Download Halldis Rønning, conductor

Halldis Rønning, conductor
Halldis Rønning was born in Bergen, Norway. She received the Norwegian price: “Talent of
the year” when she was 18 years old for her conducting. The price was handed over by
Vladimir Ashkenazy.
She started her musical studies with studying violin and singing at the Grieg Academy in
Bergen from 1997-99. After that, she studied violin in Holland at Conservatorium van
Amsterdam with Johannes Leertouwer as her teacher from 1999-2002. At the same time she
was actively learning conducting.
After her studies in she returned to Oslo and continued her studies in violin and orchestral
conducting from 2002-2004. She took her master-degree in Orchestra Conducting in may
2006 with the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra conducting Debussy La Mer, Mendelssohn
”Die Schoene Melusine” and ”Nachruf ” by Arne Nordheim. She received the highest degree
possible for her exam.
After her studies she has been working with all the big symphony orchestras of Norway
including the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra as well as orchestras and ensembles in Sweden,
Japan, the Netherlands and in 2007 she was the first woman ever to conduct at the Hanoi
Opera House in Vietnam. In august 2011 she was appointed assistant conductor of the Bergen
Philharmonic Orchestra with chief conductor Andrew Litton. She has a contract with Bergen
until the end of season 2012/13. This appointment makes her the first woman to get a long
term contract as a conductor of a professional orchestra in Norway.
Rønning has great recognition for her work with contemporary music.
She is a regular guest conductor at all the contemporary music-ensembles such as Oslo
Sinfonietta, Bit 20 ensemble and Cikada and has been attending festivals as the Risør
Chambermusic festival and the Oslo Chambermusic Festival with works by f.ex: Hans
Abrahamsen (Denmark) Olav Anton Thommesen, Norway, and Edgar Varèse.
She has performed many world-premiers, f.ex. Mattias Lysell´s work ”Grace and
Lamentation” for double choir and orchestra with Gävle Symphony Orchestra in Sweden
2010, and the opera ”De Bocht” by Toon Vandervorst with which she toured in the
Netherlands with ensemble SOIL in 2004. For her debut with the Oslo Philharmonic
Orchestra in 2006, she commissioned a piece by the young Norwegian composer Ørjan Matre.
Next to conducting contemporary works she also has a very broad repertoire and has
conducted symphonies, requiems, chamber operas, sinfoniettas, world premiers, theater music
and music with film.
She has worked with musicians such as Tine Thing Helseth, Leif Ove Andsnes, Lars Anders
Tomter, Radovan Vladkovich and Cecilie Løken.
Next season she will work again with orchestras such as her “own” orchestra, the Bergen
Philharmonic. Also the Gothenborg Symphony Orchestra has invited her back immediately
after her performance with them in the 12/13 season. In 2015 she will work with orchestras
such as the Oslo Philharmonic, Norwegian Radio Orchestra and the Trondheim Symphony
Orchestra.