As the Wind Blows 2025
What happens if you go on a concert tour 'As the Wind Blows'?
What if there is no planning ahead?
If the wind was is in your back, and music is allowed to just occur when the moment seems right?
On this tour I'm simply going in the same direction as the wind and play concerts for nice people that I meet.
No fixed plans just see what the wind in the month of May, may bring.
3rd of June - Woken up by the audience...
Around 4 am the temperature had dropped to around 4 C and I just couldn't sleep. Two sleeping bags and wollen mittens were not enough keep me warm. There was also some kind of big animal making noises just next to my tent...
It was kind of foggy and when I took out my ear plugs I heard that the most beautiful concert was happening outside.
A big choir of birds were singing in the early morning light.
I went out to really listen and to move around and get a bit of warmth in my feet.
To me 4am birdsong is, and will always be, the most beautiful music in the world.
Around 9 am I woke up again. This time from a lot of happy children playing at the playground next to my campsite.
"Perfect!" I thought. "Today there is a big audience coming to me even before I'm up and ready."
I got dressed in a hurry and 1,2,3 ready for a Wind-concert!
It was the most poetic scenery to sit in a playground with 30 kids in a tight circle around the cello and me. Sunshine and shining young eyes absorbing every single note from the cello. Afterwards they helped me determine the wind direction to see where I should go today.
It amazes me that this silly, childish wind-cello-experiment, so far, speaks to both kids and adults alike.
- Maybe I should also try and see how it will resonate in different social settings.
Before going anywhere with the wind, I made a fire and a cup of decaf coffee with whitener. Enjoying the day and the fresh Danish summer air.
2nd of June - Church concert experiment
I think I slept for 11 hours straight.
Woke up to a nice view and lots of wind and felt like playing a church concert today...
... in this charming church!
The concept of this tour is to improvise and not have to plan and organize per email. (Which I currently have a stubborn phobia of.)
So an hour before the concert I announced it in a story on social media: "As the Wind Blows Concert in Hatting Church at 15.00"
I thought that there might also come some people by just to see the church, and then get a little free cello concert.
At 15.00 I showed up at Hatting Church, ready to play an 'As the Wind Blows' concert!
- And absolutely no one else did. None. Not a single soul to invite inside around Hatting Church. Just me, my cello, and a very peaceful church.
But the reverb was amazing, and I still gave it my all.
Honestly, 10/10 would do it again — the wind has great taste in venues.
Program:
I. Riegels, Capriccio and Waltz
Vivaldi, Sonata RV 43
Eric Satie, two Gymnopedies
Tschaikowsky, Chanson Triste
Saint-Saëns, The Swan
Two danish summer Songs
So it turns out, announcing a concert one hour in advance on a story is not the secret to a packed house...
Fyraften.
Finally feeling back to normal and not thinking of dark choclate constantly.
Such a great feeling to defeat a habit!
Total freedom (:
Will power intact!
1st of June - Chocolate junkie and the inner compas
Since november last year I have been out of my chocolate addiction.
But the last few weeks have been busy and I have had to get work done without being in that mind space naturally.
Relapsing always starts with "Just a single piece, that won't catch me".
Then I eat one piece, and the next day when more work needs to be done, I remember that feeling of getting rid of my inner resistance towards computerwork.
Suddenly I'm eating half a bar of chocolate first thing in the morning... 85%!
The problem is that I think one only has a certain amount of inspiration per day. It feels nice to be choclate high and play the music with double intensity, but later in the afternoon the inspiration has run out and it feels awfull.
I think it disturbs my inner compas when I use choclate.
Whatever my eyes fall on when I have choclate in my blood, seems endlessly interesting and meaningfull. That can lead to long detours because I suddenly think, this is what I want to do! Without chocolate in my brain, I will have a much clearer perception of what really resonates with me. I will not just be interested because of a choclate heigh.
My inner compas should not be blured by chocolate...!
So I spent the day distracting myself from choclate withdrawal.
Made a stinging nettle lasagna!
Over a camp fire.
Ingredients:
3 big hand fulls of Stinging nettles
1 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon pesto
6 slices of Parmesan
1 dl water
Cook over medium flames for the duration of Bach G-major Cello Suite
So tasty!
Sightseeing in Hatting by night
"Call Lars. He has 50 years of experience."
