it, he found it natural to start with the ancient legend of the flight of the holy family from Herod’s soldiers through Gaza to Egypt more than 2000 years ago. Back then they were sheltered by the inhabitants of the city by the sea. Erik’s text asks where Gaza’s children can find shelter today. 

This is the origin of the composition “Blant Gazas barn” [Amongst Gaza’s children]. Singers from the Norwegian Soloists’ Choir and other groups formed a decimette (a musical group of ten) for the occasion, calling themselves the “Drømmedesimetten”, the Dream Decimette. Early in 2024 they recorded Kjetil Bjerkestrand’s vocal work for eight voices accompanied by Kjetil’s keyboards and programmed sound. This work is now being launched as a single on 24 January. 

FXS169 

Blant Gazas barn (Amongst Gaza’s children)  

Kjetil Bjerkestrand and Drømmedesimetten