Kirsten Bråten Berg

• Background — person • Landscape — yes • Born — 1950 • Birthplace — Arendal, Norway • Genre — Folk • Occupation — Musician, silversmith, government scholar • Instrument — Singer

She began singing traditional Norwegian folk songs in the 1970s and since the late 1970s has given concerts and made recordings, winning Spellemannprisen awards (the Norwegian equivalent of the Grammy award) in 1979 and 1988. She met the bass player Arild Andersen in 1990 and became a member of his group in 1992. Bråten Berg's interest in the Norwegian folksong tradition has led her to meet and learn from older Norwegian musicians and people or from recordings of their music-making. Alongside figures such fiddler Hallvard Bjørgum, she exemplifies those Norwegian folk musicians trying to carry their tradition into modern times. In 2005 she was made a Knight First Class of The Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav in recognition of her work as a performer and ambassador of Norwegian culture. She has also collaborated with West African musicians on the CD From Senegal to Setesdal.

• 1988: Spellemannprisen in the class Traditional music, for the album Min kvedarlund • 1991: Gammlengprisen in the class Vocal music • 1993: Spellemannprisen in the class Music for children, for the album Våre beste barnesanger 2 • 1997: Radka Toneff Memorial Award • 2005: Knight First Class of The Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav

She is foreign member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music.