Miriam Helms Ålien (b. 1991) had her solo debut only 8 years old, and has since then been soloist with numerous orchestras, including the Staff Band of the Norwegian Armed Forces, Tromsø Symphony Orchestra, Czech Philharmonic Orchestra Pardubice, Oslo Camerata, Norwegian Radio Orchestra, Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra and Arkhangelsk Chamber Orchestra. In 2003 and 2004 she studied with Malfred Hanssen at the Music Conservatory in Tromsø and was in 2004 admitted to the Talent Development Program at the Barratt Due Music Institute in Oslo. In 2008, at the age of 15, she was one of the youngest that has been accepted to the Bachelor’s program at the institute. From 2011 she studies with Ulf Wallin at Master’s Hochschule für Musik "Hanns Eisler" in Berlin. Miriam has won several competitions: In 2007, she won first prize at the International Kocian Violin Competition in the Czech Republic, where she was the overall winner and received the Grand Prix Laureate, EMCY Art for Music Prize for "excellent performance" and Bärenreiter Prize. The same year she won first prize in the national ensemble competition with the piano quintet Gullfiskene. She has won the Norwegian Music Competition for Youth four times in a row, was named Musician of the Year 2010 and participated recently in the prestigious Jean Sibelius Violin Competition 2010. Miriam has performed at numerous festivals, including the Bergen International Festival, Hannover Violin Festival, Oslo Chamber Music Festival, Hardanger Music Festival, Northern Lights Festival and Trondheim Chamber Music Festival. She has performed on TV and radio, including as a soloist with orchestra in the finale of the Virtuoso competition. Miriam plays here on a 1780 N. Gagliano violin, made available to her by Storebrand. Jan 2012
