After leading the Båstad Chamber Music Festival successfully for twelve years, clarinetist Karin Dornbusch was contacted by entrepreneur Bob Kelly, who had an idea to start an international chamber music festival at the Röda Sten Konsthall in Gothenburg. Why? -Because it’s a joy, Bob replied. And Karin agreed.
A board consisting of, among others, music personalities Paula af Malmborg Ward, Daniel Berg, and Tobias Granmo was formed. After intensive work, FRONTSIDE – Gothenburg International Chamber Music Festival opened in January 2019 with innovative concert programs in exciting environments. Art music from different eras was played, mixing well-known and completely new works with elements of folk music and free improvisation. Young and old mingled both on stage and in the audience. There was listening, watching, talking, and discoveries were made. The ship had set sail.
Over the years, a large number of enthusiastic, hard-working volunteers and generous donors have made this unique festival possible, even during the darkest times of the pandemic. Once again, it proves that we can make a difference, and that dreams can then actually become true.
One of the festival’s aims is to showcase the wide range of music that the chamber music form encompasses. It seeks both to preserve the Western music tradition and to participate in creating new works. The festival is geared towards curious music listeners of all ages who want to broaden their horizons. Through happenings, installations, and concerts in spectacular venues and relaxed environments, we hope to attract an audience that has not yet experienced chamber music. The most important thing, however, is to bring joy to people from different generations and different countries. We want to enrich life with music from near and far and, with the help of music, contribute to building bridges between people.
Starting from the port city of Gothenburg’s strategic location by the sea and a long tradition of international contacts and exchanges, we looked towards each of the four cardinal directions during the festival’s first years. Thereby forming a cohesive tetralogy, with a break 2021 for the special edition Frontside light- Let the music sound! in the middle of the pandemic.
The festival themes carry several profound messages. It is about cherishing and utilizing music’s unique ability to create respect, learning, understanding, and joy among people from different countries and cultures. It is also about the necessity of these exchanges for renewal and change. A piece is never exactly the same. Each performance is unique, whether it is at home in the living room or on a stage. Music tells a story; it is in constant flux. Music is alive. And this is thanks to the people who convey it! As the saying goes: Where words fail, music speaks.
With the theme of 2019, “M/S Transatlantic,” we turned our gaze westward. A common thread of American and American-inspired music ran through the festival. The inspiration was the large American ships and emigration to the USA during the 19th and 20th centuries. The theme also connected to today’s situation where people are forced to live in flight and create a new life in a new country.
In 2020, the theme was “To the East”. This time, it was the journeys of the Swedish East India Company to Asia in the 18th century that set the tone. During the festival, both older and contemporary music by European and Asian composers, who have been inspired by each other’s musical traditions in various ways, were performed. There’s an overarching message that music has the ability to build bridges between people across countries and continents.
In the midst of the darkest Covid-19 pandemic, Frontside shone in 2021 with a program adapted to the restrictions of the pandemic. The ambiguous theme “Frontside Light” focused on the power of music to console, spread joy, and provide energy. In collaboration with Music in Älvsborg and Älvsborg Parish, all concerts were streamed from Älvsborg Church. Olivier Messiaen’s Quartet for the End of Time was one of the main works and was performed exactly 80 years after its historic premiere in Görlitz.
…where on the green paths one can stroll beneath the crowns of countless trees full of lemons, oranges, and bitter oranges…
From an East India Trader’s Diary
In 2022, FRONTSIDE was carried southward by a warm breeze in the theme “Southern Winds.” Here, we drew inspiration from Italy, Portugal, Spain, and South America. Warm tones in the midst of cold January!
When Gothenburg celebrated its postponed 400th anniversary in 2023, FRONTSIDE turned northward under the theme “Direction 57° North,” reflecting Gothenburg’s latitude. We featured composers from Gothenburg, as well as music from countries that have had a significant influence on Gothenburg’s appearance and foundation, including Holland, Germany, Scotland, and England.
A classical chamber music festival with a modern flavour for the open-minded.
Frontside Chamber Music Association has existed since 2019 and is largely driven by volunteer efforts, but we are highly dependent on additional financial sponsors and fundings. All contributions are used to engage fantastic musicians, rents of venues and all other things that make the festival a magical experience.
If you are interested in chamber music that goes beyond the ordinary, you should become a member! As a member, you are invited to the association’s annual meeting and participate in electing the board. You can also suggest activities for the association, thereby influencing future festivals and other events we organize. You also have the opportunity to volunteer during the festival, allowing you to enjoy wonderful chamber music without paying an entrance fee.
How do I become a member and support Frontside? Submit your information in the form below and pay the membership fee, and we will register you as a member immediately. Please also indicate which chamber music you love the most. Together with your personal information, this helps us better understand who our members are. How we handle your information can be read under the GDPR section.
You renew your membership every fall term – we’ll remind you! Alternatively, you can purchase a lifetime membership and thus become a permanent member with a one-time fee.
If you join as a new member in the spring, your payment also covers the following year’s membership.
How do I do it and what does it cost? You can pay the membership fee to Bankgiro 5318-7969 or via Swish 123 356 63 95. Always include your name and, if paying via bankgiro, your mobile number.
Welcome as a member!
For requests, feedback, and additional information, fill in your message in the form at the bottom or send an email to info@frontside-festival.se
The General Data Protection Regulation, GDPR, came into force within the EU on May 25, 2018.
How does Frontside handle its membership register? In our membership register, we store your name, address details, email address, phone number, and birth year. If you leave the association, we will retain your information for a maximum of seven (7) years before deleting it.
Who has access to my information? We register your details digitally in our membership register. Only you (first party) and individuals with trusted roles in the association (second party) have access to your information. No information is shared with third parties.
You can request to see what information we have collected about you at any time.
Validity? By becoming a member of the association, you enter into an agreement regarding which information about you can be stored with us and who has access to this information, as described above. This agreement is valid indefinitely, as long as you are a member of the Frontside Chamber Music Association.
Do I have the right to have my information deleted? According to GDPR, you have the right to have your information deleted, but you will also lose your membership in the association. To request this, send an email to info@frontside-festival.se and ask for your stored information to be deleted.