"Super Brugsen - We are right here"
- But closed on Sunday evenings
"Danger to life"
Seen in the bike shed at Hatting School
It all helped me trough a tough day of feeling chocolate depleeted and uninspired.
Ending the day just enjoying this view from my shelter.
31st May - Blowing all the way to Boller - Cello music for a 1.000 year old oak tree
Today I had something that I was really looking forward to.
A concert for a 1.000 year old oak tree!
Christina Jensen and Tanja Brinks Toubro have written a new book about old oaks in Denmark:
'Where the Oak Stands'
and we were celebrating that with words and a concert right next to 'Boller-Egen'.
Boller Culture Club and Axel Stobberup were the brains behind the collaboration.
Tanja, Christina and Axel. (:
Me and my cello playing oak-friendly music during the concert.
(Photo by Helle Ibsen)
I had chosen music that I imagine would suit an oak tree. Pieces by Vivaldi from back then, when the tree was only 700 years old.
Music about rain, because of the old saying:
"Springer Eg før Ask, går sommeren i vask."
"The Oak springs before the Ash, the summer washes away"
- It did this spring...
Then also a love song to remind the tree about all the couples in love, who has been holding hands and giggeling under it's branches.
When you just met each other today, and found out that now you are friends - and you both want to try and play the cello. <3
By the way, look at how fresh and green that aok tree is. You wouldn't believe its 1.000 years old...
The girls were full of fun. They told me:
"Do you know what? You are gonna be SO sweatty because you are going to play in the whole UNIVERSE! And you are going with your bicycle and cello to Africa and South Africa and North Africa. And you are going to play in space!"
Then we made some silly faces for a photo in front of the oak.
On my way with the wind in my back...!
22nd May - The red shoes
My first thought this morning was "Today I need to use the red shoes."
They should not take up space in the bicycle bag for no reason.
The weather/wind Gods really supported my expedition today - 17m/sek!
That meant that 9C felt like 0C. I used the tent as a cover for the opening of the shelter to keep the wind out.
Fed Havn was very photogenic.
Running out of Läkerol - that's a sweetener down there.
Shades of green, tail wind and lots of joy (:
On my way to maybe a supermarket. - Don't you think people need a bit of music as they shop?
- They do!
(And notice the red shoes matching Super Brugsen!)
21st May - Church concert
Yesterday the wind was really strong and somewhere in the afternoon it surprised me from an unexpected angle. With the cello case on your back it's as if you have a big sail attached to you.
Well it's not deep, and the cello didn't get hurt.
It's always nice to meet other bike packers on the shelter sites and hear about thir tours and dreams. For some it's around the world or all the way to Faxe Kalkbrud.
I had gotten the best cup of tea in the morning and was inspired to play a church concert.
So I made a sign to put up somewhere...
Right here in front of the supermarket of course!
There were 5 peole in the audience. I have no idea if that is good or bad considering that I announced the concert 30 min earlier in front of Netto...
But the church had the best accoustics for cello music and I took the opportunity to experiment with the concert outfit.
But I can not go home without using my dress and red shoes at least once on this tour.
I use an app to find shelters around Denmark and I felt I had to visit Fed Havn Shelter site - almost just because of the name. (It translate into something like Cool Harbour)
It fully lived up to its name. Best spot ever. I'll never forget this shelter. Right at the water among big trees. So nice that I forgot to take a photo of it...
Sunset on an evening walk in the area.
20th May - Nobody asks the horses
This nice couple from Germany was just about to leave the camp site when I woke up. So I hurried over to them and asked if they wanted some 'cello music to go'. He was actually a fellow musician - A viola player and Tabea worked with horses. After some Bach at the fire place we got into a really interesting conversation. Tabea told me that she is taking an education as a 'Pferdeosteopath'. She said "Nobody asks horses if they want to be ridden." That is sometimes kind of traumatic to those sensitive animals. She wants to work with their well being and how humans and horses can interact in healthy ways.
I couldn't help thinking about all the poor music that we play all the time - without asking it if it wants to. I will start doing that!
A bit more practice before I also had to go.
"Goodbye"
On the road again towards where the wind wants...
Should this be todays endstation?
"Blæsenborg = Windy Castle"
Went a bit further and bought very tasty snacks by the road.
Found a big free shelter for the night.
