CV
Born in Pretoria South Africa to an Afrikaans family on 08-10- 1970.
Grew up in Namibia, Pretoria, and Johannesburg.
Vocalist/composer working in the field of extended techniques, free improvisation, jazz, world music as well as contemporary classical music.
She is also both a theatre and film actress. Studied with acting coach Susan Batson in method acting and Mike Bernardin in Meisner.
She studied classical singing from age 14 with internationally acclaimed bass baritone Dawie Couzyn.
Has lived in London, Scotland, Cologne, Munich, Berlin, currently lives in Norway.
Concerts and performances 2026.
March 29. Som solist i Folkofonen av Ole Hamre. Vossa jazz.
April 7 . Fro Form Trondheim. Med Benedicte Maurseth. Duo Venter, Eraker. For voice and step dance.
April 8. Step concert with Eraker, Max Pollack, Magnus Beivik Løvseth at Haerverk.
April 24. Duo concert with Juliana Venter and Paal Nilssen-love at Hellviktangen on Nesodden.
April 26. Concert Dansens hus. Eraker, Små Grå, Siri Jøntvedt.
April 30. Concert with PNL circus . Arendal Kulturhus.
September 20. Drammen concert. (more information to follow.)
October 1-7 concerts in Czech. (more to follow.)
October 24 Release of Solo album Home Galactic . Vanntårnet Nesodden.
October 31. Concert duo Venter/Nystrøm. Hammerfest. (tbc)
November 10-21. Japan tour of solo Home Galactic. ( tbc)
December 12. Concert with Carlo Mombelli, Keenan Ahrends and Cara stacey. Barrydale. Klein Karoo. SA.
Releases 2026.
Daughter of war by “ It was her idea” with Oscar Grunberg, Ole Morten Vågan, Paal Nilssen-Love and Juliana Venter.
Calls by PNL love circus. With Thomas Johanssen, Christian Meaas Svendsen, Signe Emmeluth, Kalle Moberg, Juliana Venter.
Solo album Home Galactic to be released Ocotber 2 nd on Sonic Transmissions.
Concerts and performances 2025
March 22. Record release of PNL circus “ Turn they loose” Victoria nasjonal jazz.
April 5. Jazzforum prize giving. Performance for voice and step dance with Janne Eraker.
Mai 22. Storyvill jazzclub Molde with Paal Nilssen Love circus.
Mai 23. Opening concert of Nattjazz Bergen. With Ole Hamre folkofoni as soloist.
Mai 23. Premiere of new quartet at nattjazz “ It was her idea” with Oscar Grønberg, Paal Nilssen-Love and Ole Morten Vågan.
June 6. Private duo concert for voice and saxophone for The Queen of Norway and guests, Haruki Murakami, Jiri Kylian and Mikhail Baryshnikov and Liv Ulman.
August 15/16/17: Groningen theatre festival performances of Homage Au Pair with Det Utvalgte.
September 19/20: Rosendal Bastard festival . Performances of Homage Au Pair with Det Utvalgte.
Oktober 1 Release concert of Kassandra album. Duo Nystrøm/Venter for saxophone and voice.
Oktober 14/15. Extra Large Unit. At Munch museum in Oslo.
Oktober 24-26. PNL circus tour Belgium.
Released 2025
“ Turn they loose” Paal Nilssen Love live album.
Kassandra duo for sax and voice by Juliana Venter and Rolf-Erik Nystrøm.
Released 2023
“ If you find yourself falling dive.”
Composition for voice and stepdancer by Juliana Venter and Janne Eraker.
Released 2022
Paal Nilssen-Love circus album “pairs of three.”
https://www.dagsavisen.no/kultur/2022/11/12/hardtslaende-circus-jazz/
https://pnlrecords.bandcamp.com/album/pairs-of-three
Nowegian composer Cecilie Ores Katsu!
Based on Japanese death poems.
