Maja Solveig Kjelstrup Ratkje, composer and performer (born Dec. 29th 1973 in Trondheim, Norway), finished composition studies at the Norwegian State Academy of Music in Oslo in 2000. Her music has been heard all over Europe as well as in Japan, China, Canada, USA and eastern Russia. Her composed works have been performed by Klangforum Wien, Oslo and Bodø Sinfonietta, The Norwegian Radio Orchestra, Fretwork, TM+, Arve Tellefsen, Cikada and Vertavo string quartets, Quatuor Renoir, Ticom, crashEnsemble, Torben Snekkestad, Marianne Beate Kielland, SPUNK, Frode Haltli, Rolf-Erik Nystrøm and Håkon Thelin in POING among others. Portrait concerts with her music has been heard in Toronto and Vienna, and she has received many awards and commissions from throughout the world such as the International Rostrum of Composers in Paris for composers below 30 years of age, she has received the Norwegian Edvard prize (work of the year) twice, second prize at the Russolo Foundation, and in 2001 she was the first composer ever to receive the Arne Nordheim prize. Her solo album «Voice», made in collaboration with Jazzkammer, got a Distinction Award at Prix Ars Electronica in 2003.

Ratkje is active as a singer/voice user and electronics player as well as studio engineer, mainly in connection with the contemporary improvisation ensemble SPUNK or as a solo artist. Other groups are the metal band Trinacria, duo with Jaap Blonk, the performance trio Agrare and a workers' songs collaboration with the acoustic trio POING. Ratkje has performed her own music for films, dance and theatre performances, installations, and numerous other projects. In 2003, she played a leading part in her own opera, based on the texts from the Nag Hammadi Library. In 2005 she performed the voice solo part of her first big work for orchestra, commissioned by Radio France. In 2008, she was composer in residence at Nordland Music Festival in North Norway.

Her scores are found at the Norwegian Music Information Centre and her records are released on Tzadik, rune grammofon, ECM, Kontrans, Asphodel, Important Records and others. Her homepage may be visited at www.ratkje.com

Maja Solveig Kjelstrup Ratkje (f.29.12.73 i Trondheim) er komponist og utøver. Hennes musikk er framført av utøvere som f.eks. Klangforum Wien, Fretwork, Oslo og Bodø Sinfonietta, Kringkastingsorkesteret, Arve Tellefsen, Vertavo, SPUNK, POING, Frode Haltli, Marianne Beate Kielland, Engegårdkvartetten og Cikada. Hun har blitt portrettert med konserter i bl.a. Wien Konzerthaus og i regi av Kanadisk Radio i Toronto. I 2001 mottok Ratkje, som første komponist i Norge, Arne Nordheims komponistpris. Hun har også mottat andre priser i inn-og utland, deriblant Edvardprisen (to ganger) og UNESCOs Rostrumpris i 1999 for stykket «Waves IIb» samt Award of Distinction sammen med Jazzkammer under Prix Ars Electronica for soloplata Voice i 2003 for å nevne noen. Hun er kjent som utøver, først og fremst i improvisasjonsgruppa SPUNK, som har spilt sammen siden 1995. Andre grupper er metalbandet Trinacria og performance-trioen Agrare. Hun har også framført og spilt inn egen musikk til dans, teater, installasjoner, film og litteratur. Hun var aktør i sin egen opera "No Title Performance" som hadde premiere under Ultima i 2003. I 2005 var Ratkje solist i sitt første stykke for orkester bestilt av Radio France. I 2008 var hun festivalkomponist under Nordland Musikkfestuke. Fra 2008 skriver hun fast om eksperimentelle klassikere i Morgenbladet. Hun gir ut plater på Tzadik, rune grammofon, ECM m.m. Partiturer kan bestilles fra MIC.no. Se ellers Maja Ratkjes hjemmesider: www.ratkje.com

selected | complete list | facts about maja | pictures of maja

• general information, summary  • selected articles, interviews and features  • awards  • composed works performed  • activities as a performer  • festivals attended  • lectures, positions etc.  • some concert reviews  • some record reviews (links)