Lars Ulrik Mortensen
Encyclopedia
Lars Ulrik Mortensen is a Danish
harpsichordist
and conductor.
He studied with Karen Englund (harpsichord
) and Jesper Bøje Christensen (figured bass
) at The Royal Danish Academy of Music
in Copenhagen
and with Trevor Pinnock
in London.
He has a career as a soloist and chamber musician in Europe, North and South America and Japan. From 1988 to 1990 he was harpsichordist in London Baroque, and from 1990 to 1993 he was a member of Collegium Musicum 90
. He appears regularly with singer Emma Kirkby
, violinist John Holloway
and cellist and gambist Jaap ter Linden
. He has recorded for Archiv Produktion (3rd harpsichord in Bach
's 3- and 4-harpsichord concerti with The English Concert
), harmonia mundi, Kontrapunkt and da capo and his recording of Bach's Goldberg Variations
won him a Diapason d'Or. He is the artistic director of Concerto Copenhagen
, and appears regularly directing opera at the Royal Theatre
in Copenhagen. He is also the artistic director of the European Union Baroque Orchestra
since 2004.
He was professor of harpsichord and performance practice at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater
in Munich
from 1996 to 1999. In 2007 he was awarded the Léonie Sonning Music Prize
, Denmark's premier music award.
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
harpsichordist
Harpsichordist
A harpsichordist is a person who plays the harpsichord.Many baroque composers played the harpsichord, including Johann Sebastian Bach, Domenico Scarlatti, George Frideric Handel, François Couperin and Jean-Philippe Rameau...
and conductor.
He studied with Karen Englund (harpsichord
Harpsichord
A harpsichord is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It produces sound by plucking a string when a key is pressed.In the narrow sense, "harpsichord" designates only the large wing-shaped instruments in which the strings are perpendicular to the keyboard...
) and Jesper Bøje Christensen (figured bass
Figured bass
Figured bass, or thoroughbass, is a kind of integer musical notation used to indicate intervals, chords, and non-chord tones, in relation to a bass note...
) at The Royal Danish Academy of Music
The Royal Danish Academy of Music
The Royal Danish Academy of Music in Copenhagen was founded in 1867 by the composer Niels Wilhelm Gade. It is the oldest professional institution of musical education in Denmark as well as the largest with approximately 400 students...
in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
and with Trevor Pinnock
Trevor Pinnock
Trevor David Pinnock CBE is an English conductor, harpsichordist, and occasional organist and pianist.He is best known for his association with the period-performance orchestra The English Concert which he helped found and directed from the keyboard for over 30 years in baroque and early classical...
in London.
He has a career as a soloist and chamber musician in Europe, North and South America and Japan. From 1988 to 1990 he was harpsichordist in London Baroque, and from 1990 to 1993 he was a member of Collegium Musicum 90
Collegium Musicum 90
Collegium Musicum 90 is an English baroque orchestra playing on period instruments. It was founded by violinist Simon Standage and conductor Richard Hickox in 1990 and was jointly directed by them until the death of Hickox in November 2008.Collegium Musicum means something like musical guild and...
. He appears regularly with singer Emma Kirkby
Emma Kirkby
Dame Carolyn Emma Kirkby, DBE is an English soprano singer and one of the world's most renowned early music specialists. She attended Sherborne School For Girls in Dorset and was a classics student at Somerville College, Oxford, and an English teacher before developing a career as a soloist...
, violinist John Holloway
John Holloway (musician)
John Holloway is a British baroque violinist and conductor, currently based in Dresden, Germany. John Holloway is a pioneer of the early music movement....
and cellist and gambist Jaap ter Linden
Jaap ter Linden
Jaap ter Linden is a Dutch cellist, viol player and conductor. He specialises in performance of baroque and classical music on authentic instruments....
. He has recorded for Archiv Produktion (3rd harpsichord in Bach
Bạch
Bạch is a Vietnamese surname. The name is transliterated as Bai in Chinese and Baek, in Korean.Bach is the anglicized variation of the surname Bạch.-Notable people with the surname Bạch:* Bạch Liêu...
's 3- and 4-harpsichord concerti with The English Concert
The English Concert
The English Concert is a baroque orchestra playing on period instruments based in London. Founded in 1972 and directed from the harpsichord by Trevor Pinnock for 30 years, it is now directed by harpsichordist Harry Bicket...
), harmonia mundi, Kontrapunkt and da capo and his recording of Bach's Goldberg Variations
Goldberg Variations
The Goldberg Variations, BWV 988, is a work for harpsichord by Johann Sebastian Bach, consisting of an aria and a set of 30 variations. First published in 1741, the work is considered to be one of the most important examples of variation form...
won him a Diapason d'Or. He is the artistic director of Concerto Copenhagen
Concerto Copenhagen
Concerto Copenhagen, also known as CoCo, is a Danish period instrument orchestra, established in 1991 and directed since 1999 by harpsichordist Lars Ulrik Mortensen....
, and appears regularly directing opera at the Royal Theatre
Royal Theatre
There are several venues known by the name Royal Theatre or Royal Theater. They include:in Canada*Royal Theatre in Victoria, British Columbia, Canadain Denmark...
in Copenhagen. He is also the artistic director of the European Union Baroque Orchestra
European Union Baroque Orchestra
The European Union Baroque Orchestra is a training initiative of the European Union which allows young performers of baroque music from all over the EU to gain orchestral experience as part of their career development from conservatoire study into a professional career...
since 2004.
He was professor of harpsichord and performance practice at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater
Hochschule für Musik und Theater München
The Hochschule für Musik und Theater München is one of the most respected traditional vocational universities in Germany specialising in music and the performing arts. The seat of the Hochschule is the former Führerbau of the NSDAP, located at Arcisstraße 12, on the eastern side of the Königsplatz...
in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
from 1996 to 1999. In 2007 he was awarded the Léonie Sonning Music Prize
Léonie Sonning Music Prize
The Léonie Sonning Music Prize, or Sonning Award, which is recognized as Denmark's highest musical honor, is given annually to an international composer or musician. It was first awarded in 1959 to composer Igor Stravinsky...
, Denmark's premier music award.