The Swedish bass-baritone, Olle Holmgren, studied at Haraldsbogymnasiet in Falun, Sweden (1996-1999) and music at Musikkonservatoriet Falun (1999-2001). He is the first person ever that has passed examination in both classical guitar (2005) and classical singing (2010) at the Norwegian Academy of Music (Norges Musikkhøgskole) in Oslo. He studied singing for Svein Bjørkøy, Randi Stene and Håkan Hagegård.
Olle Holmgren is a senior member of the Det Norske Solistkor (Director: Grete Pedersen) since 2005. He has a passion for church music and has performed as a soloist in most of the well known church music reperoire. Adam in The Creation and Jesus in J.S. Bach’s Passions stands out as a parts especially suitable for his voice. He has worked as a soloist with orchestras like Det Norske Kammerorkestret, Dalasinfoniettan, Bergen Bach Soloists, Swedish Baroque Orchestra, Stavanger Symfoniorkester and conductors like Rinaldo Alessandrini, Peter Schreier, José Esandi and Ian Watson.
Some highlights in Olle Holmgren's career so far, are:
Requiem by Ragnar Söderlind. Conductor: Peter Szilvay together with The Norwegian Radio Orchestra (KORK) and Oslo Cathedral Choir in Oslo Cathedral. He created a part specially written for him at the world premiere. (October, 2011)
Sir John Stainer’s The Crucifixion (2013).
European premiere of Lera Auerbach’s a capella opera The Blind at Trondheim Chamber Music Festival (2013).
World premiere of Cecilie Ore’s chamber opera Adam & Eve - a Divine Comedy, at Bergen Festival and Ultima Oslo Contemporary Music Festival (2015).
World premiere of Kjell Habbestad’s opera Karlstad 1905 in the leading role as Prime Minister Christian Lundeberg in Moss and Oslo (2016).
Later in 2016 awaits Michael Haydn’s Requiem with Nidaros Oratorio Choir, Nidaros Cathedral Choir and Trondheim Barokk.
In 2017 Olle participates in a concert and CD-recording of The Seven Deadly Sins by Weill/ Brecht together with Tora Augestad and Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra (Petrenko).
Olle Holmgren married Tone Knutson on January 6, 2007. He currently lives in Oppegård, Sweeden. |