Born: April 15th, 1955, Kristiansand (Norway)
Nationality: Norwegian
In due course, the short impression below will be replaced with a more extensive career overview
BIOGRAPHY
Having studied at the Kristiansand Conservatory, Rolf Løvland eventually graduated with a degree from the Norwegian Institute of Music at Oslo University. In 1976, a first LP with his song was released. He wrote arrangements for many artists, including Tor Endresen and Jahn Teigen. In 1986, he was awarded with a prize at the World Popular Song Contest in Tokyo for writing the most outstanding song. In 1994, Løvland teamed up with violinist Fionnuala Sherry, who he had met when conducting for Norway in the 1993 Eurovision Song Contest in Millstreet, and formed Secret Garden. The duo’s most successful song is probably ‘You Raise Me Up’ (with lyrics by Brendan Graham) from 2002, which was covered hundreds of times, e.g. by Josh Groban and Westlife.
EUROVISION SONG CONTEST
Rolf Løvland composed his first entry for the Melodi Grand Prix, the Norwegian preselection, in 1982. In 1985, he won the ‘MGP’ with ‘La det swinge’, performed by Hanne Krogh and Elisabeth Andreasson, known as the Bobbysocks. They went on to win the Eurovision Song Contest for Norway – the first Norwegian victory ever. On stage in Gothenburg, Løvland played the piano, while the arrangement was written by him in collaboration with Torgny Söderberg from Sweden, with Terje Fjaern conducting the Eurovision orchestra.
One year later, in 1986, Løvland wrote the orchestration to the Norwegian entry, Ketil Stokkan’s ‘Romeo’. In 1987, Løvland composed ‘Mitt live’, with which Kate Gulbrandsen represented Norway and landed a ninth spot. In 1990, Ketil Stokkan represented Norway for a second time – with ‘Brandenburger Tor’ – and again Løvland was asked to arrange the piece.
In 1992 and 1993, Rolf Løvland was the musical director of the MGP, and on both occasions he joined the eventual winners on their way to the international final to conduct their entry: ‘Visjoner’ for Merethe Trøan in 1992 and ‘Alle mine tankar’ for Silje Vige in 1993. In 1994, Løvland composed ‘Duett’ for Elisabeth Andreasson and Jan Werner Danielsen; conducted by Pete Knutsen, the duo came 6th in Dublin.
In 1995, Norway won its second victory, for the second time with a Løvland composition: ‘Nocturne’, performed by Secret Garden – i.e. himself and Fionnuala Sherry. Thus, he composed four songs for the Eurovision Song Contest, of which two won the contest, while the two others finished with the first ten.
EUROVISION INVOLVEMENT YEAR BY YEAR
Country – Norway
Song title – "La det swinge"
Rendition – Bobbysocks (Hanne Krogh / Elisabeth Andreasson)
Lyrics – Rolf Løvland
Composition – Rolf Løvland
Studio arrangement – Rolf Løvland / Torgny Söderberg
Live orchestration – Rolf Løvland / Torgny Söderberg
Conductor – Terje Fjærn
Score – 1st place (123 votes)
Country – Norway
Song title – “Romeo”
Rendition – Ketil Stokkan
Lyrics – Ketil Stokkan
Composition – Ketil Stokkan
Studio arrangement – Rolf Løvland / Anders Engberg
Live orchestration – Rolf Løvland
Conductor – Egil Monn-Iversen (MD)
Score – 12th place (44 votes)
Country – Norway
Song title – "Mitt liv"
Rendition – Kate Gulbrandsen
Lyrics – Hanne Krogh / Rolf Løvland
Composition – Rolf Løvland
Studio arrangement – Rolf Løvland
Live orchestration – Rolf Løvland
Conductor – Terje Fjærn
Score – 9th place (65 votes)
Country – Norway
Song title – "Brandenburger Tor"
Rendition – Ketil Stokkan Band (Ketil Stokkan / Pernilla Emme / Geir Nordheim / Eirik Sørdahl / Katarina Millton /
Ketil Hugo Johansen)
Lyrics – Ketil Stokkan
Composition – Ketil Stokkan
Studio arrangement – Rolf Løvland
Live orchestration – Rolf Løvland / Pete Knutsen
Conductor – Pete Knutsen
Score – 21st place (8 votes)
Country – Norway
Song title – “Visjoner”
Rendition – Merethe Trøan
Lyrics – Eva S. Jansen
Composition – Robert Morley
Studio arrangement – Robert Morley / Rolf Løvland
Live orchestration – Rolf Løvland
Conductor – Rolf Løvland
Score – 18th place (23 votes)
Country – Norway
Song title – “Alle mine tankar”
Rendition – Silje Vige
Lyrics – Bjørn Erik Vige
Composition – Bjørn Erik Vige
Studio arrangement – Bjørn Erik Vige / Svein Gundersen
Live orchestration – Øyvind Westby
Conductor – Rolf Løvland
Score – 5th place (120 votes)
Country – Norway
Song title – "Duett"
Rendition – Elisabeth Andreasson / Jan Werner Danielsen
Lyrics – Hans Olav Mørk
Composition – Rolf Løvland
Studio arrangement – Rolf Løvland
Live orchestration – Rolf Løvland / Pete Knutsen
Conductor – Pete Knutsen
Score – 6th place (76 votes)
Country – Norway
Song title – “Nocturne”
Rendition – Secret Garden (Hans Fredrik Jacobsen / Åsa Jinder / Rolf Løvland / Fionnuala Sherry / Gunnhild Tvinnereim)
Lyrics – Petter Skavlan
Composition – Rolf Løvland
Studio arrangement – Rolf Løvland / John Tate
Live orchestration – Rolf Løvland / John Tate
Conductor – Geir Langslet
Score – 1st place (148 votes)
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