Nobel Peace Prize Concert Features Composer Playing Rodgers Organ

December 11, 2008

With Nobel laureate Martti Ahtisaari in the audience, Norwegian composer and musician Iver Kleive performed on a three-manual Rodgers organ at this year's Nobel Peace Prize Concert in Oslo, Norway.

The concert is a musical celebration traditionally held the day after the Nobel Peace Prize Ceremony as a way of spreading the global message of peace and honoring the laureate. This year's concert, hosted by actors Scarlett Johansson and Sir Michael Caine, included performances by Diana Ross, Il Divo, Jason Mraz, Robyn, Dierks Bentley, Julieta Venegas, Seun Kuti and Marit Larsen.

The December 11 concert, presented by the Norwegian Nobel Committee, was broadcast to more than 100 countries.

According to Jørn Elgeti, Rodgers representative in Scandinavia, Mr. Kleive prepared a special segment from his vivid Toccata: "Store Gud Vi Lover Deg" to play on the organ at the Oslo Spektrum. The instrument was moved temporarily from its home at Oslo's Mortensrud Church, a church famous for its unusual modern design by architects Jensen & Skodvin, for the concert.

Using the Rodgers Organ Architect design system, the organ for Mortensrud Church was created with a stoplist that reflects Scandinavia's unique organ-building tradition. The organ has wooden tracker-touch keyboards and an elegantly simple cabinet that harmonizes with Scandinavian craftsmanship.

Mr. Kleive is well known for his work to bring about greater understanding of the world's indigenous traditional music as well as for his many recordings, arrangements and international performance tours. Many Americans first heard his work when he collaborated with Knut Reiersrud to create and perform a composition based on a traditional hymn that was as part of the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games at Lillehammer in 1994.

This year's Nobel Peace Prize Concert honored Mr. Ahtisaari, the former president of Finland. The Peace Prize is given annually to an individual or organization whose work exemplifies a spirit of vision and leadership that will help promote peace in the world.

Rodgers is the world's largest builder of stereo imaged church organs and pipe/digital organs. Rodgers is a member of the Roland Group, headed by Roland Corporation, a world leader in electronic musical instrument technologies and electronic musical instrument sales and manufacturing.

Photos courtesy of the Norwegian Nobel Committee