Berit Lillevold

Vuelie will be releasing a new CD with Berit Lillevold soon!

Listen to examples from Berit Lillevolds CD "Extacy" here:

Berit Lillevold: accordeon
Tor Haugerud: drums
Odd Magne Gridseth: bass
Gunnar Andreas Berg: guitar
Frode Fjellheim: synth. and piano

Berit Lillevold

When the best-selling national Norwegian newspaper mentioned Berit Lillevold as "Norway`s new accordion star", it wasn`t without reason. Ever since she was 10 years old and took her first accordion lessons at Trondheim Community Music School, the accordion has been a big part of Berit`s life.
Berit is the accordion and the accordion is Berit.

The accordion playing multi-wonder has toured most of the world. She has charmed audiences in all of the Nordic countries, the Caribbean and most of the U.S.A. in addition to Germany, Italy, Spain and the Faeroe Islands. Berit has experienced tremendous success with every performance and the future has much more in store for her! Berit`s resume includes an international degree in tap dancing, in addition to studying ballet, western dance and show-jazz dance. When Berit performs, it`s a show filled with tons of energy, joy and a powerful dance of music.

Berit wears Flamenco shoes playing and uses her voice and breath together with the accordion in an incredibly distinctive way. The music is versatile. Berit herself says, "My music is wild, strong and playful, but also moves in a quiet way". Parts of her repertoire are both melancholic, naked and deep, but like the powerful parts of the music, they have the ability to spellbind the listener. To say that Berit is well qualified is obviously an understatement. She boasts 30 gold, 20 silver and 10 bronze medals from a variety of championships.

She opened for Liza Minnelli in the U.S.A. In Denmark, she has performed with such musical talents as Thomas Clausen, Alex Riel and Mads Vinding. In Norway, she has worked with, among others, Henning Sommerro, Frode Fjellheim, Gunnar Andreas Berg, John-Pål Inderberg, Carl Haakon Waadeland and Sigmund Groven. She has been heard and seen in a number of radio and TV performances both in Norway and abroad. Her first CD, "Ecstasy", has gotten superb reviews. In spite of her young age, Berit Lillevold`s accomplishments are tremendous and she`s just getting started.....

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Air Canada/enRoute, December 1999; Hit List 1999 by Jurgen Gothe; A collection of the year`s best music - from classical to techno and points in between: Berit Lillevold: Ecstasy:

"It`s definitely time to rethink the accordion, especially when it`s used for jazz, rock, tango, folk, Cuban, troll dances (Lillevold is Norwegian) and much more. This is music for a dozen unmade movies: mysterious, delicious, edgy, dark and bouncy. And amazing!"

 

VG: "Norway`s new accordion star has an attention getting way of handling the accordion"

Østersund Posten: "She played with a fire that could melt a mountain of ice"

Troms Folkeblad: "...and then a figure dressed in black entered the stage. With long, blonde, flowing hair and a white accordion...Berit Lillevold... All of those who were there will remember this accordion phenomena for a long, long time. Arms, legs, head and, not to mention hair, moving in every direction while the audience gasped for breath. A living firework!"

Adresseavisen: "Lillevold`s fingers sweep the accordion impressively - the audience was obviously enjoying themselves"

Avisa Trøndelag: "To listen to Berit Lillevold`s spirited, sensitive and unbelievably skilful accordion performance is ecstasy from beginning to end"

Adresseavisen: "She plays the accordion with a rare level of skill and sensitivity, she tap dances elegantly like an American show-girl, she dances breathtakingly to the flamenco..."

Arbeider-Avisa: "For this girl, the accordion is a form of expression for her brilliant musical talent. She is unbelievably skilful, but she is much more. She enjoys herself and has a unique potential for expression that makes her a favorite among the audience"

Wedel-Schulauer Tageblatt, Hamburg: "The absolute high point: the performance of Norway`s accordion master, Berit Lillevold. She shows unbelievable dexterity. Thundering applause and cheers of `Da Capo Da Capo!!`from the audience were well deserved"

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