Just next to this beautiful church that, to me, seemed like the perfect place for some cello music...
Sweet dreams and warm feet in the light nights in Faxe Ladeplads of all places in the world.
19th May - Playing for the Sea
Practing between the apple trees here at Damgaarden on Stevns.
I have two concerts this coming weekend...
A luxury shelter with mattresses. Even thoug it was only 7 C this night and rainy, I slept really well.
You cant really see it here in the photo, but I use my tent as an extra cover and that really keeps you warm.
The concept of the tour is to go as the wind blows, but today the wind could try all it wanted, I was not going anywhere. Because outside the shelter there are cats, goats, and deers - and birdsong and a shady apple tree practice room.
I did bike to Stevns Klint though. It's a UNESCO World heritage venue, and definitely worth seeing.
I wanted to play the concert of the day here, and I imagined people enjoying the scenery with some cello music.
But there was the sea, the cliffs, the old church, the evening sun, the bird song and the calm sound of the waves deep down there. I couldn't think of anything to add to this, that would make it better - not even cello music.
So I just took time. The sun started to go down and I thought "Isn't there some piece of music that could blend with this place?"
The only thing that I felt would match, was good old Bach G major Prelude.
A real mini concert with people listening closely didn't feel right though. This place was not for that - not for performing and applause and those things.
I wanted to play for the sea, and waited until nobody were there. Then climed the wall, held my cello very tightly with my legs (it was a very deep abyss right under my feet) and played the best I could as to let the music suit the scenery.
There might have been people listening too, but this was for the deep blue water down there.
18th May - A love poem
I had a kind of a soar heart today while playing a concert for the kids at a playground.
I don't know if they just read my mind like kids do, but one of the girls - 8 years old - wrote a love poem inspired by the music.
Here she is reciting it on the stage (:
Translation:
"Oh my dear, my heart you carry, the two of us are like flames that never burn out, we fly like shooting stars, from deep to high, you burn up my heart, you have a heart of gold that is nice and soft like wool."
"Should we start with a sad song?" I asked them.
"Yeeesssss!!!" they replied.
"Sad songs are the best!"
So those drawings were made to Tschaikowsky, Chanson Triste. I think that is obviously something with rain.
These were made to Alberte "Light Nights" and later "Du kom med alt det der var dig".
I told them, that the last song was also called the "Falling in love" song. Then the hearts were added and one of the girls told me that she had both a boyfriend and a X-boyfriend and a Q and a Z-boyfriend.
You can learn a lot about love from a 8 year old...
So, a Q-boy/girl-friend is if one part has broken up. Then you get together again, and then the same part breakes up again.
I still wonder what a Z-boy/girl-friend is...
This just made my day. <3
It started raining and it was really humid and cold, but I managed to practice under the shelter of the half roof without getting the cello wet.
I have two concerts this weekend, and I realize I will enjoy them more if I'm well prepared even though I'm out in the wilderness.
17th May - Lunch concert
When I saw how stunning Karlstup Kalkgrav is, I decided to make it the venue for a lunch concert.
At first I thought I would set up a sign saying "Free lunch concert here at 12.00" But then as I unpacked I noticed how people were walking and enjoying the whole scenery. I didn't want them to narrow down to just cello music.
It was such a pleasant spot and I really felt like trying how music would fit in. People stopped and listened and took a photo and everything flew so naturally.
I actually think it was one of the best versions of the G-major Suite i have ever played. The sunshine in the blue water and the breze in the green leaves, somehow shaped the music with such freedom and sweetness.
The rain came and I took a bath in the bathroom of a library. Found a tick on my arm.
Somehow the wind brought me to Strøby Forsamlingshus where part of my family were gathered for Virgils Confirmation party.
Truly a strange coinsidence...
Kind of a culture chock to come in there sweaty and directly from the raw outdoor life, to a party with people in coctail dresses and freshly ironed shirts.
16th May - Off track
Todaymy friend and I were meeting, and luckely she didn't mind coming to Arken Art Museum around the corner from where the wind brought me yesterday.
We saw art by Frederik Næblerød and I liked it more and more the more I saw.
Part of the exhinition was a gigantic room like a pool of white balls with changing neoon light.
Great idea!