Written for Juliana Venter and Rolf- Erik Nystrøm. Premiered at Ultima festival September 2021.
Cobi Van Tonders “ Echos and Reflections.
https://www.acousticatlas.de/echoesalbum
https://telepathicbeing.bandcamp.com/album/echoes-and-reflections
Composed by Venter and Van Tonder.
Awards / nominations
2024: Won Gold for best Norwegian short film at Grimstad film festival for Homage Au Pair in collaboration with theatre group Det Utvalgte.
2023: Nominated for best interpretation at world music days of composer Cecilie Ores Katsu!
2022: Nominated by Norwegian composers union best composition by Cecilie Ore for Katsu. Written for and performed by Juliana Venter and Rolf-Erik Nystrøm.
2022 : Nomination for critics award for music theatre performance Flytende Speil.
2019: Received the Hedda Award (Norway's prestigious theatre award) for special artistic effort with Det Utvalgte for the performance The Ship vol 5.
2018 : The Harvesters a South African feature film was selected for the Cannes International film festival competing in the Un Certain Regard section.
She was nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the Silver screen film festival in South Africa.
Scholarships / residences
2024 Three year stipend Norwegian artist work stipend.
2024 FFUK artist support.
2022 Norsk komponist fondene composition support.
2021 Norwegian states working stipend.
2020 Recipient of the Rauschenberg Foundation's travel grant and scholarship stay for 5 weeks on Captiva Island in Florida.
2019 Travel support from Music Norway for W / V album tour.
2018 FFUK travel support for preliminary project and development of «Bird Project» / Bokmakierie with Cara Stacey in Swaziland and Johannesburg.
2017 Received recording support for Kassandra by Nystrøm / Venter from FFUK.
2013 Support from the National Arts Council of South Africa for a preliminary project for the opera Soul of the White Ant in Namibia.
1998 Support from the National Arts Council of South Africa for a project with The Mud Ensemble.
Concerts and performances 2022.
- Performances of Minefelt (music dramatic work) Written and Directed by Marius Kolbenstvedt with music composed by Bjorn Bolstad Skjelbred. The piece deals with a dysfunctional couples deteriorating relationship which borders on abuse and the longterm psychological effects this can have.
- Concerts with Paal Nilssen-Love circus: Saalfelden jazz festival, Brescia, Cerkno , and Sankt Johann. With Kalle Moberg on accordion, Odrunn Lilia on guitar,Thomas Johannsen on trumpet, Christian Meaas Svendsen on bass and Signe Emmeluth on saxophone.
- Soloist in Nils Henrik Asheims Organotopia at Ultima festival 2022.
This original composition last for 12 hours and is written for several different types of organs in Paulus church in Oslo, includes works of Bach and Grieg.
- Duo concert for voice and saxophone. Nystrom/Venter at Helviktangen.
- Co created music for voice and saxophone for the opening exhibition of Niki de Saint Phalle at Henie Onstad in Oslo.
- Created music for the opening exhibition of Hilmar Fredriksen led by the kulturisten at Vanntårnet on Nesodden with Paal Nilssen and Nystrøm. The music was partly based on John Cages approach to aleatorik composition. We created a series of two minute pieces with 15 minutes brakes in between played by each performer lasting over two hours in response to the artists work.
- Free improvised concerts at Vanntarnet with Moberg, Love, and Nystrøm.
Included ,truck spring, toy harp, Gongs, saxophones, vibrators, leaves, ping-pong balls, stones, bits of poems, a hammer, an accordion and more.
- OK session at Victoria nasjonal jazz with duo Nystrøm/Venter plus guest.
- Streaming concert at Oslo international poetry festival with duo Venter/Nystrøm with commissioned work for the festival.
Oslo international poetry festival run by Birgit Hatlehol introduced some of the worlds greatest female poets at this festival.Nystrøm and myself composed music to Greek antiquities poetess Sappho born around 615 BC and to the famous Indian poetess Sarojini Naidu (1879.1949) who was also a close friend and representative of Ghandi.
