As every singer knows, the human body is one big sounding board. Less well known is the fact that it can also produce exciting rhythms and noises, a feature that the three Danish percussionists of the Body Rhythm Factory turn to splendid account in their performances. Clapping, stamping, finger-snipping, teeth sucking – the whole room turns into sound and everyone has a hand (or some other body part) in the proceedings. For many years, Peter Stravrum was part of that hardy world-tour perennial, the STOMP company. Then he went back to his Danish home to establish the Body Rhythm Factory with his compatriot Rune Thorsteinsson. Success was not long in coming. Over 400 concerts at home and abroad plus the International Young Audiences Music Award 2013 for the best production worldwide for children and adolescents tell us one thing for sure: they have rhythm in the blood!
Rune Thorsteinsson talks about the importance of the award for the trio: ”The YAMA award is like a seal of approval and can create more awareness of what we do best. At the same time it is the perfect showcase being presented in the spotlight of the ceremony where producers from around the world are present.” Our show is difficult to categorize Peter Stavrum explains: “We have combined well known ingredients and shaped them into a show that stands out”.
When Body Rhythm Factory was created in 2008, the intention was not to make a show specifically for kids, youth or families as Rune explains: “We did not think along those lines, we just wanted to make something cool. But I think it is the physical energy, the humour, the variation in our show and the ability to adapt to our audiences, which is the secret behind our success in performing for kids.”
Rune Thorsteinsson
Musician Composer Teacher
Current as band leader with Global Compositions, Body Rhythm Factory, Booom Music, Cph-Cuba. Attended a part-time position as a teacher and artistic supervisor at the Rhythmic Music Conservatory. Creates training courses for music teachers, composes music for documentary films, instructs music videos, and develops teaching materials for use in conservatories, music schools, colleges and primary schools. Body Rhythm Factory has been nominated for several international music prizes and was named YAMA production of the year in 2013 as the world's best concert production for children and adolescents of the international organization. In addition, he has won a Danish Music Award together with the band Grupo Danson and a South African Music Award with Percussionist Tlale Makhene.
Peter Stavrum Nielsen
Percussionist
Danish drummer Peter Stavrum Nielsen produces some of the most intensely percussive music you could imagine from basic objects, rare instruments or simply his own body. As a young child Peter would bring out his mother’s pots and pans, entertaining the family with drums and dance. Two weeks after graduating from the Royal Music Academy in Silkeborg, he landed a role in the internationally acclaimed show “STOMP” which he performed extensively with for 6 years (including at the closing ceremony of the Olympics in London in 2012). After returning to Copenhagen in 2008, Peter co-founded Body Rhythm Factory - a performance group that has since held over 500 performances, touring both Europe and China and won The Young Audience Music Award for best production for kids and youth globally in 2013. Always on the search for sounds, grooves and new ways of making music, Peter’s goal is to blend rhythm with humour and create unique performances for audiences everywhere.
Sune Skuldbøl Vraa Nielsen
composer, musician and actor
He has been educated at the Danish Conservatory of Music (2004) and has since 1996 played with a wide range of bands and soloists. He has since 2005 been a regular member of the world-renowned STOMP group. Sune has also been awarded several awards, including a Reumert 2010 and YAMA (Young Audience Music Award) 2013.
