Amazing ice musical instruments set to feature in concert at The Apex next month

Next month on the stage at The Apex you are likely to find an ice harp, ice bass, ice percussion, ice drums, iceofone and some ice horns … along with a not-so-frozen singer.

The audience will be surrounded by the sounds of ice in a tribute to the most important thing in the world: Nature.

The amazing wildlife, the silence, the mountains, and the life-giving water that will actually be on stage – in the shape of musical instruments carved and crafted from natural ice from Norwegian rivers and lakes.

Known internationally as the pioneer of ice music, Norwegian percussionist Terje Isungset (pictured above) and his ice quartet creates musical instruments from blocks of ice.

An acclaimed drummer and composer, Terje has used natural materials, such as wood, stones and metal, as percussion instruments since the late 1980s.

In 1999, Terje was commissioned to write music for a concert under a frozen waterfall at Lillehammer, Norway.

He decided to use elements from the river itself as musical instruments in his composition – including ice.

Terje explains” “I took the sound from underneath the waterfall and then I hit the ice. I thought it was so beautiful. It was like falling in love.”

He was listed among 25 of the world’s most creative percussionists in the book “Percussion Profiles”. His work is often described as innovative, visual, energetic and meditative, and he has received the Norwegian Jazz Musician of the Year and Composer of the Year awards.

Discovering the sounds of natural ice opened up a whole new range of sonic possibilities for Terje. By seeking out different types of ice and playing them both acoustically and amplified, Terje successfully refined the techniques required to allow ice to “sing”.

Since then, he runs an annual Ice Music Festival in Norway and tours world-wide with his unique concept.

Terje Isungset Ice Quartet are at The Apex on Tuesday, November 7, at 7.30pm.

See www.theapex.co.uk or ring 01284 758000 for more information or to book tickets.