There is a unique power to the way Kristina Vårlid (24) is making music. On this album is an abundance of music for guitar from the past 100 years – leaving you wanting for more. Supported by outstanding technique and strong musical instincts, Kristina’s debut recording is a treat.
Outstanding guitar music from the past 100 years
Agustin Barrios Mangoré (1885-1944) from Paraguay had an adventurous life as a traveling guitar virtuoso. He wrote ’La Catedral’ after a visit to the San José cathedral in Montevideo, and the parts of the piece were first performed in 1921. Antonio José (1902-1936) from Spain had a scintillating talent for composing – praised by Ravel at the time – but was executed during the Spanish Civil War. Malcolm Arnold (1921-2006) wrote his Fantasy for the incomparable Julian Bream. The title piece for Kristina’s debut is written by Leo Brouwer (1939), born in Cuba and with a career as composer, guitarist and conductor. The Russian composer Sergey Rudnev (1955) has written a large number of pieces which try to rescue his native country’s folk and popular song tradition in a classical guitar format. ‘The Old Lime Tree’ comes from an urban tradition of romance singing.
Concerts around Europe
This summer Kristina has a tight schedule of concerts, and among the highlights we find:
28 May: Festival Chitarristico "Mario Castelnuovo Tedesco", Treviso, Italia
7 June: Concert in Eelde, Netherland
8 June: Concert in Groningen, Netherland
11 June: Concert in Bergen, Norway
16 June: Enkhuizen Gitaarfestival, Netherland
Last part of June: Festival de guitarra Joaquín Rodrigo Quartell, Valencia, Spania
Beginning of August: Grachtenfestival, Amsterdam, Nederland
Kristina Vårlid
Kristina Vårlid (b. 1994) from Stavanger, Norway, is already an internationally acclaimed classical guitarist after winning several competitions and awards – among them 1st prize in Antwerpen International Guitar Competition 2017 and the Koblenz International Guitar Academy Award in 2018. Winning the Grachtenfestival Conservatorium concours in 2017, Kristina was also named best music student in The Netherlands that year, and became a part of the prestigious «Walk of Fame» at the Hanze University in Groningen in 2018. Kristina is very passionate about performing and thrives being on stage where she feels a very strong connection with the audience. She has performed in several major halls including The Royal Concertgebouw in Amsterdam. Kristina Vårlid has also performed as a soloist with Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra and Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra, as well as performances on national TV and radio in The Netherlands. In 2013 she started her bachelor at The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland studying with professor Allan Neave, continuing in 2014 at the Prince Claus Conservatoire in Groningen with Sabrina Vlaskalic as her teacher, completing her bachelor degree in 2017 with the highest mark and cum laude. Kristina has continued her studies in Oslo with the artist diploma degree at the Norwegian Academy of Music with Professors Erik Stenstadvold and Otto Tolonen.
