Peter Lodwick

Peter Lodwick
Photo: Grim Evensen
Born	1944 February 9
💼 Occupation
🌐 Website	peterlodwick.com

Peter Lodwick is a Welsh composer and performing artist. His main work has been in Great Britain, USA and Norway. He graduated from Royal Academy of Music in London, and writes compositions for dance and theatre.

In 1970 he was invited to Norway by Gunnar Brunvoll, the director of Norwegian National Opera and Ballet Brunvoll wrote: “Peter Lodwick is a considerable talent that can enrich our culture greatly if he is given the opportunity to use his talent.”

This led to further collaboration with Norwegian choreographers and the forming of the company Brobyggere in 1974. In this period his compositions changed from very experimental to more melodious forms. Brobyggere evolved into Stage Productions in 1988 and to Dans & Toner in 1996.

To meet an audience and communicate through music, song and text has been a vital driving force. He was amongst the first in Norway to tour using a combination of acoustic and electronic instruments. As a performer he is known for his untraditional approach to concerts. He would often ask the audience for four notes and then improvise a piece of music based on them. In 1992 he married the dancer, choreographer and teacher Marit Krogeide (born 1963).

Early life and Career

Born to professional singers, Stella and John Lodwick, he was inspired to pursue a career in music. At a young age he performed as a pianist and cellist with the Glamorgan Youth Orchestra, Welsh National Youth Orchestra and sang with Glamorgan Youth Choir. He attended Neath Boys Grammar School. He received three Glamorgan scholarships to study piano, cello and song at The Royal Academy of Music in London. On leaving college in 1965 he joined The D´oyly Carte Opera Company as a bass baritone. The next two years he toured with the company in England and USA. Whilst in USA, Martha Graham attended one of his improvisation concerts. She encouraged him to compose for contemporary dance. This had a seminal effect on his further career choices. The next years he divided his time between Norway and Britain, working with choreographers of contemporary dance for BBC, London Contemporary Dance Theatre, and projects in Norway. He also pursued his career as a performing artist. From late 1970s he has lived in Norway, composing, performing and teaching.

Brobyggere, Company

He founded the company Brobyggere in 1974. Through the company he focused on combining different art forms, such as music, text and movement in a non-traditional way. Gunnar Brunvoll, the director of the Norwegian National Opera, intended Brobyggere to be under the umbrella of the National Ballet using the companies young dancers, mainly as a touring company. Circumstances prevented this happening, but Lodwick continued to develop the company, producing and performing: Brobyggere, Norwegian National Opera and Rikskonsertene (1975), ”Triangel”, Riksteateret (1975) and Festspillene i Harstad (1975), ”Voluspå”, Rikskonsertene (1976), ”Bortenfor ligger et hav”, Vigeland Museum and Munch museum (1977), “Lyrisk Cabaret”, Galleri F 15, (1980), “Sorte Perler”, Ås kino, Rikskonsertene (1979) and Norwegian Armed Forces (1982 – 1983), “Hånd i Hånd”, Rikskonsertene, Norwegian Armed Forces (1978 – 1986), ”I Vannmannens Tegn”, Rikskonsertene, Riksteateret (1981),”Gjennom et Nøkkelhull”, Norwegian Armed Forces (1981), ”To er Nok”, Rikskonsertene (1983), Armed Forces (1993 – 1994).

Composition theatre

In 1972 he was invited by the National theatre in Oslo to create music for “Leonce og Lena” by Karl Georg Büchner, directed by Edith Roger. He also cooperated with author Peder W. Cappelen, which resulted in the productions: “Trollspill”, Riksteateret (1977) and Chat Noir (1978), “Manndattera og Kjerringdattera”, Nationalteateret (1977), ”Hvittenland”, Nationalteateret (1981). This led to further commissions: “Eksperiment”, Stian Sørlie (dramatiker), Riksteateret and Oslo Nye Teater (1973), ”Kriger med Ord”, Arnulf Øverland, Riksteateret (1975), ”Lille Eyolf”, Henrik Ibsen, Nationalteateret (1978), ”Bryn og Grønvold”, Riksteateret (1976 - 1977), ”Jorda rundt på 80 dager” , Jules Verne, Riksteateret (1978), ”En Gutts Lykke”, Else Michelet and Tor Arne Johnsen, Oslo Nye Teater, Centralteatret (1979), ”39 røde sting”, Inger-Margrethe Lunde , Black box theater (1992), ”Pinocchio”, Carlo Collodi, Riksteateret and Black box theater (1993-1994).

