Christian Lindberg
Encyclopedia
Christian Lindberg is a Swedish
trombonist
, conductor and composer.
As a youth, Lindberg learned to play the trumpet
, and subsequently began to learn the trombone at age 17. He originally borrowed a trombone to join his friends' Dixieland jazz group, inspired by records of Jack Teagarden
. He attended the Royal Swedish Academy of Music
, where his teachers included Sven-Erik Eriksson. By age 19, he had obtained a professional position in the Royal Swedish Opera
Orchestra. At age 20, he left his orchestral career behind to study to become a full-time soloist. He studied with John Iveson at the Royal College of Music (1979–1980) and with Ralph Sauer
and Roger Bobo
in Los Angeles (1983).
In 1981, Lindberg won the Nordic Soloists' Biennale competition. His concert debut was in 1984 with the Trombone Concerto by Henri Tomasi
. That same year, he signed a 3-CD recording contract with BIS Records. His first solo recording was "The Virtuoso Trombone". Lindberg has recorded over 60 albums, for BIS and other labels such as Onyx. His musical collaborators in Sweden have included pianist Roland Pöntinen
and composer Jan Sandström
.
Lindberg is particularly noted for his performances of contemporary music, as well as expanding the repertoire of concerti for trombone. In 2006, he estimated that over the prior 25 years, composers wrote 82 works for him. Lindberg was the soloist in the premiere of Sandström's Motorbike Concerto. In addition to the Sandström, his repertoire includes Luciano Berio’s
Sequenza V
, Fredrik Högberg’s The Ballad of Kit Bones and Su ba do be.
Lindberg began to compose in the 1990's at the encouragement of Sandström. Lindberg's first-performed work was Arabenne for trombone and strings, recorded in 1997. Other compositions have included Mandrake in the Corner, Chick 'a' bone Checkout, from 2006 and written for Charles Vernon of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra
, and Kundraan (2008).
In 2000, Lindberg made his conducting debut with the Northern Sinfonia
in the UK
. He has regularly conducted the Nordic Chamber Orchestra and the Swedish Wind Ensemble. He is currently principal conductor of the Arctic Philharmonic Orchestra, and is contracted to the orchestra until 2014.
Lindberg plays on a Conn 88H-CL trombone. He and his wife have four children.
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
trombonist
Trombone
The trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
, conductor and composer.
As a youth, Lindberg learned to play the trumpet
Trumpet
The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
, and subsequently began to learn the trombone at age 17. He originally borrowed a trombone to join his friends' Dixieland jazz group, inspired by records of Jack Teagarden
Jack Teagarden
Weldon Leo "Jack" Teagarden , known as "Big T" and "The Swingin' Gate", was an influential jazz trombonist, bandleader, composer, and vocalist, regarded as the "Father of Jazz Trombone".-Early life:...
. He attended the Royal Swedish Academy of Music
Royal Swedish Academy of Music
The Royal Swedish Academy of Music or Kungl. Musikaliska Akademien, founded in 1771 by King Gustav III, is one of the Royal Academies in Sweden...
, where his teachers included Sven-Erik Eriksson. By age 19, he had obtained a professional position in the Royal Swedish Opera
Royal Swedish Opera
Kungliga Operan is Sweden's national stage for opera and ballet.-Location and Environment:...
Orchestra. At age 20, he left his orchestral career behind to study to become a full-time soloist. He studied with John Iveson at the Royal College of Music (1979–1980) and with Ralph Sauer
Ralph Sauer
Ralph Sauer is an American trombonist and teacher. He was Principal Trombonist of the Los Angeles Philharmonic for 32 years.-Biography:Sauer was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and graduated of the Eastman School of Music where he studied with Emory Remington.He was the Principal Trombonist of...
and Roger Bobo
Roger Bobo
Roger Bobo b. 1938 is a renowned and critically acclaimed American tuba virtuoso and internationally respected brass pedagogue. He retired from active tuba performance in 2001 in order to devote his time to conducting and teaching. He gave what is reputed to be the first solo tuba recital in the...
in Los Angeles (1983).
In 1981, Lindberg won the Nordic Soloists' Biennale competition. His concert debut was in 1984 with the Trombone Concerto by Henri Tomasi
Henri Tomasi
Henri Tomasi was a French classical composer and conductor.- The early years :Henri Tomasi was born in Marseille, France, in the working class neighborhood on August 17, 1901. His father Xavier Tomasi and mother Josephine Vincensi were originally from La Casinca, Corsica...
. That same year, he signed a 3-CD recording contract with BIS Records. His first solo recording was "The Virtuoso Trombone". Lindberg has recorded over 60 albums, for BIS and other labels such as Onyx. His musical collaborators in Sweden have included pianist Roland Pöntinen
Roland Pöntinen
Roland Peter Pöntinen is a Swedish pianist and composer.He is the son of a Finnish-speaking father, a native of the Russian district of Ingria who emigrated from the Soviet Union to Sweden in 1945...
and composer Jan Sandström
Jan Sandström (composer)
Jan Sandström is a Swedish classical music composer, known for the so-called Motorbike Concerto for trombone and orchestra and his choral setting of Es ist ein Ros entsprungen.-Career:...
