Event
Twin Cities-based art song duo poem|music traces Nordic cultural expansion and nomadic homesickness from Romantic-era chamber music to contemporary ballads.
Genre-bending art song duo poem|music (Justin Spenner, Baritone; Carson Rose Schneider, Piano) will perform their program NORSE/NORGE; a curated glimpse into how Scandinavian songs grapple with a wandering home, fragmented pride, and the pursuit of beauty. This centuries-spanning musical journey features works by Agathe Backer Grøndahl, Tallest Man on Earth, Alf Hurum, Dry the River, Erik Bye, Fartein Valen, and others. The total runtime, including pre-concert chat, is 75 minutes.
poem|music has been noted for their “tangible, equal, and beautiful, collaborative energy” (Life in Revue, Blog). NORSE/NORGE marks their first performances in 2025, following two renditions of Schubert’s Winterreise in 2024 – a meditative recital at First UCC in Northfield, and a multi-media concert at The Hive Collaborative in St. Paul. The duo also curates an ongoing song series called B-Sides at art hubs like theatres, record stores, and coffee houses.
Prospect Park United Methodist, an affirming and reconciling congregation, offers an intimate and contemplative space for these rarely performed Scandinavian songs. Audiences can enjoy the “gallery” rules preferred by poem|music. Aimless wandering, doodling, and reactions are all welcome. Babies welcome. Heck, Carson’s might be there, too. Simple art materials, journals, and trinkets will be available.
The event runs ~75 minutes. (~15 minute open discussion, followed by the ~60 minute concert, chat around the merch table). Tickets will be available at the door on a sliding scale of $0-$20+, with a suggested price of $20 + for General Admission and $10 or less for students. This pay-as-able model ensures the performance is accessible to all.
For fans of: Classical Music; Indie Folk; Feeling a Lil’ Sad in a Good Way; Acoustic Singing; Impressive Piano Playing; Music Nerdiness; Meditative Experiences; Songwriting; Classy Date Nights; Emotional Music
Synopsis
Minnesota’s Scandinavian heritage is a significant cultural touchstone, often kept at the surface through familiar expressions (Ope!), jokes (Ole and Lena), and culinary traditions (…lutefisk). Heritage festivals across MN show how the longstanding Scandinavian immigrant community continues to celebrate its music culture. To delve deeper into these roots, one could visit the archives at institutions like St. Olaf or Augsburg University.
Or, they can seek out the growing community of independent musicians, chamber choirs, and concert producers interested in highlighting the tumultuous and nomadic history of Nordic music culture. With NORSE/NORGE, With its expansive timeline, NORSE/NORGE presents Nordic songs as uniquely applicable to modern-world concerns like ancestry, cultural expansion, belonging, and displacement.
Duo member Justin Spenner states:
“The concept of NORSE/NORGE grew from my interest in family heritage. One of my family branches roots back to the Norse—the historical exiles of Norway. I’m intrigued by the Viking’s nomadic history and how their concepts of service and world-weariness are still explored in Nordic song culture. So, here we have a nice group of sad songs, creating a bridge across oceans and generation through the multi-genre song form we call ‘ballad’.”
Overview
What: NORSE/NORGE: 200 Years of Sad Scandinavian Songs
Who: Justin Spenner (Baritone/Guitar) and Carson Rose Schneider (Piano)
Where/When: Prospect Park United Methodist Church (22 SE Orlin Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55414) Saturday, February 22 at 6:00pm
Tickets: $20 suggested, sliding scale $0-$20+ at the door!
Learn more about the performers:
Justin Spenner: https://www.barispen.com/
Carson Rose Schneider: https://www.carsonrosestudios.com/