CdC´s Health-program / training

Artistic Director Aksel Kolstad (photo) is very proud to present his very good friend from from his childhood neighbourhood
as Café de Concerts personal trainer in the concepts new health program for musicians. Sondre Bjerke is a fitness instructor and has won several prestigious medals for his great skills and muscle performance

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Hello all people of advanced musical creation,

My name is Sondre. Almost everyone who talks english calls me Sondra, a female name. I am a man, 33years of age, like to fish, but almost never get the time....oh well...you can read more about that in my profile on the Café de Concert website.



I have worked as a personal trainer for a while now and have many ideas on how to help musicians to a better performing physique. I can almost see now that many of you reading this have a ? over your head. Musicians and physical development are closely correlated, as hairdressers or truckdrivers. We all need a physique that can handle what we want to do. I hate to break it to you, but here goes: No, your body will not develop ideally to what you do even if you do it a lot. When a body for several hours a week is exposed to sitting in front of a piano, holding a violin with one arm and a chin, holding a piccoloflute to the side and so on, it will develop muscle tension and sore muscles.
Muscle tension, muscle soreness and shortening of muscles will in time bring pain and in worst case, injury.

I know you love your instrument. I know you love to play on it many hours a day. I admire and eny you for haveing such a passion about music, buit please listen to me, because my passion is exercise and nutrition. I love to explain and teach other people how they can avoid injuries and muscle soreness. I love to talk about training and how to get results in every level. It doesn't matter how great you physique is, it is all about where you are and where you are going. I will help you along the way starting today! Every month I will come up with the exercise and the stretch of the month.

This months exercise: Seated row with rubberband


Purpose: strengthening and conditioning the muscles in your upper back and rear deltoids(shoulders)
How:
1) Fasten the rubberband under your feet in front of you sitting with straight legs. Point yuor toes slightly away from you.
2) Hold the handles firmly in front of you and pull your arms out to the side like on the drawing.
3) Hold for a brief second then calmly bring your arms forward again.

How much: 2 series and 12-20 repetitions (you should feel a light burning sensation in your muscles)
How often: 2-3 times pr week. Not the same day as important concerts as you may feel fatigue in your upper back before the concert is over.

Don´t hesitate to contact me for further information. My contact info can be found on the Café de Concert website.

Yours truly in the name of fitness and health
Sondre

Out door concert at the Nordic Chambermusic Center

On June 3rd the "Quartet on the corner" played a light and refreshing out door concert in the corner of Elingaard manor!
National television (NRK) was also there to capture the many magical moments from the concert, as for exemple when Haydn´s "Bird-quartet" obviously inspired a little local bird to dance for us, up above the audience.