BIOGRAPHY
Aksel Rykkvin (b. 2003) is an award-winning Norwegian baritone based in London. He has sung classical music from a young age, and had an illustrious career as the "world's premier boy soprano" (Swedish Radio P2).
Aksel Rykkvin (b. 2003) is an award-winning Norwegian baritone based in London. He is studying for a BMus in voice under Prof. Mark Wildman at the Royal Academy of Music 2022-26, with a prestigious ABRSM scholarship. He received several accolades in 2023 and 2024, including third place in the Joan Chissell/Rex Stephens Schumann Lieder Prize, Second Prize and the Song Prize at the Kathleen Ferrier Society Bursary for Young Singers, and Most Promising Young Singer at the Somerset Song Prize. Aksel and duo partner pianist Zany Denyer were ‘Leeds Lieder Young Artists’ in 2024.
At twelve, Aksel’s treble début album with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment received rave reviews. Both his solo albums reached the UK Classical chart top 10. He had an international career as the 'world's premier boy soprano' (Swedish Radio P2), and performed extensively as a treble soloist at concerts, operas, festivals, on radio and TV in Norway, Sweden, France, the Netherlands and the UK. As Yniold in Pelléas et Mélisande in Oslo he was hailed as ‘unsurpassable’ (ResMusica), and later he impressed at the Opéra Comique in Paris as Anthony in Miranda.
Aksel has performed as a baritone soloist at festivals, concerts and operas in Norway, Sweden, UK, Austria and Germany. At Christian Gerhaher and Gerold Huber’s Lied festival in 2023, Neue Zürcher Zeitung praised his ‘voice as beautiful as blood and milk' and Deutschlandfunk radio commended his 'extremely clear diction'.
In August 2024, Aksel will re-visit Oslo Chamber Music Festival for two concerts.
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BIOGRAPHY - NORWEGIAN VERSION:
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Aksel Rykkvin (f. 2003) er en ung prisbelønnet norsk baryton med base i London. Han studerer under prof. Mark Wildman ved Royal Academy of Music 2022-26, med et prestisjefylt stipend fra ABRSM. Han mottok flere utmerkelser i Storbritannia i 2023 og 2024, inkludert tredjepris i Joan Chissell/Rex Stephens Schumann Lieder Prize, andrepris og sangprisen i Kathleen Ferrier Society Bursary for Young Singers, og Mest Lovende Unge Sanger i Somerset Song Prize. Aksel og duettpartner Zany Denyer (piano) var ‘Leeds Lieder Young Artists’ i 2024.
Som tolvårig guttesopran fikk Aksels debutalbum med Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment strålende anmeldelser. Begge hans soloalbum nådde topp 10 på den britiske klassiske hitlisten. Han hadde en internasjonal karriere som 'verdens fremste guttesopran' (Svensk Radio P2), og opptrådte bredt som solist på konserter, operaer, festivaler, radio og TV i Norge, Sverige, Frankrike, Nederland og Storbritannia. Som Yniold i Pelléas et Mélisande i Oslo ble han hyllet som ‘uovertruffen’ (ResMusica), og senere imponerte han ved Opéra Comique i Paris som Anthony i Miranda.
Aksel har sunget som barytonsolist på festivaler, konserter og operaer i Norge, Sverige, Storbritannia, Østerrike og Tyskland. Under Christian Gerhaher og Gerold Hubers Lied-festival i 2023, roste Neue Zürcher Zeitung ham for en ‘stemme like vakker som melk og blod', og Deutschlandfunk radio berømmet hans 'ekstremt klare diksjon'.
I 2024 gjester Aksel nok en gang Oslo kammermusikkfestival på to konserter.
Updated May 2024