The Norwegian Minister of Culture Turid Birkeland

Opening Speech at The Queen Sonja International Music Competition 1997

Oslo 11. August 1997

Lord Mayor, Ambassadors, members of the jury,
participants, ladies and gentlemen,

It is an honour and a privilege to wish you all welcome to Oslo and The Queen Sonja International Music Competition 1997. I am sure you will all have interesting days here in our capital, days filled with the beautiful sounds of young voices.

The idea of a Norwegian international music competition was born in the early 1980s, and the first competition took place in 1988. It was restricted to piano players only, and the winner was British, which immediately gave the international setting of the competition. The first competition was a great success and gave the organizers the courage to continue their efforts, and the second competition took place in 1992. Today it is particularly gratifying to see that The Queen Sonja International Music Competition has acquired both national and international acknowledgement.

Music plays an important role in Norwegian everyday life. Children play in school bands all over the country - and almost every school has its own band, they play in orchestras and they attend music schools. Young people and older generations also play their own instruments in orchestras, bands, groups, or just for their own pleasure at home. But we also have professionals on a very high level. Norwegian musical artists have won recognition all over the world. So have Norwegian singers. These widespread activities constitute the backdrop of the remarkable emergence of young Norwegian professionals over the past 15 - 20 years.

The Queen Sonja International Music Competition is now restricted to singers only, and this year singers from more than 20 countries are gathered her in Oslo for the competition. They are young, talented and selected among a large number of applicants. I wish them all particularly welcome and hope they will have a great future in their profession.

Norwegian music and song traditions have always had an open door to the surrounding world. Our artists and young music and song students have gone abroad to study and to be introduced to other traditions and cultures. However, it is equally important that foreign artists come to Norway to be presented to our culture, and The Queen Sonja International Music Competition provides such an opportunity. Our foreign guests will here have an occasion to listen to Norwegian music and Norwegian singers, and Norwegian singers and the audience will get acquainted with new talents from all over the world.

I feel confident that The Queen Sonja International Music Competition will give participants, judges, organizers and not to mention the audience, a wonderful musical experience here in Oslo these days.

I wish the participants good luck and declare The Queen Sonja International Music Competition 1997 opened.