The recent Covid-19 ‘lock-down’ and travel restrictions have been a time of isolation, boredom and inactivity for some. For others it’s been an opportunity to get the creative juices flowing!
When long term Cha-Am resident and Norwegian national Nissa Nyberget’s usually busy musical performance schedule for the European summer was effectively cancelled, his need to create came to the fore. Nissa has been a musical performer, producer and writer for over 40 years who prefers to escape the long cold European winter with his Thai wife and family in Thailand.
Nissa returned to Cha-Am from Norway earlier this year just before the Covid travel ‘lock-down’ began. Then a challenge and focus for his creative energy soon emerged. The result was that “Bærum! Bærum!”, his musical composition created during those months, has just been announced as the winner of a prestigious song contest, ‘Bærumssangen’, under the auspices of the Norwegian Bærum Cultural Council.
Bærum is a designated ‘singing municipality’ in the Greater Oslo Region in Norway with a goal to create singing joy and activity for everyone in their community. The Bærum Cultural Council believes that singing creates positive experiences and a sense of community; an effective tool for language development, memory, integration and improvement of the psychosocial environment. In 2010,the Eorovision Song Contest was hosted by Bærum.
The aim of the competition was to reveal a new Bærum song to be sung across generations. That means in schools and kindergartens, in senior centres, by choirs or solo artists for many years to come. Big bands which are a feature of the Bærum scene, marching in parades and playing at many other community events, will also be frequent performers.
In his absence, Nissa’s winning composition was chosen by a popular vote and an expert jury with a prize of 10,000 Norwegian Kroner. But the less tangible recognition of his creative talents is much more important. “Bærum! Bærum!” is destined to be a feature of Norway’s singing culture for generations to come; all because of Nissa’s creativity during Covid in Thailand.
Nissa is very grateful that he continues to be in Thailand to enjoy the relaxed Cha-Am lifestyle during these difficult times. It’s an environment which allows him to focus on many more creative musical projects to come.
He’s also always ready to join Cha-Am’s live music scene on the keyboard and vocals at ‘Kontoret’; Friday night’s mecca for many local musos to strut their stuff. His message – “Necessity is the mother of invention; don’t be bored, be creative!”
Here’s a performance of “Bærum! Bærum!”
