Bassoonist, conductor, educator, composer, and curator Rebekah Heller is a Professor at The Mannes School of Music, part of The New School's College of Performing Arts. Since 2019, she has led the bassoon studio, co-chaired the Wind Department, and taught courses in contemporary repertoire, improvisation, and new music practices. Her research focuses on new music creation and performance, blending classical training with cross-disciplinary innovation. She collaborates with the International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE) and has released groundbreaking works like Grand Street Counterpoint (2024) and her solo EP ONE . Her teaching includes courses such as 'Introduction to New Music & Open Forms' and 'Performance Class: Bassoon.' She actively promotes experimental music through her roles as a performer and educator, emphasizing interdisciplinary creativity and collaboration. Rebekah’s work bridges traditional and avant-garde music, fostering innovation through performance, composition, and pedagogy. She has been featured in collaborations with composers worldwide and contributes to the evolution of contemporary music practices.
Siri Dybwik is a Professor of Dance at the University of Stavanger, Faculty of Performing Arts, Department of Jazz, Dance, PPU and Music Production. She is a leading figure in contemporary dance performance and artistic research, particularly in the realm of early childhood audiences and participatory art forms. Her work bridges academic inquiry and professional performance, with a focus on improvisational knowledge and democratic performance practices. Her research interests include contemporary dance, artistic research, improvisation, early childhood arts education, aesthetic practices, and choreography for young audiences . She explores how performance can foster empathetic togetherness and sensory engagement, especially for infants and toddlers. Her artistic projects often involve interactive installations and site-specific performances that challenge traditional audience-performer dynamics. The recent publications and performances highlight a strong trend in creating art for the very young , with recurring works like 'Toddlernes rom', 'Prinsessen på erten', and 'OvO'. These pieces are performed internationally across Europe, Asia, and North America, demonstrating a global reach. The research outputs are predominantly practice-based, including artistic productions, conference contributions, and educational materials developed through international collaborations such as the EU+ Interstice project. While no formal scientific awards are listed, her sustained leadership in national and international research initiatives, such as the 'Scenekunst til ALLE små' project and her role in the Norwegian Arts Council’s Committee for Dance, underscores her professional recognition. Siri Dybwik leads significant artistic and research projects, including the democratic performance initiative Scenekunst til ALLE små and the long-standing contemporary dance company dybwikdans , which she has directed since 1999. She frequently collaborates with colleagues such as Kirsten Halle and Nils Christian Fossdal on workshops, seminars, and joint performances. She also contributes to teacher training and professional development in early childhood arts education. She is actively involved in various labs and teams, particularly through dybwikdans and the Interstice Erasmus+ project , where she develops methodological guides, peer-learning frameworks, and virtual artistic museums. These initiatives emphasize collaborative, interdisciplinary, and accessible approaches to performing arts for young audiences.
Lisa Dillan is an Associate Professor at the Norwegian Academy of Music (NMH) in the Department of improvised music, jazz and folk music, where she has worked since 2001. Born in 1969 in Bodø, she is also a freelance singer, composer and performance artist with a primary focus on improvisation across various musical genres and interdisciplinary contexts. Her research interests include: Improvisation as a universal or genre-based performance form (jazz, free improvisation, classical forms, contemporary music) Vocal techniques in experimental, improvised, jazz, pop and contemporary music Composition using traditional techniques, graphic scores, and Open Form structures Intermedial improvisation at the intersection of dance, music, light, video and visual art Improvisation psychology focusing on meta-competence strategies for performers Lisa Dillan's artistic work shows a consistent exploration of vocal expression and boundary-pushing performance. Her discography spans from the critically acclaimed 'Vocal Improvisation' (2005) through 'Arousal' (2010), 'Love Me Tender' (2012), 'Change of Habit' (2015), 'Botanikk' (2016), to her upcoming 'Jorda' (2025), demonstrating her evolution as an artist who works at the intersection of traditional and experimental approaches. Her notable projects include: 'Sverm' (2012-2015): Artistic development work on improvisation in intermedia contexts 'To disappear without disappearing' (2024-2027): NordART Artistic development project 'Headstand': Ongoing political art project encouraging perspective shifts Lisa Dillan maintains an active performance career while contributing to academic discourse through her teaching and research at NMH, making her a significant figure in contemporary Nordic music and intermedial performance art.
