Dan Styffe

Dan Styffe is a central figure in Norwegian musical life. Although born in Sweden, his professional career has been entirely based in Norway. He studied with Göran Nyberg and Knut Guettler, and later with Gary Karr at Hartt School of Music in the United States. He worked as Karr’s assistent in 1981-82 before his engagement as Principal Double Bass at the Norwegian Opera Orchestra in 1982. Five years later Styffe took a position as Co-Principal Bass with the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra . He also played many years with the Norwegian Chamber Orchestra and the chamber music ensemble Borealis. Styffe is Professor at the Norwegian Academy of Music and at Barratt Dues Institute of Music. He has worked in many Europen countries and in the US as a chamber-musician and as a soloist. He is a popular performer at many music festivals and has taken part in numerous CD recordings. He is also a popular guest at music conventions around the world, for example in Wroclaw, Paris, Berlin, Penn State and San Francisco, and often serves as member of juries in international solo competitions. Styffe has commissioned and premiered several solo and chamber works for bass as well as two concertos with orchestra. His solo CDs have received great critical acclaim.

Dan Styffe has commissioned a number of new pieces, and he works regularly with composes like Rolf Martinsson, Fredrik Högberg, Teppo Hauta-Aho, Bernard Salles, Paul Ramsier, Rune Rebme, Henrik Hellstenius, Jon Øyvind Ness, Gisle Kverndokk, John Persen, Asbjørn Schaatun, Ruben Sverre Gjertsen, Marcus Paus and Erlend Skumsvoll. He also performs regularly with many international musicians and some of his closest partners are violist Catherine Bullock, pianist Gonzalo Moreno and cellist Øystein Birkeland.

Dan Styffe plays a Gaspar da Salo double bass made in Brescia, Italy in the late 16th century, lent out by the foundation Dextra Musica.

March 2016