We also made art inspired by Næblerød's spontanious and authentic style. I think Malene caught his line really well. She made 4 masterpieces in the same time as I made one. ( I think mine - to the right - portays a pink wind in an forest with a blue moon.)
The concerts don't play themselves, but luckely I met Sys with her walker out in the fields. I thought she looked like a very nice person, and asked if she would like to hear a little concert on the bench.
"Det bestemmer du selv" sagde hun. ("That's up to you to decide")
So if I decided, that was a deal. During Bachs Prelude, there was a whole group of German bicyclists coming over the bridge. They stopped and blocked the street and applauded.
Sys was almost 80 and I think the music had awakened some memories. I got her whole life story there at the bench. She kept saying that her husbond unfortunately had died, and now also her dog and that she wasn't sure if she should get a new dog.
I think she should.
Later I played for this exquisite audience. I think they were more focused during the whole G-major Suite by Bach than most humans.
Playing Bach while holding eye contact with a cow is like nothing else!
I know they say it means good luck to be hit by a birds peck, but...
How am I going to clean those pants?!
The coordinates for the shelter were impossible to find. I climbed hills with bike, cello and bags, and as I finally arrived, it was taken by a family. Good that I brought my tent!
15th May - I hadn't seen that coming
When I left home I had no idea how it would all work out.
Can you just go around and play concerts for people you meet?
Do they have time?
Do they care to hear the cello?
I was on my way to Kings Garden to find an audience, but I didn't get that far before someone outside a cafe asked "Hey, do you give a number?"
A question sent from heaven.
Of course I gave a number - they got a whole concert.
It was as if Saras with his long hair, had read my mind, or as he said "did you just implant that question in my brain as you passed?"
The red book went around the table while i played and Mads, who is a former grafitti painter, made this piece of art on page 4 - with gold of course.
While I was playing Bach I noticed the barista from the cafe came out and looked at the cello. I thought he would say that it was not allowed to play music in the cafe, but you know what? He actually just wanted to dance to the music.
He even danced on his hands! I had not seen that coming.
Later Saras played on my cello and told me about his research in metaphysics.
He sais something that stayed in my mind.
When someome says "I'm just a human being", he thought it was the strangest perspective. As he said:
"You are a human being! Do you know how incredible, unbelievably, amazing that is? Do you realize how many possibilities that gives you?"
He didnt write it in the book - I might ask him for permission to write it for him.
Then I took of. The wind was coming from north and brought me all the way to a place called Tangloppen Camping where I could rest for the night.
14th May - Should or Shouldn't?
It surprises me again and again, that even though I really want to go - and I'm kind of in love with the idea about an experiment - my brain starts to come up with reasons not to do it:
"It's really not the right time" it says.
"You have some important appointments. You know that concert next weekend. You have to stay home and practice. And it's also too cold to sleep in a tent and you have a bit of a sore throat. Not mentioning that you are meeting with your friend Friday..."
So I have to trick myself.
Something that has worked for me before is, to produce something physical for a non-physical project. Having a kind of 'tool' for the project in my hands, makes me understand that it is really happening.
This time it's a red hand stiched book with wax coated cover for the listeners.
On the first page of the book you can read some of those questions that can make you ponder about interesting subjects - maybe something inside you. While the music plays, you can reflect on it and write your answer in the book.
This red book idea made me so motivated, that I knew I couldn't not go!
Packing:
This is about everything I use in my life (at least on tour).
I use two sleeping bags and two sleeping mats, but thats the only luxury I allow myself, because in total - incl cello - it addes up to 26 kg...!
11th May - When the lilacs bloom
I'm bicycling through Copenhagen and I see that now is the time when the lilacs are blooming.
I remember when I first discovered them. They did something to the young me, that felt like a thrill - like my heart was singing in that brief period when they bloomed. And I remember wishing to be able to stop time.
Today I saw them again and I thought "But that was only then, when I was new and undefined. Now I have found myself, I have found my shape, and the lilacs are so soft and etheric, how could they make any imprints in my being any more?
But then I smelled the bluish-purple fragrance and the freshly opened flowers told me:
"But you are always new."
I felt it. I felt new and soft and dreamy, and why not let May be a fantasy? Why not forget all the rest and just 'be May'.
Give in and do what all the green leaves ask you to do.
Follow the spring breeze and let everything happen.
Don't do things to May. Don't be strickt. Let May be May and play.