Arv means “heritage” in both Swedish and Norwegian and the title is chosen to represent the common heritage of both countries in language, culture and society. Arv was commissioned by Trondheim Symphony Orchestra of Norway for the year 2005 which marks a hundred years since the dissolvement of the Swedish-Norwegian union. Up until 1905, Sweden and Norway was one country and the separation into two independent countries is one of the few peaceful examples in history of one nation splitting into two. Arv is based on the mutual folk music tradition of northen Sweden and Norway with it’s somber melodies and quarter tones (actually the quarter tones of Nordic folk music has been referred to as “blue notes” for several hundreds of years, long before there existed a musical style called “Blues”). I have never felt strange using material, titles or inspiration from folk music, rock, improvised music or other genres outside of the contemporary/classical tradition. In my personal musical heritage these other styles of music have an equally strong – or sometimes stronger – importance and for me they have qualities that I sometimes find lacking in contemporary music. I have never strived towards a “crossover” type of music (which for me indicates someone standing firmly on one side of a border and picking some objects from the other side to look at), for me the interest lies in the undefined areabetween two styles or attitudes.