Guest Artist Residency Final Recital

Terje Tønnesen will present a chamber recital with the St. Olaf Orchestra Strings.

Tønnesen made a sensational debut at age 17 in 1972, “A dazzling debut with hardly any parallel,” as it was described in the Oslo newspaper. After five years of study in Switzerland, in 1977 he began his positions both as artistic director of “Det Norske Kammerorkester” and as first concertmaster of the Oslo Filharmoniske Orkester. He also moves beyond the classical repertoire, including collaborations with fellow musical omnivore Terje Rypdal, and is among the leading violinists with a central position in the Norwegian musical scene.

Tønnesen has won several international awards and has received both the Grieg Award and Kritikerprisen in Norway. He has toured in Europe, USA, China, and the Soviet Union and during his career worked with such musicians as Mstislav Rostropovich, Maurice André, and James Galway. He has also made solo appearances with all the Norwegian orchestras and many orchestras outside Norway.