- Rap+Poesi live performance at Nordic Black theatre as interviewer for South African black consciousness poet Lesego Rampolokeng as well as a singer and composer.
- Release of PNL Love circus album “ Pairs of Three”
- Pre-project music theatre piece Våken with theatre company Skeleton Coast. In collaboration with award winning writer Ingrid Storholmen , Director Marius Kolbenstvedt, singer/composer Frank Havrøy and saxophonist Nystrøm.
Fram kunstfestivalen.
- Co producing, programing, organizing, and running of Award winning Fram kunstfestivalen. A local groundbreaking festival of international standard on Nesodden with a focus on local talent. This year we launch our first series of critical thinking talks about themes such as freedom of speech under threat by Big Pharma, Corporatism, technocracy, and the military-industrial complex.
The festival includes modern dance, theatre, poetry, music, art, and performance.
Concerts and performances 2021.
Festival founder Paal Nilssen-Love and co-founder Juliana Venter started Fram kunstfestivalen on Nesodden. A multi-disciplinary festival with a focus on specifically local-based artists but also includes international artists. Co producers for 2021 was Rolf-Erik Nystrøm and Rachel Dagnel.
-Flytende speil was written and created by Juliana Venter, Tørbjorn Martin- Davidsen (from Det Utvalgte) Marius Kolbenstvedt, Julian Skar ( composer) Selected to premiere in Stamsund festival as well as Fjaler art festival.
The work is based on autobiographical stories and uses free improvisation and music as its center point.
Ultima contemporary music festival;
Premiere Katsu!
By Cecilie Ore. And our own compositions and own interpretation of Yiannis Xenakis Oristea.
Sløserikommisjonen : As soloist in duo with Rolf-Erik Nystrøm forming part in the debate “ what is art and why is it important for society”? This project was directed by Morten Traavik in response to the online trolling which took place and attacked many Norwegian artists such as Vegard Vinge and Nystrøm himself in claiming they were wasting the state's money on producing baseless, meaningless as well as badly executed art.
- Duo Venter/Nystrøm: streaming concert led by Birgit Hatlehol and the Oslo poetry festival in solidarity with Palestine to be freed from Israeli occupation.
Duo Venter/ Nystrøm composed for and performed at the online poetry festival led by Birgit Hatlehol which included poets from across Scandinavia.
- Duo Nystrøm/Venter at nesodden jass festival. Vocal and sax.
- Brann; Environmental awareness music dramatic piece with music composed by Juliana Venter for (PITT) theatre festival. Co-produced, co written, and performed by Marius Kolbenstvedt, and Nicolay Lange Nilssen ( Directed)
- 10-year celebration of Blow out the acclaimed festival for improvised music with duo Venter /Nystrøm.
-Minefelt. Music dramatic work by Marius Kolbenstvedt with music by Bjorn Bolstad Skellebred. Kunstnerneshus.
- Potato concert, As soloist performing with selected musicians at the book launch of Marianne Bergs's book Potit.
Concerts, performances 2020
-Dans for voksne; the premiere of composition for voice, tree trunk, and motorcycle.
-Morning concert Sagene church: The wolf hour by Juliana Venter and Rolf-Erik Nystrøm. Inspired by dawn chorus,birds song,Ingmar Bergmann, Dante and baroque music.
- Corona sessions with Jo Strømgren company as singer and actress in a free- improvised
performance with ballet dancer Silas Henriksen.
- The Drop Festival at renowned jazz venue Cosmopolite (live stream) fundraiser for refugees. Rolf- Erik Nystrøm and Mats Eilertsen.
- Nakba 72 -performance composition and vocals with Rolf-Erik Nystrøm.For the Palestinian cause in Gaza.
- Pre-project writing and creating (Flytende Speil ) with Marius Kolbenstvedt and Julian Skar and Torbjørn Martin Davidson. Bases on autobiographical stories and using free improvisation as the basis of each performance.
