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The Danish pianist, Christina Bjørkøe, had her first piano lessons at the age of 5 from her mother. In 1978 she became a pupil of Therese Koppel, who taught her until 1990. She continued her studies with Seymour Lipkin at the Juilliard School in New York and with Anne Øland at the Royal Danish Academy of Music in Copenhagen, where she made her debut as a soloist in 1997. In 1987 and 1990 Christina Bjørkøe won First Prize in the Steinway Competition. She has appeared as a soloist and chamber musician at various venues in Denmark, including the Tivoli Concert Hall’s major L.v. Beethoven, Frédéric Chopin and Schubert series, as well as in Sweden, Germany, the Czech Republic, France and the USA. In 1995 she represented Denmark as a finalist in the Nordic Soloist Competition in Reykjavík.
Christina Bjørkøe has performed with most Danish symphony orchestras, with the Malmö Symphony Orchestra of Sweden, the Iceland Philharmonic Orchestra, and in April 2002 with the Danish National Symphony Orchestra/DR and gave recitals in Croatia, Spain, Germany and South America. She has been awarded several prizes and grants including Victor Borges Legat in September 1994, Carl Nielsens Rejselegat in June 1995, Bikubens Kammermusikpris in August 1995, Aennchen og Eigil Harbys Fond in October 1995 and the Gladsaxe Music Prize in February 2000.
Christina Bjørkøe is associate professor at Carl Nielsen Academy of Music Odense.
Christina Bjørkøe's recording of Knudåge Risager's piano music for Dacapo received the Danish Music Award 2005 as Solo Recording of the Year. |
