“Musikkfrokost” on Alexander Rybak in MGP 2018 – 16.01.18
Per Sundes about MGP 2018, Alexander’s return and the musical family Rybak in the radio programme “Musikkfrokost” (Music breakfast) on radio NRK Klassisk.
They also played the musical piece “Spurven” (The Sparrow) by the Norwegian composer Johan Halvorsen, performed by Alexander, in the age of 12, and his mother Natasha Rybak. A reording from the CD “En Julefortelling” (A Christmas Tale).
The interview with Per Sundnes with English subs.
Alexander and Natasha Rybak performing “Spurven” (The Sparrow)
Source: paper issue of “Se&Hør. Author: Asbjørn Vederhus. Photo:Tore Skaae. Found by TessaLa. Translated by Jorunn Ekre. Revision by Anni Jowett
“It’s the best gift I could ever get. I’m so touched said Dad Igor, after the big party concert his son had arranged.” Good tone: Alexander and Igor dad have a close relationship and are both very musical
For the first time Alexander Rybak shows off his apartement at Aker Brygge.
Welcome! Alexander Rybak (27) is of current interest with the TV2 success “Hver Gang Vi Møtes”.
– I got along best with Sigvart Dagsland. He thinks of music at the same level as me. I am already looking forward to the next time I’ll see him, he tells.
The busy guy with the fiddle is traveling most of the time. He is away from home 250 days a year. When he happens to be at his apartment at Aker Brygge in Oslo he enjoys relaxing in front of his new 55 inch 4K-TV.
Article in the paper issue of Se & Hør, published 13.4.2014. Text: Per Sigve Kleppe. Photos: Henning Jensen Found, scanned and translated by Jorunn E. English revision by Anni Jowett.
Alexander opens the doors to his bachelor burrow
Bachelor burrow: The 55 inch TV is the centerpiece of the living room. – I enjoy life when I get to sit on the couch and play video games, said Alexander Rybak.
I have learnt to enjoy life when I`m at home. This is my “safe house”. I play TV-games, watch movies and build LEGO. LEGO is what I busy myself with when I write lyrics, he tells.
Lives here: In 2010 Alexander bought a 90 square metre apartment at the attractive area Aker Brygge in Oslo. He paid a little over five million Norwegian krone for it.
– I remember I got scolded by my Norwegian teacher in primary school. We got a book, and we students were going to read one chapter a week. I read the book in a few hours. The teacher did not believe me and got grumpy, smiles Alexander.
Could have been burnt out
Playing the violin at Alexander’s level is a demanding exercise. Dad Igor tells they are happy he doesn’t only give violin concerts.
Proud parents: Mom Natalia and Dad Igor think it’s cosy meeting their son when he’s at home in Oslo.
– If that was the case, my son would’ve been burnt out already. It`s difficult to understand how demanding it is to give a violin concert, tells Igor who says his son was already a capable violinist at the age of six.
Many people claim that Alexander has the gene of a genius in his body. Like many other geniuses he has chosen his own path. Sometimes things have become too much for him, like when he hit his hand against the wall in rage. And when he smashed his violin during a rehearsal.
Sushi dinner: The Rybak family are having a very nice time chatting around the dinner table. Alexander served sushi.
World fame: Here Alexander Rybak is pictured during his performance of Fairytale at the final in Moscow in 2009. This was the moment that changed his life.
Nice memories: The trophy of all trophies is standing on the mantle: The proof that he won the Eurovision Song Contest in 2009 with the legendary Fairytale
Sleepless nights
Home studio: Alexander creates much of his music here.Currently he is busy with his own musical “Troll”.
– I can go 12 days in a row with four to five hours of sleep. Then I’m out of balance. If it`s in addition to a big pressure similar things like when I hit my hand against the wall and had to wear a cast occurred. But now I have learnt to live with it. Now I’m able to stay calm in such situations.
The MGP-legend is used to high and low tunes. The music reflects his life.
– Sometimes I don’t feel anything. It’s all empty. During those periods I’m the most susceptible, and often those are the times when I create new music, he tells.
Could`ve been “The Bachelor”
Music has given Alexander opportunities and great offers. Some things he has accepted, others he regrets turning down.
Builds LEGO: Every time I’m home I start building a new LEGO project. To me this is work, since I write song lyrics while I make myself busy with these constructions.
– I turned down being a guest at the Oprah Winfrey show a few years ago. Also I turned down participating in the Ukrainian celebrity Version of “The Bachelor”. They offered me 8 million Krone, but I had a girlfriend at the time. If I had received the offer today, the answer would’ve surely been different, he says smiling.
At the age of 27, however, he has achieved more than most people. That’s why it’s suitable to finish this article with these words from Alexander:
– This isn’t something a mother or father enjoys hearing, but I can say that if I died today I would’ve died a lucky man.
Article in the paper issue of “Se & Hør”. Published on 07.12.2012
Found by Tessa Lande. Scanned by Venche M. English translation by Jorunn Ekre. English revision by Anni Jowett.
NICE ATMOSPHERE IN THE LIVING ROOM: The Rybak family have already decorated for Christmas with beautiful Christmas marbles in the window and a Santa Claus in the window frame.
Here we celebrate Norwegian Christmas
Text: Per Sigve Kleppe
Photo: Geir Egil Skog, Se og hør
The Rybak family comes from Belarus, but they celebrate Christmas with pork rib and a Christmas tree!
Alexander Rybak (26) travels for over 300 days a year, but for Christmas Eve the Eurovision Song Contest star only wants to be in one place: At home at Nesodden. He has all his good childhood memories here.
