Christian Wallumrød (1971) 
- acoustic and electronic keyboards / composer

Christian Wallumrød has worked as a musician and composer since 1992, and he is considered one of the most prominent musicians of the younger Norwegian generation.

He made his debut on ECM Records with the album „No Birch“ (issued in 1996) to considerable critical acclaim. The album „Sofienberg Variations“ with a new ensemble (Christian Wallumrød Ensemble: with Nils Økland, Arve Henriksen and Per Oddvar Johansen) was released on ECM in 2003. Wallumrøds third album „A Year From Easter“, with the same ensemble, was released in spring 2005 on the German record label. An extended version of his acoustic ensemble (sextet with long time partners Henriksen and Johansen in addition to Gjermund Larsen on violins, Tanja Orning on cello and Giovanna Pessi on baroque harp) is playing Wallumrøds compositions on the recent ECM album „The Zoo Is Far“ (spring 2007).

The album „Merriwinkle“ (Jazzland Records/Universal) is his first recording with singer Sidsel Endresen. The collaboration with Endresen (which often also includes Helge Sten aka „Deathprod“) is based on improvisation. „Merriwinkle“ was released primo 2004 and has received splendid critics throughout Europe. He has also recorded several albums on Norwegian labels, a.o. with the trio Close Erase. In addition he has for several years been part of drummer Audun Kleive's „Generator X“ (2 albums on Jazzland Records). A fairly new project is a quartet named 'Dans Les Arbres' with Norwegian impro-musicians Ivar Grydeland and Ingar Zach (known from the band Huntsville) and French clarinet player Xavier Charles. This is a group who works solely with acoustic and improvised music, in a different way. An album with their music will be released on ECM Records in 2008.

Wallumrød has generally focused on small ensembles, both as a performer and a composer. Apart from his present acoustic ensemble (CWE) were he writes all the material, most of his work is based on improvisation and the fluid borders between improvised and written music. Since the beginning of the 90’s he has toured, played festivals and made broadcasting recordings in Norway and Scandinavia, Finland, Germany, UK, Ireland, France, Switzerland, Austria, Czeck Rep., Hungary, Estonia, Slovenia, Italy, China and Canada.

At the Ultima Festival for Contemporary Music 2000 (Oslo) he participated as an improvising soloist on Fender Rhodes (el-piano) on Eivind Buene‘s (N) „Objects of Desire“ with Oslo Sinfonietta, conducted by Christian Eggen.

In addition to the various ensemble work, Christian Wallumrød has done several solo performances, a.o. at the Ultima Festival 2003.

Ensembles of current interest

Christian Wallumrød Ensemble
quartet and sextet with Arve Henriksen, Per Oddvar Johansen, Nils Økland, Tanja Orning, Giovanna Pessi, Gjermund Larsen

Merriwinkle
with Sidsel Endresen

Audun Kleive’s „Generator X“ 
Audun Kleive - dr, Christian Wallumrød - keys, Ole Morten Vågan - bass

Close Erase
Christian Wallumrød - key, Ingebrigt H. Flaten-bass, Per Oddvar Johansen - dr

Dans Les Arbres
Xavier Charles - cl, Ivar Grydeland - guit/banjo, Christian Wallumrød - pno, Ingar Zach - dr/perc

© Urban Willi / ECM Records