Renowned Norwegian violinist wins prestigious competition

This week saw violinist Marianne Thorsen winning the international Concours International de Violon competition in Sion-Valais, Switzerland.

18.09.2003 | By: Tomas Lauvland Pettersen

From the initial 80 candidates, a selection of 32 performers were singled out by a jury led by the Concours International de Violon competition patron Shlomo Mintz. An elite of six was qualified to proceed to the finals, which in turn was won by Norwegian violinist Marianne Thorsen. Accompanied by the Prague Symphony Orchestra under leadership of Mintz himself, Thorsen performed a rendition of Beethoven’s Violin Concert and Romance that was awarded a prestigious first prize.

The Concours International de Violon competition award is a crowning of a very active and extensive career as a solo and chamber violinist. Thorsen is a member of the Leopold String Trio and lead violinist of the Nash Ensemble of London, and has enjoyed extensive international touring in addition to being a contributor to a number of central releases. Thorsen has also performed regular concerts at the Wigmore Hall in London as well as on Radio BBC3.

Marianne Thorsen is currently holding a position as a professor at the Royal Academy of Music in London, the very institution from which she graduated with a diploma exam in 1994. Upon her graduation, Thorsen was awarded the violin prize and the highest achievable exams mark.

1998 saw Marianne Thorsen being awarded the Norwegian Soloist of the year distinction. She also held her debut concert the same year and embarked on an extensive domestic tour with pianist Håvard Gimse, with whom Thorsen has also recorded works by Mozart, Prokofiev, Fauré and Lutoslawski.

Upcoming Thorsen concerts that must be mentioned include a November 7 date with the Norwegian Radio Band led by Peter Sánta. The programme for the event includes Alban Berg’s Violin Concerto, Hindemith’s “Mathis der Mahler” as well as Ottorino Respighi’s “Trittico Bottecelliano”.

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