– It`s important to me that Mom, Dad and I give each other priority on this day,- Alexander says.
At home dad Igor (58) and mom Natalia (53) celebrate Christmas in the best Norwegian tradition. Mom makes Christmas breakfast and fixes the pork rib for dinner. Alexander visits the neighbours with Christmas presents.
Alexander Rybak has a very special relationship to his mom
Regardless of how busy Alexander Rybak (26) is, he always puts his soul into the Christmas gifts for his mom Natalia (53). Mother and son have a very close relationship. – She is the most important person in my life, he says.
Article in the paper issue of the Norwegian weekly magazine “Hjemmet”, published on 3.12.2012. Text: Hans Petter Treider Photo: Jørn Grønlund
Found and translated by Jorunn Ekre and Tessa La. English revision by Lillian Llewellyn and Anni Jowett.
– Do you wonder when I’m most happy? Natalia Rybak repeats while she smiles widely. Then she turns around and looks at her son who is sitting next to her. My answer is probably the same as with all mothers: I am most happy when my child is happy. It means everything that Alexander is doing well, Natalia says and gives her son a big hug.
Article published on puaro.lv June 20 (2012) 10:53
Written by Agneta Niedra. Photos by Kristaps Bergs. Link to original article here
Translation by Yanis Baksha.English revision by Tessa Lande and Anni Jowett
However, even though his victory in the international Eurovision Song was over three years ago, Alexander Rybak by his every step still forces girls to squeal and cry.
On Monday evening the singer,with his obvious charisma, came to Yurmala, and next day went on the stage with his dad Igor Rybak and family and childhood friends Michael and Boris Kazinik. The unique tandem of father and son brings a unique musical experience to the Dzintari audience.
On June 19th, Alexander Rybak and his father Igor gave the concert “Father and sons” with father and son, Michail and Boris Kazinik at Dzintaru Concert Hall, Jurmala, Latvia. The Latvian TV-News made a report before the concert.
Found by Natalia Tallinka. English translation and subtitles by Sonya Luzina. Slovak subtitles by Danka Čolláková
When Alexander Rybak did music exams at the Barratt Due Institute of Music before the weekend, he hit his dad’s heart strings.
Article published in the paper-issue of norwegian magazine “Her&Nå”, 12.6.2012. Written by Philip Reiler. Photos: Tom Hansen
Found and translated by Tessa La. English revision by Lillian Llewellyn
The hectic program of ESC winner Alexander Rybak (26) has made it a challenge to take the graduation exam concert at the Barratt Due Institute of Music.
But when he finally made it, he got the top grade!
Family and friends had both a thrilling and touching concert experience where the multi talent served anecdotes between music pieces and talked about when he played with his dad Igor (57).
Alexander had an exciting show with Bærum Young Strings and Vivaldi-Orchestra lead by Igor Rybak, at Bærum Culturehouse. Thanks to Venche M. and Tessa L.for recording whole concert.
2 interviews with Alexander and his parents were taken by independent journalist Evgeniy Diakonov during September 2011. He uploaded 2 parts of this great interview in January 2012 and was so nice to add our English subs to his videos! 🙂
Igor and Natalia Rybak at their private house in Nesodden.
English translation by Zhanna S. and Maria Jitkova. Subs by Julia B.
Alexander playing with the Vivaldi Orchestra of his father, Igor, and Thomas Stanghelle, for the 200 years Jubilee of the University of Oslo (Universitetet i Oslo), the following pieces:
Bergrosa, by Sven Nyhus
L’inverno (the Winter), from Antonio Vivaldi’s “Four seasons”
Two songs from “Some Sunny Night” with Thomas Stanghelle, the composer of this work, based on the life of Ketil Moe. At the presence of his friend in life, Mark Wang.
Recording by Alev Can and Venche Mellemstrand. Montage by Yannis Pap. English translation by Tessa La. Subtitles by Julia B.
This is Alexander’s only known performance in Greece so far. In 2007, 2 years before winning the Eurovision, he played songs from «Axion Estin» with the Oslo-based Vivaldi Orchestra in Plomari, Lesbos. Here you can listen the only two songs whose recording has become available from this concert, and watch photos. You can see Alexander at the piano in two of the photos.
Click CC for subtitles. Available in English (by Edmund Keeley and Philip Sherrard), Russian (from hellas-songs.ru) and Greek (original). Subtitle syncing: Yannis P.
The Vivaldi orchestra has been founded and conducted by Alexander’s father, Igor Rybak. At the vocals we find the Greek-Norwegian mezzo soprano Marilena Zlatanou and the Arcadia Choir, also from Norway.
The two songs heard here are «Της αγάπης αίματα» (Blood of Love) and «Ένα το χελιδόνι» (Lone is the swallow). They both belong to the famous Oratory of Mikis Theodorakis «Axion Esti» («Ἄξιον Ἐστὶ» = “It is Truly Meet”, 1964), based on the homonym poem of the Nobel-laureate Odysseus Elytis (1960), inspired after the struggle of the Greek people against fascism from the beginning of WW-2 and onwards.
Alexander was awarded with the Russian award “Compatriot 2009”
The awarding took place the 11th of February at the Final Gala Concert at Grand Hall of House of Trade Unions, Moscow.
Alexander performed at the Gala Concert, and together with his father Igor he played “Hungarian Suite”. Here is a video of the performance, and pictures from the show you’ll find below.
They also played the musical piece “Spurven” (The Sparrow) by the Norwegian composer Johan Halvorsen, performed by Alexander, in the age of 12, and his mother Natasha Rybak. A reording from the CD “En Julefortelling” (A Christmas Tale). 