.
Lindberg is particularly noted for his performances of contemporary music, as well as expanding the repertoire of concerti for trombone. In 2006, he estimated that over the prior 25 years, composers wrote 82 works for him. Lindberg was the soloist in the premiere of Sandström's Motorbike Concerto. In addition to the Sandström, his repertoire includes Luciano Berio’s
Luciano Berio
Luciano Berio, Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI was an Italian composer. He is noted for his experimental work and also for his pioneering work in electronic music.-Biography:Berio was born at Oneglia Luciano Berio, Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI (October 24, 1925 – May 27, 2003) was an Italian...
Sequenza V
Sequenza V
Sequenza V is a composition for solo trombone by Luciano Berio, part of his series of pieces with this title. Written in 1966 for Stuart Dempster, it has since been performed and recorded by Vinko Globokar, Benny Sluchin, Christian Lindberg, and others...
, Fredrik Högberg’s The Ballad of Kit Bones and Su ba do be.
Lindberg began to compose in the 1990's at the encouragement of Sandström. Lindberg's first-performed work was Arabenne for trombone and strings, recorded in 1997. Other compositions have included Mandrake in the Corner, Chick 'a' bone Checkout, from 2006 and written for Charles Vernon of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
The Chicago Symphony Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Chicago, Illinois. It is one of the five American orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five". Founded in 1891, the Symphony makes its home at Orchestra Hall in Chicago and plays a summer season at the Ravinia Festival...
, and Kundraan (2008).
In 2000, Lindberg made his conducting debut with the Northern Sinfonia
Northern Sinfonia
The Northern Sinfonia is a British chamber orchestra, based initially in Newcastle upon Tyne, and currently in Gateshead. For the first 46 years of its history, the orchestra gave the bulk of its concerts at the City Hall, Newcastle upon Tyne. Since 2004, the orchestra has been resident at The...
in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. He has regularly conducted the Nordic Chamber Orchestra and the Swedish Wind Ensemble. He is currently principal conductor of the Arctic Philharmonic Orchestra, and is contracted to the orchestra until 2014.
Lindberg plays on a Conn 88H-CL trombone. He and his wife have four children.
Notable concerto premieres
- Gunnar de FrumerieGunnar de FrumeriePer Gunnar Fredrik de Frumerie was a Swedish composer and pianist. He was the son of architect Gustaf de Frumerie and Maria Helleday....
– Trombone Concerto (1987) - Jan Sandström – Motorbike Concerto (1989)
- Iannis XenakisIannis XenakisIannis Xenakis was a Romanian-born Greek ethnic, naturalized French composer, music theorist, and architect-engineer. He is commonly recognized as one of the most important post-war avant-garde composers...
– Troorkh (1991) - Anders Hillborg – Trombone Concerto (1993)
- Toru TakemitsuToru Takemitsuwas a Japanese composer and writer on aesthetics and music theory. Largely self-taught, Takemitsu possessed consummate skill in the subtle manipulation of instrumental and orchestral timbre...
– Fantasma/Cantos II - Jan Sandström – Don Quixote (1994)
- Arvo PärtArvo PärtArvo Pärt is an Estonian classical composer and one of the most prominent living composers of sacred music. Since the late 1970s, Pärt has worked in a minimalist style that employs his self-made compositional technique, tintinnabuli. His music also finds its inspiration and influence from...
– An den Wassern (1996) - Dominic MuldowneyDominic MuldowneyDominic Muldowney is a British composer.-Biography:He studied at the universities of Southampton and York , and took private lessons with Harrison Birtwistle. From 1974 to 1976 he was composer-in-residence to the Southern Arts Association...
– Trombone Concerto (1996) - Pär Lindgren – Islands (1997)
- Michael NymanMichael NymanMichael Laurence Nyman, CBE is an English composer of minimalist music, pianist, librettist and musicologist, known for the many film scores he wrote during his lengthy collaboration with the filmmaker Peter Greenaway, and his multi-platinum soundtrack album to Jane Campion's The Piano...
– Trombone ConcertoConcertos (1997 album)Concertos is the 31st album by Michael Nyman, released in 1997 featuring three concerti commissioned from Nyman, the Mazda-sponsored Double Concerto for Saxophone and Cello, featuring John Harle and Julian Lloyd Webber, the Harpsichord Concerto for Elisabeth Chojnacka, and the Concerto for Trombone...
(1997) - Luciano BerioLuciano BerioLuciano Berio, Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI was an Italian composer. He is noted for his experimental work and also for his pioneering work in electronic music.-Biography:Berio was born at Oneglia Luciano Berio, Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI (October 24, 1925 – May 27, 2003) was an Italian...
– SOLO for Trombone and Orchestra (1999) - Christian Lindberg – Helikon Wasp (2003)
- Mark Anthony Turnage – Yet Another Set To (2005)