Composition film and television

Having worked with movement, it was a natural progression to compose for visual media. This resulted in composing music for the films “Angst” directed by Laila Mikkelsen (1976) and “Oss” directed by Oddvar Bull Tuhus (1977). For television “Horizon” and “Of Cabbages and Kings” choreography Jack Nightingale, BBC (1971). In 1980 he cooperated with Margaret Ljunggren in creating and performing “Amandus” – a series of 10 programs for children, NRK.

Composition Dance

Vidar Hansen, Marit Krogeide and Peter Lodwick in Dans & Toners performance ”Impulser”. Photo: Grim Evensen

Lodwick composed and choreographed the ballets “Chairs” and “Us” for The Norwegian National Opera and ballet, performed at Harstad Festival in 1975. Other work: music for Jack Nightingales ballet “Whispers”, London Contemporary Dance Theatre (1970), Irene Dilkes “Let´s get up and make it worse”,“Just Moving”, Horison”, “Tread Softly”, “Point Counter Point”, Munch museum, Hennie Onstad Artcenter (1971), ”Poems”, choreography Jane Hveding, Det Norske Teatret (1991), ”Pinocchio”, choreography Inger Buresund , Riksteateret and Black Box teater (1993), “Lille Heidelberg”, “Tre ord”, choreography Lise Ferner, Månefisken (1993), “Eva - historier om kjærlighet”, choreography Lise Ferner, Det Åpne Teater (1994), ”Det var en gang”, choreography Nina Ly/Mette Skånseng, Scenehuset (1995), ”Huldra”, choreography Hild Eikrann, Det Åpne Teater (1995), ”Ja, vi elsker”, choreography Hild Eikrann, Black Box teater, (1997), ”To pluss”, choreography Lise Ferner, Scenehuset Oslo and tour Akershus (2003), “Tango på tå”, and Ung kvinne på stranden, choreography Marit Krogeide, Chat Noir (2006), ”Cafe Henri”, choreography Marit Krogeide, Centralteateret (2013).

Together with Marit Krogeide, he founded the company Stage Productions in 1988. In 1996 they changed name to Dans & Toner. For 25 years the company has toured Norway with different productions. In the period 1988 – 2013 their performances were seen by hundreds of thousands of people. Their work to spread music and dance to a wider audience has been recognized as pioneer work, which has resulted in financial support from The Norwegian Arts Council, Fund for Performing Artists and Norsk Kassettsavgiftsfond. Lodwick composed and performed the music in all 15 of them:

Marit Krogeide and Peter Lodwick in Dans & Toners performance “Du og jeg og Vi To”, Photo: Grim Evensen

• ”Mr.B” Rikskonsertene (1983 – 1997)
• “Dans for En Klovn”, Black Box Teater (1989)
• ”Mozart”, Rikskonsertene, Folkeakademier (1991- 1996)
• “Showtime”,culture centers and Norwegian Armed Forces (1991)
• ”Dans for Deg”, tours Riksteateret, Rikskonsertene Prisons, Dans & Toner, Den Kulturelle Skolesekken/Norsk scenekunstbruk (1993 – 2006)
• ”Munch – en reise i ord, toner & bevegelse”, Folkeakademier, Fylkeskommuner (1994 – 1996)
• ”Du og Jeg og Vi To”, Rikskonsertene, Folkeakademier, Fylkeskommuner, Den kulturelle skolesekken/Norsk Scenekunstbruk (1996 – 2007)
• ”Impulser”, Folkeakademier, Fylkeskommuner, Den Kulturelle Skolesekken, Norsk Scenekunstbruk (1997 – 1998)
• ”Visjoner”, tours Dans & Toner (1999)
• ”Du og jeg og alle sammen”, tours Dans & Toner (2000),
• “A Circle within a Spiral”, Scenehuset, tours Dans & Toner (2003)
• ”Munch – en reise i dans, musikk & billedkunst”, tours Dans & Toner, Den Kulturelle Skolsekken/Norsk Scenekunstbruk (2005 – 2010)
• “Twisted”, tours Dans & Toner, Den Kulturelle Skolesekken/Norsk Scenekunstbruk (2008 – 2013)
• “Dikt i Piano”, tours Dans & Toner (2008 – 2012)
• “PS, improvisation program”, tours 2011 – 2013.