- Minefield; the premiere of a new music theatre work at Kunstnernes hus in December 2020. Direction and text M.Kolbenstvedt.Composer. Bjørn Skjelbred.
- Duo concert with Rolf-Erik Nystrøm at Exhibition opening landscape painting Jon Løvøen on Sandøya island.
- Blow out,a 10-year festival celebration of the prestigious free improv series with the newly formed trio Karawane with Øyvind Skarbø and Vilia Ellefsen-Larson from DNA. Nasjonal jazz scene.
- Duo concert Nystrøm / Venter asked to create a remix of one of Scandinavia's most important female composers' works Åse Hedstrøm.
- Oslo world music festival concert premiere of Paal Nilssen- Love circus.
- Commissioned work for Oslo literature festival Barne festivalen and African resistance poetry.
Concerts and performances 2019.
As a composer and singer:
Research/recording work and composition for «Bird Song project» / Bokmakierie in Swaziland using traditional instruments and musicians from Swaziland . Based on bird songs from South Africa and Norway.
Projects as a singer, actress, and composer:
- Main role as actress and singer in Skipet vol. 6 with De Utvalgte in Hofteatret in Copenhagen.
- Fra Hæl Til Himmel (Human cockroaches), a music theater production based on a text by and with Torgeir Rebolledo Pedersen, music composed by Rolf-Erik Nystrøm, Juliana Venter, Eirik Raude; also starring: Marius Kolbenstvedt, Janne Eraker and Håkon Sigernes.
- Draumefangeren, produced by Frikar dansekompani v /pani v / Halgrim Hansegård, with Bjarne Kvinnsland, Eirik Raude and Rolf-Erik Nystrøm. Also physical and choreographed performers.
- Touring the record release of W / V in Lillehammer, Oslo, Berlin, and Prague.
- Work with teenagers and young adults with mental challenges under the name Supergruppo: A project where we created music together with Supergruppo at Vossajazz; with Rolf-Erik Nystrøm and Håkon Mjåset Johansen.
- Collaboration, and concerts with DNA in Norway at Hærverk and Mir.
- Performed at Le guess who festival in the Netherlands (under the auspices of Dance for Adults). Oslo-based music group where the members have down syndrome. Led by Harald Fetveit and Bjarne Larsen.
- Soloist for the silent film L 'Inferno by Dante Alighieri composed by Rolf-Erik Nystrøm. Specially written for Juliana Venter with Oslo Sinfonietta and Poing. The opening of the silent film festival at the Cinematheque in Oslo.
- Soloist in the silent film L ‘Inferno di Dante for Kammerfest in Østfold.
- Duo concert with Rolf-Erik Nystrøm during Kammerfest in Østfold in Fredrikstad.
- Free improvised / noise music trio concert with Juliana and the Venters at Hausmania (with Morten Minotti- Kristiansen and Kenneth Kornstad)
- Solo concert/performance under the title Mr.Richman at Hausmania.
- Christmas with Poing on the Victoria National Jazz Stage.
Actress-singer and composer: 2018
Starring in the international feature film from South Africa called The Harvesters. The film was selected for the Cannes Film Festival in 2018, in the Un Certain Regard category, it also won awards at the Sundance Festival, and Venter nominated for "best-supporting actress" at the Silver Screen Festival in South Africa.
Commissioned work.
- Children's Bonfire; a musical theatre performance for children and young people, which addresses the climate problems the world is facing, together with Marius Kolbenstvedt and Nikolai Lange-Nilssen, commissioned by the Church of Norway.
a. Tromsø Church Music Festival in the Arctic Cathedral.
b. Sandefjord (The Cultural Schoolbag)
c. Nesodden church
d. The climate festival at Sentralen in Oslo.
- Co-wrote and performed the soundtrack to the short film Alien Resident by Mira Matthew.
- Released the album W / V on the company Silken Tofu together with James Welburn.
