Guro Kleven Hagen, Violin

Biography

The Norwegian violinist Guro Kleven Hagen is known as one of the most exciting young Scandinavian musicians of today. In 2018 she was appointed 1st concertmaster of the Norwegian Opera Orchestra. Guro has also for the past five years been the Artistic Director of Valdres Sommersymfoni – a chamber music festival in the heart of Norway, hosting musicians like Leif Ove Andnes, Quatuor Ebène, Vilde Frang, Maxim Rysanov, Truls Mørk and Paul Lewis.

Guro’s debut recording of Prokofiev´s 2nd and Bruch´s 1st Violin Concertos with the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra and Bjarte Engeset was chosen as “Editor´s Choice of the Month” by Gramophone Magazine in August 2014. The recording was also short-listed in the Gramophone Guide as one of the finest classical releases of 2014/2015. Her second CD with Marianna Shirinyan was nominated for the Norwegian ”Spellemann” award 2017.

Guro has played with many European orchestras, with conductors such as Vasily Petrenko, Jukka-Pekka Saraste, Christian Vasques, Johannes Gustavsson, Christian Arming, Cornelius Meister and Eivind Aadland.

As a chamber musician, Guro has worked closely with Janine Jansen, Leif Ove Andsnes, Marianna Shirinyan, Eivind Holtsmark Ringstad and Håvard Gimse. She is a regular guest to many of Scandinavia’s leading chamber festivals. She also was part of establishing the Edvard Munch Ensemble – an ensemble that vividly explores the ”normal boundaries” of classical music.

In 2016, Guro finished her studies with Antje Weithaas at the “Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler” in Berlin, after several years of studying with Stephan Barratt-Due and Alf Richard Kraggerud at the Barratt Due Institute of Music in Oslo. Guro is a prize winner of numerous international competitions, including EMCY’s prize for Music in the Menuhin Competition 2010 and the 2nd prize in the Eurovision Young Musician Competition in Vienna 2010. She has also received the Arve Tellefsen Musicians Prize (2014), the Statoil talent scholarship in classical music (2013), the Norwegian Soloist Award (2010), the Prinz-von-Hessen-Preis in Kronberg (2009), and was celebrated as Norway’s Young Musician of the year at the age of fourteen (2008).

Guro plays on a C. Bergonzi, also known as the “Kreisler-Bergonzi” kindly on loan from Dextra Musica.

Calendar

Repertoire

Violin Concertos and Sonatas

Lera Auerbach

Sonata no. 2, Op. 63

Ludwig van Beethoven

Violin Concerto in D major op 61

Johannes Brahms

Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 77

Violin Sonata No. 3 in D minor, Op. 108

Max Bruch

Violin Concerto No. 1 in G minor, Op. 26

Claude Debussy

Sonata in G minor

Antonin Dvorak

Sonatina for Violin and Piano in G major, Op. 100

Alexander Glazunov

Violin Concerto in A minor, Op. 82

Edvard Grieg

Violin Sonata No. 2 in G major, Op. 13

Franz Joseph Haydn

Violin Concerto No. 1 in C Hob.VIIa

Dmitry Kabalevsky

Violin Concerto in C major, Op. 48

Felix Mendelssohn

Violin Concerto in E Minor, Op. 64

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Violin Sonata No. 26 in B flat Major, KV 378

Violin Sonata No. 27 in G Major, KV 379

Sergej Prokofiev

Violin Concerto No. 2 in G minor, Op. 63

Jean Sibelius

Violin Concerto in D minor, Op. 47

Dmitry Shostakovich

Violin Sonata in D major, Op. 134

Franz Schubert

Violin Sonata in G minor, D. 408

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 35

Works for solo violin

Johann Sebastian Bach

Violin Sonata No. 1 in G minor, BWV 1001

Violin Partita No. 2 in D minor, BWV 1004

Violin Partita No. 3 in E major, BWV 1006

John Corigliano

The Red Violin Caprices

Glenn Erik Haugland

If I am not for Myself, who will be?

Fritz Kreisler

Recitativo and Scherzo, Op. 6

Georg Philipp Telemann

Fantasy no. 7 in E flat major, TWW 40, no. 20

Fantasy no. 8 in E major, TWW 40, no. 21

Eugene Ysaÿe

Violin Sonata No. 2 in A minor, Op. 27

Violin Sonata No. 3 in D minor, Op. 27, "Ballade"

Violin Sonata No. 6 in E major, Op. 27

Review

GRAMOPHONE MAGAZINE

Her interpretations entirely confident and full of character.

THE INDEPENDENT

Her sound is sweet and pure, and her phrasing so refined.

Fabulous, Guro!

Bergens Tidende

Sun, 2010-06-06

“Chaconne” (Bach) from Partita nr. 2 I d-moll for Solo Violin was the opening number, and the soloist had obviously decided to show her very best side. And what a talent. In full admiration for her supreme play. Exceptional intonation, crystal clear intervals and harmonies, a display of versatile use of the violin bow, and focused in all she does. And it continued in Ravel “Tzigane”, where the soloist played her way through the intricate gypsy dances. …. Simply impressive.

Great Talent

Aftenposten

Fri, 2011-04-01

The concert hall was not full despite the fact that Guro Kleven Hagen, 16 was soloist with the Oslo Philharmonic. Parents introduce their babies to sing-along, drive their children to music lessons, but do they ever invite their teenagers to classical concerts? Could one imagine a better meeting with classical music than this concert? Guro Kleven Hagen is a musician with lots of talent. She plays with natural musicality, her technique is impressive, her intonation good and a lovely stage presence. She won both the audience and the orchestra and received enthusiastic applause which was highly deserved. The challenge now must be to develop the talent further, create a great artist and not be satisfied with only a good violinist. Few have better chances of succeeding than this young lady. Erlend Hovland

Expectations Fulfilled

Dagsavisen

Fri, 2011-04-01

The expectations to 16 year old Guro Kleven Hagen were fulfilled in her first meeting with the Oslo Philharmonic. She plays with a large deep sound, even and straight forward, without unnecessary drama and impressively secure in the top. The harmonics stand shiselled and have the same flow as the rest of the concert. Her playing is free and flexible and she plays with lively warmth.

Fantastic Guro

Kulturspeilet

Thu, 2011-03-31

It was no less than impressive and fantastic to experience Guro Kleven Hagen playing the demanding Tchaikovsky concerto in her debut with the Oslo Philharmonic. She does not yet have the same weight and maturity but her playing did remind one of Anne Sophie Mutter when she played the same piece in Oslo some years ago. We are very impressed and are certain that this is the beginning of an internationeal career. Kjell Moe

Exceptional!

Oppland Arbeiderblad

Fri, 2011-04-01

We had just witnessed and exceptional interpretation of Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto played by an exceptional violinist. It was not an ordinary debut with the Oslo Philharmonic where the orchestra wishes to put spotlight on a young artist, but a regular subscription concert. Kleven Hagen's playing captivated from the first tone and it was remarkable to hear the dynamic contrasts. Technically she is a perfectionist so everything is in place and enables her to play the music as she wants to. Brilliant, light and transparant, but never betraying Tchaikovsky's Russian pathos. She played the second movement with fine colours and the third movement was held strictly towards the climax. The audience rose spontaniously and gave Guro standing ovations.

Press Service