Kjell Bækkelund

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Kjell Bækkelund

Kjell Martin Bækkelund (born May 6, 1930 in Oslo ; † May 13, 2004 there ) was a Norwegian pianist .

Life

Bækkelund attended the Oslo Conservatory from 1935 to 1944 , where Nicolai Dirdal , later Ivar Johnson, was his piano teacher. At the age of eight he performed Joseph Haydn's Piano Concerto in D major with the orchestra of the Philharmonic Society . After the Second World War he went to Stockholm, where he was a student of Gottfrid Boon for several years . Early on he was particularly interested in contemporary Scandinavian music and, in addition to the standard repertoire of the Baroque , Classical and Romantic periods, played works by composers such as Carl Nielsen , Hilding Rosenberg , Karl-Birger Blomdahl , Klaus Egge and Arne Dørumsgaard .

In the 1950s, Bækkelund continued his training with Bruno Seidlhofer in Vienna and Ilona Kabos in London and attended master classes by Hans Richter-Haaser and Wilhelm Kempff . A concert tour planned by Eugene Ormandy with him to the USA failed because of the McCarthyism prevailing at the time. Since the 1960s he has given concerts around the world, introducing numerous new works by contemporary composers.

In addition, Bækkelund wrote articles on cultural policy for the Morgenposten (1953–55), the Arbeiderbladet (1955–60) and Verdens Gang (1963–78) and wrote several books ( Tramp i klaveret , 1982; På gjennomreise , 1989; Edv. Grieg. Et vårvær Ms. nord , 1995). From 1955 to 1965 he was chairman of the Arbeiderpartiet cultural committee , from 1959 to 1964 a member of the board of Ny Musikk and from 1965 to 1972 a member of the Norwegian cultural council. For his services he was appointed commander of the Saint Olav Order in 1995. He also received the Janáček Medal and the Russian Friendship Medal and was honored as commander of the Swedish North Star Order and the Order of the Lion of Finland and Knight of the Dannebrogden .

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personal data
SURNAME Bækkelund, Kjell
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Bækkelund, Kjell Martin (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Norwegian pianist
DATE OF BIRTH May 6, 1930
PLACE OF BIRTH Oslo
DATE OF DEATH May 13, 2004
Place of death Oslo