As an actor, singer, and co-composer:
Det Utvalgte
- Ship 3; at Black Box theatre in Oslo.
- Ship 4; at the Terschelling theatre festival in the Netherlands
- Ship 5; at the Ultima Festival (Hedda Prize
Winner.
As a free improviser and singer /vocalist:
- Frikar dance company as a performer and singer.
- Concert with Poing on the free improvisation concert series Blow Out.
- Free Resonance In Trondheim. Nystrøm / Venter duo.
- Diversity workshop together with composer and improvisation legend Georg Lewis as part of the Ultima Festival.
- The silent film L 'Inferno di Dante as a singer with Munor (the district musicians in the northern Rogaland ensemble) and Harald Hårfagre's Chamber Orchestra at the film festival in Haugesund. Composer Rolf-Erik Nystrøm.
-Tour in China: Shanghai, Zhujiajiao, and Guangzhou with Kouame Sereba, Rolf-Erik Nystrøm, and the Chinese pipe master Fang Jinlong.
Vargtimmen duo:
- Hardanger Music Festival. Commissioned work for the primary school. Participated in several concerts.
- Lacrimae Rerum: Commissioned concert for Josefine folk stage Duo concert with Rolf-Erik Nystrøm.
- Concerts in Copenhagen with Nystrøm / Venter duo at Frederiksberg Country Club and Frederiksberg Library.
Solo /duo and group concerts
- Festival Møtforestellinger-Performances; Concert with Geko Fattal and solo performance with text by South African resistance poet Wopko Jensma; for the Palestinian cause.
- Poing Christmas Concert. Soloist
Released. 2018.
- Released the album W / V on the company Silken Tofu together with James Wellburn.
Concerts and performances 2017.
As a singer, actor, and composer:
Commissioned work
. Barnas Bål: Production, composition, and premiere in Tøyen church in Oslo, concerts at Showbox and in Tromsø.
. Stamsund Theater Festival. Concert with Øyvind Berg and Rolf-Erik Nystrøm. Performance where music and poetry are integrated. Commissioned work.
. Rolf Jacobsen dagene / Nordic Poetry Festival with Øyvind Berg and Rolf-Erik Nystrøm.
. The literature symposium in Odda with Øyvind Berg and Rolf-Erik Nystrøm.
. The vocal voice in Concept of Sorrows & Dangers by Lars Petter Hagen.
the closing concert of the Ultima Festival at Sentralen with the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation and conductor Ingar Bergby.
. Free improv concerts at BLÅ and Ila Fysikalske with Nystrøm and Joakim Heibø (drums)
. Vocal work on an installation in Riga by James Webb.
. Concert with the trio Poing and their Mob Christmas on the National Jazz Stage.
Vargtimmen:
. The concert Human" in Cape Town. Blah blah bar.
. Harvestworks in New York. .Blue. premiere of Dalia Raudonikyte-With.
. Stamsund int. theatre festival. With the duo's own compositions.
Actress
1. Recorded the French-Polish-South African feature film The Harvesters in Kwazulu Natal in South Africa
2. The ship vol 3 with Det Utvalgte at the Black Box theatre.
Concerts. Performances 2016.
As a singer /composer. Free improv and performance art.
- Participated with percussionist Daniel Paulsen on Rolf-Erik Nystrøm's commissioned work for the opening of the Munch Museum based on the paintings of Edvard Munch and Asger Jorn.
- commissioned and completed several concert assignments after the Munch Museum to create new smaller performances for invited guests with music specially adapted for the pictures.
- A performance dedicated to Edvard Munch with Rolf-Erik Nystrøm. The opening of the Munch Museum's summer program at Ekely.
- Spacemouldmachine: A performance inspired by John Cage's Water Walk: with Rolf-Erik Nystrøm. (Cape Town)
- Back to the Future: w / Cara Stacey (Cape Town) a futuristic music and food performance.
