Artists:
Jan Gunnar Hoff: piano
Jenny Eriksson: electric viola de gamba
Concert took place on 3 October 2026 at Utzon Room Sydney Opera House
Distinguished Norwegian jazz pianist and composer Jan Gunnar Hoff made his Australian debut last night in the Utzon Room of the Sydney Opera House. And what a debut it was from this Grammy-nominated artist, and leading light on the European music scene. He has some 27 albums to his name, has won Norway’s most respected music awards, and has performed and recorded with such luminaries as Pet Metheny, Alex Acuña and Mike Stern.
Hoff was invited to Australia by acclaimed Sydney fusion-folk-jazz ensemble, Elysian Fields. That ensemble was founded, and is co-led, by viola da gambist Jenny Eriksson, and she joined Hoff for a few pieces, but more on that below.
Hoff’s ‘Fly North’, one of the evening’s highlights, is a reimagining of the classic Beach Boys’ song ‘God Only Knows’. Hoff plays with such sensitivity, bringing subtle elements of jazz into his improvisation, and conveyed – to my mind – not just a sense of intimacy, but also the complexities involved in any meaningful relationship. Ah, the power of music!
And that was my overwhelming feeling for the entire concert. The relationship between a musician and a listener is an intimate and complex one. My response to a piece of music may not resemble yours at all, yet everyone recognises music’s ability to reach our souls, to fire our imaginations. And my imagination was well and truly fired.
Another lyrical original work was inspired by a poem by Norwegian Nobel laureate Knut Hamsun. Hoff’s caressing touch on the keys brought to life the summer night that never ends – referring to the midnight sun of the Arctic Circle. That work expressed the joy of summer, as communicated in the playful passages, with perhaps a touch of longing for the dark. My concert companion remarked that she imagined traditional stories being told in rotation over the generations. You see what I mean about our individual responses to music.
‘Innocence’ was an engaging and joyous work, and to my mind, the ‘jazziest’ piece of the evening. I could hear the spaces Hoff left – just tiny spaces – for his listeners to fill as they chose. Another of the pianist’s offerings was a song he learned on a visit to Estonia. I’m afraid I missed the song’s title, but there was no mistaking the entirely different vibe – I’m no expert, but the work was somehow distinctly European, rather than Norse. It was lovely tune, and I very much enjoyed his improvising over the original melody. Hoff has such a deft touch.
Later, he played what is known as Norway’s unofficial anthem, a stunning tune, showcasing the pianist’s enormous affinity with his instrument. By the way, Hoff, who is a Steinway artist, told the audience that the Sydney Opera House’s Steinway piano was the best he’d ever played. ‘Barndomsminne fra Nordland’ (‘Childhood memory from Nordland’) is full of pathos, longing and deep love for country. It was wonderful addition to the program.
Jenny Eriksson joined Hoff on stage for his piece ‘Living’ (which she has recorded), a very catchy tune that could well up an earworm. I find myself humming it now as I type. It was just lovely hearing the electric viola da gamba playing the lush melody with Hoff improvising around her. It struck me what a perfect musical pairing these two musicians have. It’s worth mentioning here that Eriksson has long been a champion of Hoff’s music, and in 2023, made a guest appearance in Norway with the man himself. Elysian Fields has recorded Hoff’s ‘Meditatus’, the composition that won hime Norway’s prestigious Edvard Grieg prize. That Hoff and Eriksson are friends as well as musical colleagues, deeply informed their performance. There’s a tangible rapport between the two musicians, both of whom – in their separate careers – effortlessly blend elements of Nordic folk music, jazz, prog rock, classical, and various other musical traditions, into their performances and their compositions.
Hoff and Eriksson continued with ‘Vaapstenjeanoe’ (‘Big River’), a Hoff original inspired by a mighty watercourse in the far north of Norway where he lives. I could hear in the gentle piano opening, the purity of the mountains where rivers begin. The music gathered momentum, and when the viola da gamba came in, everything became very grounded, Eriksson filling out the theme, suggesting in her bowing, the grandeur of the river as it winds its way towards the sea.
Eriksson’s piece ‘Anna’, is a textured, optimistic work in which Eriksson expresses her affection for her friend. The complementarity of piano and electric viola da gamba is really something special, particularly when they’re played so masterfully.
After a standing ovation, we were fortunate to have an encore where we heard a few more songs, among them ‘Danny Boy’, with some fine jazz improvisations enriching the well-known melody; and Henry Mancini’s ‘Moon River’, Hoff’s ornamentation bringing such colour to the tune.
The concert was a most delightful way to spend the early evening. Hoff is a commanding pianist, and a charming speaker. Eriksson’s exuberant electric viola da gamba brought so much richness to the program. It was a terrific concert all round, and congratulations are due to all those who made it happen.
Jan Gunnar Hoff will make one more Sydney appearance this, Friday 9 October, when he will be appearing with Elysian Fields in The Lounge at the Concourse, Chatswood. If you can make it, I strongly urge you to go – it will be a captivating night of Nordic folk-jazz lyricism and Australian musical innovation.
Photography by Shane Rozario
