esperanza spalding
On Tuesday, 14 July, Moldejazz invites audiences to a truly special daytime concert as this year's Artist in Residence, esperanza spalding, performs on the beautiful island of Hjertøya, just off the coast of Molde.
– A Unique Musical Experience in the Heart of Nature.
In the middle of the day, surrounded by the sea, smooth coastal rocks, and the distinctive landscape of the Molde Fjord, audiences will experience a site-specific version of a new artistic work—created to connect deeply with both the landscape and the people gathered there.
The performance unfolds through fifteen interconnected musical and narrative chapters, exploring themes of migration, belonging, connection and distance, landscape, ancestry, and the ways people have been recorded, classified, and remembered throughout history. Song, instrumental music, poetry, and storytelling merge into a unified experience where improvisation and presence lie at the heart of the work.
At Hjertøya, the performance is intentionally stripped back. With only minimal technical production, nature itself becomes the stage design. The light, the wind, the sea, and the silence become part of the performance, creating a setting that simply cannot be recreated anywhere else.
Throughout her career, esperanza spalding has continually challenged the boundaries between jazz, contemporary music, improvisation, and performance art. As a bassist, composer, vocalist, educator, and artistic visionary, she has established herself as one of the most innovative musicians of her generation, constantly seeking new ways to create meaningful connections between people, music, and place.
As Moldejazz's Artist in Residence for 2026, she presents several distinctive projects throughout the festival week. Yet her performance at Hjertøya promises to be one of the festival's most extraordinary moments—a rare opportunity to experience a world-renowned artist in an intimate daytime setting, where the natural surroundings play as vital a role as the music itself.
This is more than a concert. It is a quiet, open, and immersive experience in which the landscape of Hjertøya becomes an integral part of the work itself.
Tickets are available to purchase on board the Hjertøya ferry, departing from the town square in central Molde. Please allow plenty of time before departure.