Norwegian Academy of Music
Encyclopedia
The Norwegian Academy of Music (Norwegian: Norges musikkhøgskole, NMH) is a music conservatory located in Oslo
, Norway
, in the neighbourhood of Majorstuen
, Frogner
. It is the largest music academy in Norway and offers the country's highest level of music education. As a university college
, it offers both undergraduate and postgraduate courses. Throughout the years the Academy has educated many of Norway’s most renowned musician
s.
The Norwegian Academy of Music educates performers, composer
s and pedagogues, and attempts to lay the foundation for research
within various fields of music. It educates musicians within folk music
genres, church music
, classical music
and, quite notably in later years, a string of successful performers within the jazz
realm.
The Academy is also Oslo’s biggest concert organizer, presenting approximately 300 concerts a year.
As is the case with all schools in the Norwegian educational system, the school is free of charge. Students can only be accepted by auditioning and/or other verifiable qualifications.
.
The request for a governmental institution for music education goes back to the 19th century. In 1883 Ludvig Mathias Lindeman
(father) and Peter Lindeman (son) started the so-called "School for Organists" in Kristiania (former name for Oslo
). It developed to become the first and biggest conservatory of music in Norway, and made an important foundation for the Norwegian Academy of Music. The Lindeman conservatory was --- in 1973. To honour the memory of the Lindeman family the biggest concert hall at the Academy is named the Lindeman Hall, which has a capacity of more than 400 people.
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, in the neighbourhood of Majorstuen
Majorstuen
Majorstuen is a neighbourhood in the Frogner borough in the western part of Oslo, Norway.Majorstuen is known for its vibrant downtown, especially its shopping area. The area has several elegant townhouses circa 1880-1890. The area is also an important public transport junction in Oslo, where all...
, Frogner
Frogner
Frogner is a borough of the city of Oslo, Norway. In addition to traditional Frogner, the borough incorporates Bygdøy, Uranienborg and Majorstuen....
. It is the largest music academy in Norway and offers the country's highest level of music education. As a university college
University college
The term "university college" is used in a number of countries to denote college institutions that provide tertiary education but do not have full or independent university status. A university college is often part of a larger university...
, it offers both undergraduate and postgraduate courses. Throughout the years the Academy has educated many of Norway’s most renowned musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
s.
The Norwegian Academy of Music educates performers, composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
s and pedagogues, and attempts to lay the foundation for research
Research
Research can be defined as the scientific search for knowledge, or as any systematic investigation, to establish novel facts, solve new or existing problems, prove new ideas, or develop new theories, usually using a scientific method...
within various fields of music. It educates musicians within folk music
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
genres, church music
Church music
Church music may be defined as music written for performance in church, or any musical setting of ecclestiacal liturgy, or music set to words expressing propositions of a sacred nature, such as a hymn. This article covers music in the Judaeo-Christian tradition. For sacred music outside this...
, classical music
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
and, quite notably in later years, a string of successful performers within the jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
realm.
The Academy is also Oslo’s biggest concert organizer, presenting approximately 300 concerts a year.
As is the case with all schools in the Norwegian educational system, the school is free of charge. Students can only be accepted by auditioning and/or other verifiable qualifications.
History
The Norwegian Academy of Music was established in 1973. The current Academy is a result of a merger with the former Østlandets musikkonservatorium in 1996, which in was a successor to the music school at Veitvet founded by Olav SelvaagOlav Selvaag
Olav Selvaag was a Norwegian engineer and residential contractor, known for his innovative approach to designing and building affordable housing in the post-war era.-Biography:...
.
The request for a governmental institution for music education goes back to the 19th century. In 1883 Ludvig Mathias Lindeman
Ludvig Mathias Lindeman
Ludvig Mathias Lindeman was a Norwegian composer and organist. He is most noted for compiling Norwegian folk music in his work Ældre og nyere norske Fjeldmelodier. -Background:...
(father) and Peter Lindeman (son) started the so-called "School for Organists" in Kristiania (former name for Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
). It developed to become the first and biggest conservatory of music in Norway, and made an important foundation for the Norwegian Academy of Music. The Lindeman conservatory was --- in 1973. To honour the memory of the Lindeman family the biggest concert hall at the Academy is named the Lindeman Hall, which has a capacity of more than 400 people.
Notable faculty members
- Lasse ThoresenLasse ThoresenLasse Thoresen is a Norwegian composer whose works concentrate on a contemporary transformation of the folk-music traditions of many peoples, especially those of Scandinavia.-Biography:...
- Aage KvalbeinAage KvalbeinAage Kvalbein is a Norwegian cellist and a professor in cello at the Norwegian Academy of Music. He is one of the most well-renowned musicians in Norway, both as a soloist, chamber musician and as a pedagogue....
- Arve TellefsenArve TellefsenArve Tellefsen is a Norwegian violinist.He was born and raised in Trondheim, Norway. When he was 6 years old, he began playing the violin in 'Trondheims musikkskole'...
- Olav Anton ThommessenOlav Anton ThommessenOlav Anton Thommessen is a Norwegian composer. He trained in the United States earning degrees from Westminster Choir College and Indiana University. He is currently professor of composition at the Norwegian Academy of Music, where he has taught since 1972. He won the Nordic Council Music Prize in...
- Truls MørkTruls MørkTruls Olaf Otterbech Mørk is a Norwegian cellist.Mørk was born in Bergen, Norway, the son of two professional musicians, his father a cellist and his mother a pianist. His mother began teaching him the piano when he was seven...
- Leif Ove AndsnesLeif Ove AndsnesLeif Ove Andsnes is a Norwegian pianist and an ardent champion of the works of Edvard Grieg.-Biography:He studied with Jiří Hlinka at the Bergen Music Conservatory and made his debut in Oslo in 1987, in Britain at the Edinburgh Festival with the Oslo Philharmonic in 1989, and in the United States...
Notable alumni
- Edvard Fliflet BræinEdvard Fliflet BræinEdvard Fliflet Bræin was a Norwegian composer and conductor. He is best remembered for the composition Ut mot havet and the opera Anne Pedersdotter.-Personal life:...
, composer and conductor - Lalla CarlsenLalla CarlsenLalla Carlsen was a Norwegian singer and actress, and is regarded as one of the most legendary female revue artists in Norway.-Personal life:...
, singer and actress - Henrik HellsteniusHenrik HellsteniusHenrik Hellstenius is a Norwegian composer and musicologist.Born in Bærum, Norway, Hellstenius studied musicology at the University of Oslo and composition with Lasse Thoresen at the Norwegian Academy of Music in Oslo...
, composer and musicologist - Trond Halstein MoeTrond Halstein MoeTrond Halstein Moe is a Norwegian operatic baritone.He trained at University of Trondheim and the Norwegian Academy of Music, and in 1987 won First Prize in the International Hans Gabor Belvedere Singing Competition in Vienna in 1987. Since 1990, he has been a regular performer in over 70...
, opera singer - Arne NordheimArne NordheimArne Nordheim was a Norwegian composer who had since 1982 been living in the Norwegian State's honorary residence, Grotten, next to the Royal Palace in Oslo. Nordheim received numerous prizes for his compositions, and was elected an honorary member of the International Society for Contemporary...
, composer