Peter Herresthal

Norwegian violinist Peter Herresthal (b.1970) is recognized as a brilliant and inspired performer of contemporary music for violin. He has given many international premieres and made award-winning recordings for BIS and Simax Classics.

Herresthal enjoys a close relationship with Denmark’s leading composer Per Nørgård and recordings of his violin concertos was released by BIS in 2012. Peter has also given the Norwegian and Spanish premieres of Thomas Adès’ violin concerto Concentric Paths, and gave the Australian premiere at the Melbourne Festival with the composer conducting. Future recording plans for BIS include the Dutilleux, Lutoslawski and Adès concertos with conductor Andrew Manze.

Peter has performed with orchestras including Melbourne Symphony, Rémix Ensemble, Orquesta de Navarra, Oslo Philharmonic, Bergen Philharmonic, Stavanger Symphony, Norwegian Radio Orchestra, Trondheim Symhony, Ensemble Ernst, Oslo Sinfonietta, BIT 20, and Grawemayer Players. He has performed at festivals including Louisville New Music Festival, Schleswig-Holstein, Mechlenburg Vorpommern, Risør, Nyyd Festival Balticum, Gaudeamus Festival Rotterdam, Kyoto Rohm, Stavanger, Oslo, ULTIMA and Magma Berlin.

Peter has been the recipient of several awards, including Norwegian Grammys for his recordings of Arne Nordheim’s violin concerto with Stavanger Symphony and Jon Øivind Ness’ violin concerto with Oslo Philharmonic, and the Norwegian Music Critics Award for his premiere of Olav Anton Thommessen’s violin concerto Bull’sEye with the Bergen Philharmonic at the 50th Bergen Festival in 2002.

Peter Herresthal is professor at the Norvegian Academy of Music Oslo and visiting professor at The Royal College of Music London. He will curate a concert series at the Bergen Festival from 2011 to 2014. Peter Herresthal performs on a GB Guadagnini violin from Milan 1753.

April 2011