- The MultiNo festival with Alessandro Boratti, the Italian composer and pianist.
- Concert in Rovereto Italy with Alessandro Boratti. Music by John Cage, Anton Webern, Giacinto Scelsi + improvisations and music by Venter and Boratti.
- Performance /concert: Home 1: a place-specific performance with the Brazilian performance artist Fernanda Branco and Rolf-Erik Nystrøm.
- Shooting stars and hearts: with Rolf-Erik Nystrøm and Brydon Bolton in Cape Town.
- Concert during Gambling Woman in Copenhagen. Works for motorcycle, voice, lap steel, and percussion. With Mette Zoe Matthiesen and Jim Neversink. Music by Arnold Schoenberg, Scelsi, Hank Williams, Merula, Nico, and own compositions.
- Concerts with Moe, Nystrøm, Li TiQiao, and Yu Miao in Beijing.
- Concert with Per Oddvar Johansen on the National Jazz Stage.
- Øykjelykkejesetra: Vinstra. Concert with Mats Eilertsen and Rolf-Erik Nystrøm.
- Concert with Sturm und Drang, Roar Engelberg, and Rolf-Erik Nystrøm in Ila church in Oslo.
- Performance with Poing on the Victoria national jazz scene.
As a singer and co-composer. Work with poetry and literature.
Commissioned work for the Oslo International Poetry Festival
a. Tesla Kannery: with Rolf-Erik Nystrøm.
b. Performance /concert with Øyvind Berg's poetry, together with Nystrøm and Øyvind Berg
c. Music for poems by and with Kai Miller.
Solo concerts.
1 South comfort in Oslo for vocals and Harley Davidson motorcycle. Outside Deichman Library at Schous plass
2. Solo concert during the concert series Bristepunktet in Oslo.
As an actress.
In Mother Courage by Bertolt Brecht in the role of Yvette Pottier: Word Festival In Cape Town in addition to a longer tour with the performance in South Africa
Record releases 2016.
- Historical documentation of the works of the industrial music pioneers Live Jimi Presley (contributes on the record)
- Composer of the music for the poem "This journey" A music compilation of South African poet Ingrid Jonker's work.
Concerts and performances. 2015.
Producer, composer, and singer.
Vomo no 1 for vocals, noise, guitar, and 5 motorcycles.
Vomo no 2 for vocals, string quartet, African traditional bows, drums, and 7 motorcycles (in South Africa), of which she has performed versions in several countries.
- TV performance with music for a motorcycle, voice, and violin.
https://youtu.be/GDzvqOH0qa4
- Phantom globe; Wordfestival composer. selection Stellenbosch (with Gorm Hjelford, Jonno Sweetman, Brydon Bolton, Ronan Skillen.)
- International solo tour as a vocalist and composer. (Berlin, Copenhagen, Oslo, and London),with guest
appearances by Phil Winter from Wrangler, Jim Neversink, Viviana Vega, and Morten- Minothi Kristiansen.
- NK project Berlin with Umit Urgen as soloist and composer.
- Solo Il Sol Tace, an art and music work for orchestra and voice. By and with Rolf-Erik Nystrøm and a hand-picked ensemble of leading improvisers. (Norway.)
- As a vocalist in a sound installation with sound artist James Webb (South Africa.)
- Radio presenter on Bush Radio. (Africa's first pirate radio station)
- Guest appearance at the concert that marked the release of the album with the Brazilian Habeca legend Nelson da Rabeca, w / Rolf-Erik Nystrøm, Celio de Carvalho, Erlend Viken (Norway)
- Guest vocalist with Poing during Pøbeljul. Victoria National Jazz Scene
- China / Beijing: w / Rolf-Erik Nystrøm, Miao Yu and Li Tieqiao
- Guest vocalist with the award-winning South African group Benguela.
Other noteworthy work as an actress.
Goneril in King Lear by Guy De Lancey. For the Intimate theatre in Cape town in 2012.