Within Dans & Toner performances Lodwick cooperated with choreographers representing different styles of movement, from classical ballet to jazz and contemporary dance:

“Møte” Toni Herlofson (1993), “Lekende Ynde" Dinna Bjørn (1993), ”Dobbeltgjengeren” Eric Viudes (1993), ”En Kvinne av i dag” and ”A Touch of Jazz” Merete Lingjærde (1993), “Lady of the night” and “Den Gallopperende Hesten” Antonio Ferraz (1994), ”Distraksjon” Øyvind Jørgensen (1997), ”Syklus” Lise Ferner (1996), ”Ittl er ad fljuga fjadralaus” (1996) and ”Fra det ene til det andre” (2003) Terje Tjøme Mossige, “Masken” Bjørnar Westbye Pedersen (1997), “Capercaillies” Jan de Miranda (1997), “Mann med Kvinne i fanget” Tim Rushton (1999), “Komposisjon” Katrine Bølstad (1999), “Masken 2” Christer Tornell (2000), "Syclus” Brynjar Bandlien (2000), “Alene helt sammen” Hege Tvedt (2003), “Ung kvinne på stranden”, “Løsrivelse”, “Pebble Dance” “Summer Games” and ”My machine” Christer Tornell and Marit Krogeide (2005 – 2009).

Teaching and Repetitor

While teaching improvisation at the Norwegian Opera ballet school (1970 – 1975), he developed his own rhythm and improvisation technique, Lodwick Technique. The method was created to enhance performing artists understanding of dynamics and phrasing. For many years it was part of the curriculum at Oslo National Academy of the Arts, Norges Dansehøyskole, Statens Operahøgskole and Statens teaterhøgskole. Part of the technique is published in “Dans!”, Tell Forlag: ISBN 82-7522-051-3 Search this book on . (1996).

For over 40 years he has accompanied modern- and ballet classes for London school of contemporary dance, Benesh Institute of Choreology, Royal Ballet school, Laban, Rambert Dance company, Avignon Festival, Consort de Danse Baroque, Sadler's Wells Theatre, Balettakademien, Danshögskolan and Daily Professional Training in Stockholm, Ballettinstituttet, Proda, Oslo National Academy of the arts, CODA Oslo International Dance Festival, Den Norske Balletthøyskole, Cullbergballetten.

Discography

Releases:

• “Music for Ballet Class Volume 1”, orchestrated music for classwork and choreography, supported by Oslo National Academy of the Arts (2002)
• “Music for Modern Dance Class Volume 1”, orchestrated music for classwork and choreography, supported by Oslo National Academy of the Arts, (2006)
• “Music for Ballet Class Volume 2”,orchestrated music for classwork and choreography, supported by Fund for Performing Artists (2010)
• Moments, commitioned by N.W.Damm & Sønn AS, (2005)

Awards

• Norwegian critic award for performance Poems, choreography Jane Hveding, Det Norske Teater, (1991)
• Film interview Norwegian Dance history project, Danseinformasjonen (2011)
• Nominated to Gammelgjenger prize by Norsk Scenekunstbruk (2019)

References

Sceneweb is Norway's national performing arts database for documentation and archiving digital material about all professional performing arts in Norway - both the independent field and the private and state-owned institutions. Collecting, preserving and digitizing is done in cooperation with The National Library.

External Links

• Peter Lodwicks homepage: www.peterlodwick.com

• Dans & Toner: Dans og Toner touring company for music and dance

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