Jan Gunnar Hoff and ELYSIAN FIELDS to Make Australian Debut in Sydney
The concerts will feature Sydney-based viola da gambist Jenny Eriksson, founder of the Scandinavian-inspired ensemble.
Globally acclaimed Norwegian jazz pianist and composer Jan Gunnar Hoff will make his Australian debut in two Sydney concerts on October 3 and 9, in collaboration with Sydney-based Scandinavian-inspired ensemble Elysian Fields.
The Sydney concerts mark the culmination of a long-standing creative partnership between Hoff and Sydney-based viola da gambist Jenny Eriksson, founder and leader of Elysian Fields. Of Swedish heritage, Eriksson has recorded several of Hoff's compositions on the ensemble's critically acclaimed album Fika and has previously performed alongside him in Northern Norway, forging a collaboration that spans continents and cultures.
One of the leading figures in European jazz, Hoff served as arranger, pianist and musical director for the Grammy-nominated album Quiet Winter Night (2013) and was nominated for a Norwegian Grammy in 2014. A Steinway Artist, he has recorded and performed with international jazz luminaries including Mike Stern and Alex Acuña.
Hoff is based in Bodø, a coastal city in northern Norway above the Arctic Circle. From his studio overlooking a fjord, he draws inspiration from the surrounding landscape, a connection that also informs his commitment to environmental issues, climate action, and the preservation of Norway's wilderness.
He was awarded the prestigious Edvard Grieg Prize for composition in 2005 and has released 27 albums as a solo artist and co-leader. Grammy-winning producer Morten Lindberg is a frequent collaborator. Hoff is also a professor at UiT, The Arctic University of Norway and the University of Agder. His 2026 Australian tour is supported by both institutions.
Elysian Fields is one of Australia's few ensembles exploring the intersection of Scandinavian folk and improvised music. Founded in 2015, the group brings together leading cross-genre musicians and has released three albums, performing widely across Australia's east coast.
On Saturday, 3 October at 4.00pm Jan Gunnar Hoff will illuminate the Utzon Room, Sydney Opera House in Northern Lands with solo piano plus intimate duos alongside viola da gambist Jenny Eriksson.
The Utzon Room program features Hoff's signature composition Fly North, a jazz interpretation of The Beach Boys' God Only Knows and Barndomsminne fra Nordland, a traditional song deeply connected to Norwegian cultural identity.
Duos with Jenny Eriksson include Hoff's Living and Vaapstenjeanoe (Big River) along with a new arrangement of the Scottish Australian folk song, Johnny Faa.
On Friday 9 October at 7:30pm, Hoff and Elysian Fields will unite for Northern Lights – Southern Cross at The Lounge, Concourse Theatre, one-night-only of soaring soundscapes and musical poetry, fusing Nordic jazz, folk lyricism and neo-baroque. The performance will feature the world premiere of a new work by Jan Gunnar Hoff commissioned by Eriksson and Elysian Fields, and Hoff's Living and Meditatus, Elysian Fields featured both works on its 2020 FIKA album.
Elysian Fields Musicians performing with Hoff at The Concourse include:
- Susie Bishop (voice/violin)
- Loretta Palmeiro (saxophones)
- Jenny Eriksson (electric viola da gamba)
- Jacques Emery (double bass)
- Rease Cameron (drums)
NORTHERN LANDS
Jan Gunnar Hoff piano with Jenny Eriksson on electric viola da gamba
Venue: Sydney Opera House, Utzon Room
Date & Time: 4pm 3 October 2026
On Sale: 9am, Friday 3 July 2026
NORTHERN LIGHTS – SOUTHERN CROSS
Jan Gunnar Hoff joins Sydney's Scandinavian-inspired six-piece ensemble Elysian Fields
Venue: The Concourse, The Lounge
Date & Time: 7:30pm, Friday 9 October 2026
On sale: 9:00am, Friday 3 July 2026
