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The is a Norwegian pianist, Geir Henning Braaten, studied piano in Oslo with Nicolai Dirdal from age 5, and later with Robert Riefling, both at the Oslo Conservatory of Music. He also studies in France with Yvonne Lefébure, with Bruno Seidlhofer in Vienna and some others in Spain. In 1967 he won 1st prize at the Prinsesse Astrid Cmpetition for young Norwegian pianists at Trondheim. He is also prize-winner at the Concours Debussy in St-Germain-en-Laye, France in 1977, and First Medalist at the Concurso Maria Canals in Barcelone, Spain in 1972.
Since his Oslo debut in 1966, Geir Henning Braaten has been one of Norway’s most frequently used pianists. He has given concerts throughout Norway as well as most other European countries. In addition to that, he has done several extensive tours in the Far East, with concerts in Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Singapore and Taiwan. International engagements have also brought him to Brazil, Mexico, The Middle East, Australia, The Seychelles and Africa. He has also performed many times in the USA, both as recitalist and as soloist with symphony orchestras.
During his long carreer, Geir Henning Braaten has collaborated with many well known conductors like Moshe Atzmon, Aldo Ceccato, Arvids and Mariss Jansons, Mauricio Kagel, Ken-Ichiro Kobayashi, Tadaaki Otaka, Arturo Tamayo, Walter Weller or Sir David Willcocks just to mention a few. He has also performed with orchestras like Oslo Philharmonic, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Tokyo Symphony, Sarajevo Philharmonic, Orquesta Sinfónica de RTVE together with other orchestras in Norway, Sweden, Russia, Poland, Japan, Turkey and the USA. He has performed on Hong Kong radio and played with the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra. His complete edition of Grieg gave rise to concerts with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. He has had success with Aaron Røsand .
In collaboration with a Norwegian chamber orchestra, Geir Henning Braaten played all Mozart’s piano concerti in connection with the Mozart jubilee in 1991. Later he did the same with L.v. Beethoven’s complete works for piano and orchestra. During the 250th anniversary of J.S. Bach’s death, he performed many J.S. Bach concerts and recitals in Norway, in the USA and in the Seychelles. Braaten has always been praised for his beautiful sound and profound musicality. His interest in contemporary music has inspired many composers to write specifically for him.
Geir Henning Braaten is an associate professor at the Norwegian Academy of Music and lives in Blylaget.
Geir Henning Braaten has a long and extensive discography. Essential is his recording of Grieg’s complete music for solo piano on 12 CD’s for Victoria record company. This received the award “Best Special Edition” by Reed Midem Organizations at Cannes, France in January 1995. His last CD: “Xmas Greetings from the Piano”, received very good critics. He received Gammleng Award in 1997 in the "Classic" category. |
