Samuelsen siblings to perform at Carnegie Hall
The young siblings Mari (20) and Håkon Samuelsen (23) are the
only Norwegians selected to perform at the prestigious "Passion of
Music" concert at Carnegie Hall on June 5. "A great honor,"
says Håkon Samuelsen.
Not many Norwegians are granted an opportunity to perform at Carnegie
Hall. It's therefore something of a sensation that violinist Mari and
cellist Håkon are bound for the famous music hall in New York.
"Mari and Håkon are two exceptional musicians," says
Michael Rossman, who is behind the concert as part of the American Association
for Development of the Gifted and Talented (AADGT).
"We're proud to be able to invite them."
Dream come true
The annual concert is held as an opportunity for young talents to perform
on one of the world's most famous stages. AADGT, a non-profit organization,
has since its foundation in 1993 helped more than 30 young artists on
their way.
"To perform at Carnegie Hall is something every musician hopes to
do at some point," says Mari Samuelsen. "To be able to play
there at such a young age is a dream come true."
The siblings originally hails from Furnes in Hedmark, north of Oslo.
These days, however, they divide their time between classes and concerts
in Cologne and Oslo.
Both siblings are currently performing with extremely fine instruments
from Cremona, home of some of the world's finest string instruments. Mari
plays on a Lorenzo Storioni violin from 1790, kindly on loan from Morten
Bergesen d.y. and Snefonn. Håkon plays on a Francesco Ruggeri cello
from 1688, kindly on loan from the Kistefos Foundation.
Four million listeners
The concert at Carnegie Hall is not the only opportunity for American
audiences to experience the Norwegian siblings. On Saturday, May 28 the
two will perform in front of an audience of 7,000 at the Wolf Trap outside
Washington, DC as part of Garrison Keillor's "A Prairie Home Companion."
It is estimated that around 4 million people listen to the show each week.
Mari and Håkon will also be performing at the Norwegian Seamen's
Mission in New York and at a private venue on Long Island during their
trip to the United States.
The two-week tour is one of the highlights of a very busy summer season
for the two musicians. In July, both siblings will perform at the highly
prestigious Radio France Festival. They will also perform at the Verbier
Academy in Switzerland. The two will also perform several times in their
native Norway, with concerts in places like Kristiansand, Stavern, Bergen
and Hadeland.
For more information on the Carnegie Hall concert, please see the following
websites:
www.aadgt.com
www.carnegiehall.org
www.norway.org |
