Af Natur – A Musical Journey Through the Landscapes of Fanø

Af Natur – A Musical Journey Through the Landscapes of Fanø

Anna Emmeluth, voice & composition
Thomas Brunbjerg, guitar
Antti Salovaara, bassoon

The final concert of Fanø Festival 2026 invites audiences on a unique musical journey inspired by the landscapes, sounds, and atmosphere of Fanø itself. In Af Natur (By Nature), composer, vocalist and improviser Anna Emmeluth presents music created in direct response to the island’s distinctive natural environment, exploring the relationship between place, memory, imagination and sound.

Together with guitarist Thomas Brunbjerg and bassoonist Antti Salovaara, Emmeluth performs these Fanø-inspired works for the first time in the very surroundings where much of the music was conceived. The result is a concert that blurs the boundaries between composition and improvisation, between landscape and music, and between observation and personal reflection.

Anna Emmeluth has established herself as one of the most distinctive voices on the contemporary Nordic music scene. As a composer, vocalist and improviser, she is known for creating music that combines lyrical clarity with curiosity, playfulness and a remarkable sensitivity to sound and atmosphere. Drawing inspiration from both jazz and contemporary classical traditions, her music often unfolds like a series of sonic landscapes in which melodies, textures and colours emerge organically and unexpectedly.

The music of Af Natur grew out of time spent observing and listening to Fanø’s remarkable natural environment. The island’s windswept beaches, forests, birdlife, shifting light and open horizons become starting points for musical exploration. Rather than describing nature directly, the works seek to capture its moods, rhythms and changing perspectives. The audience is invited into a world where sounds can evoke the movement of water, the rustling of trees, the presence of birds, or the feeling of standing alone in an open landscape.

At the heart of the project is Emmeluth’s highly personal vocal language. Her voice moves effortlessly between song, improvisation and wordless expression, creating a direct and intimate connection with the listener. Guitarist Thomas Brunbjerg contributes a rich palette of colours and textures, while bassoonist Antti Salovaara brings warmth, depth and an unmistakable character to the ensemble’s sound world. Together, the three musicians create music that is both carefully crafted and spontaneously alive.

Improvisation plays an important role throughout the performance. Just as nature itself is constantly changing, each performance of Af Natur contains elements of discovery and unpredictability. The musicians respond to one another in real time, allowing the music to breathe and evolve organically. This creates a sense of presence and immediacy that makes every concert unique.

The project also reflects a long Nordic tradition of drawing artistic inspiration from nature. Yet rather than presenting nature as a distant or romantic ideal, Emmeluth invites listeners to experience it as something immediate and deeply connected to everyday life. Her music encourages careful listening — not only to the performers, but also to the world around us.

Presented in the intimate surroundings of Nordby Church on Fanø, this special concert offers a rare opportunity to hear a new work deeply rooted in the island’s own landscape and atmosphere. Combining composition, improvisation, voice, guitar and bassoon, Af Natur promises an immersive and memorable musical experience that celebrates creativity, curiosity and the enduring inspiration of nature.

Venue: Nordby Church, Fanø