|
The Norwegian violinist, Jan Bjøranger, is the founder and artistic director of Ensemble Bjergsted 1 (EnB1) in Stavanger. The idea to develop a strong musical infrastructure in the region, based on the founding of a new, high-quality ensemble, has grown in parallel with the understanding of the opportunities and challenges the environment for music and art is facing in the Southwestern region of Norway.
Jan Bjøranger is currently professor and head of the string department at the University of Stavanger. In spite of a very active career as performing artist he has, or is still coaching a large part of the group of young string players currently making a name for themselves in Norway and also internationally. Bjøranger has also given master-classes and lectures in several countries, including at the Mozarteum Salzburg and Hochschule für Musik und Theater “Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy“ in Leipzig, as well as at most academies in Norway. As a professor and head of the string department at the University of Stavanger, Bjøranger occupies a prominent position among Norwegian musicians, as well as pusuing a very active career as a performing artist.
Throughout his career, Jan Bjøranger has shown a strong instinct as a musical entrepreneur. He was the artistic director of the Umeå International Chamber Music Festival in Sweden for six years, as well as the founder of the KGA Festival in Norway. He says that his work to establish EnB1 triggers both his musical skills as well as the entrepeneur and educator in him.
Jan Bjøranger is a sought-after leader for ensembles and orchestras in Scandinavia, including the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Gothenburg Opera, Norrkoping Symphony Orchestra, Norrland Symphony, Västerås Sinfonietta, Camerata Nordica and Sundsvall Chamber Orchestra in Sweden, as well as Trondheim Soloists, Norwegian Chamber Orchestra and Danish National Chamber Orchestra. Other ensembles and orchestras in Europe include Camerata Salzburg, and Scottish Chamber Orchestra.
As a soloist and chamber musician, Jan Bjøranger has performed in countries like Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Germany, Swizerland and the USA.. Bjøranger performs frequently with musicians like Peter Jablonski, Per Tengstrand, Enrico Pace, Lars Anders Tomter, Göran Söllscher, Dan Laurin as well as Janine Jansen and Thorleif Thedeen. With the Norwegian Chamber Orchestra he has toured Asia and the USA as well as most European countries.
Jan Bjøranger has performed on Swedish and Norwegian radio and television and also on German television. He has participated in a great number of recordings, mostly as leader or part of ensembles, but also as a soloist, for labels like Phillips, Sony, CcnC, Chandos, EMI, Simax, Lynor, and Intim Musik.
The fact that Jan Bjøranger has already cooperated with composers like Arvo Pärt, Steve Reich, James MacMillan, Mark Anthony Turnage, Piers Hellawell, Daniel Schnyder and Gija Kancheli, makes this even more likely to become reality. |
