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A W A R D S

Biography_ENG

November issue 2016:

"DIAPASON d'Or découverte"

October 2016:

"Recording of the month"

February 2017:

"Editor's recommendation"

Norwegian Music Competition for Youth 2016/17:

"Musician of the year"

Norwegian Music Competition for Youth 2014/15:

1st Prize | Singers 10-15 years &

Norwegian Music Teachers' Association's Prize

Nomination 2016:

"Newcomer of the year and GRAMO-stipend"

B I O G R A P H Y

LANGUAGE

THE SHORT STORY

Before his voice changed to baritone, Aksel Rykkvin (b. 2003, Norway) was regarded as "the world's premier boy soprano", according to Swedish Radio P2. He recorded two critically appraised albums, "Aksel! Arias by Bach, Handel & Mozart" and "Light Divine: baroque music for treble and ensemble" on the Signum Classics label, and was nominated as Newcomer of the year for the Spellemannprisen award in Norway in 2017. After receiving gushing reviews for many major child roles both at the mainstage of the Norwegian Opera & Ballet and in the Children's Chorus, he had his international debut in Paris in September 2017 at the Opéra Comique as "Anthony" in "Miranda".

Starting out as a chorister in Oslo Cathedral Boys' Choir, Aksel has sung several solo concerts as well as performed as a soloist with the foremost Norwegian classical musicians and orchestras, including the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra and Arve Tellefsen. He has performed in major tv and radio shows in Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands and UK and has reached millions through YouTube and Facebook. After his voice changed in the autumn of 2017, he continued training with his main voice teacher Marianne Lewis, through the classical music talent program run by Majorstuen school and Barratt Due Institute of Music in Oslo. A budding baritone at 15 years, he has already performed the lead role in the children's opera "Purriot and the Case of the Missing Bronze Horse", sung several concerts at the Fjord Classics chamber music festival and the baritone solo parts in Brahms' "Ein deutsches Requiem".

Aksel has had the pleasure to work as a soloist with many musicians and ensembles: 

Albert Noven

Alison Bury

Amalie Stalheim

Arve Tellefsen

Bernhard Greter

Bjarne Magnus Jensen

Bjarte Engeset

Christian Eggen

Christian Ihle Hadland

Daniel Migdal

David Blackadder

David Huang

David Maiwald

Fredrik Anderberg

Helene Haarr

Henning Kraggerud

Håkon Nystedt

Håvard Gimse

Inga Lohne-Otterstad

Ingar Bergby

Ivar Anton Waagaard

Joachim Knoph

John Lidal

Knut Erik Sundquist

Knut Johannessen

Kåre Nordstoga

Lars Anders Tomter

Lars Notto Birkeland

Lazar Miletic

Liv Hilde Klokk

Liv Marie Hofseth

 

Louisa Tuck

Louise Agnani

Magne H. Draagen

Maria Angelika Carlsen

Marianne Thorsen

Marius Kvits

Marcus André Berg

Mark Bennett

Mark Tatlow

Mathis Manger Winther

Max Nyberg

Michael Grolid

Natallia Papova

Nigel Short

Ole Christian Haagenrud

Olav Morten Wang

Olof Ander

Peder A. Rensvik

Raphaël Pichon

Rolf Lislevand

Ruth Anderberg

Sandra Lied Haga

Sean Lewis

Sidsel Walstad

Sigmund Groven

Simen Kraggerud

Stephen Hicks

Steven Devine

Terje Kvam

Tore Dingstad

Tore Erik Mohn

Urban Westerlund

Vegar Johnsen

Vegard Sandholt

Victoria W. Lewis

Vivianne Sydnes

Ågot Sagbakken

double bass

violin

violincello

violin

piano

violin

conduction

conduction

piano

violin

trumpet

piano

conduction, piano

violin

song

violin

conduction

piano

song

conduction

piano

piano

piano

double bass

harpsichord

organ

viola

conduction, organ

viola

violin

conduction, organ, piano

violincello

violincello

conduction, organ

violin

violin

piano

organ

conduction, trumpet

conduction, harpsichord

song

piano

viola

piano

conduction

piano

conduction

viola

conduction

conduction

lute

violin

cello

piano

harp

harmonica

piano

piano

conduction,

harpsichord

conduction, organ

piano

conduction

harpsichord

violin

conduction, organ

violin

conduction

trumpet

Barokkanerne

Ensemble Allegria

Ensemble Pygmalion

Fuse

IRIS Chamber Orchestra

Lilla Akademien Baroque Orchestra

MiNensemblet

Norwegian Chamber Orchestra

Norwegian National Youth Orchestra

Norwegian Radio Orchestra

Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment

Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra

Oslofjord Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra

Scaramuccia Ensemble

Trondheim Barokk

Trondheim Soloists

Cantate Domino

Kristiansund Chamber Choir

Nidaros Cathedral Choir

Nordstrand Church Choir

Oslo Cathedral Choir

Røros Oratorio Choir

THE LONG STORY

Norwegian classical singer Aksel Rykkvin (b. 2003) recorded his debut album as a treble with the world renowned Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment at just twelve years old. Aksel! Arias by Bach, Handel & Mozart (2016) was awarded a ‘DIAPASON d'Or découverte’, and BBC Music Magazine named him as one of the ‘six best child prodigies’ in classical music. Aksel was nominated as ‘Newcomer of the year’ at the Spellemannprisen awards in Norway in 2017. Aksel has performed at numerous concerts and festivals all over Norway, including the first edition of Fjord Classics and Oslo Chamber Music Festival. In 2017, he opened the Stockholm Early Music Festival and performed at the Klassiek op het Amstelveld in Amsterdam. He has performed regularly on radio or tv in Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands and the UK, including Scandinavia’s biggest talkshow, ‘Skavlan’, Norwegian ‘Lindmo’ and BBC Radio 3 ‘In tune’. Aksel has sung for the Norwegian Royal family on several occasions, including at the 80 years anniversary party of the King and Queen with a host of European royalty present. He has worked with the Oslo Philharmonic, the Norwegian Chamber Orchestra, Arve Tellefsen, Henning Kraggerud, Håvard Gimse, Christian Ihle Hadland, Lars Anders Tomter, Rolf Lislevand, Sigmund Groven and many more of the most prominent Norwegian orchestras, musicians and conductors. Aksel is something of an international phenomenon in social media, with millions of video views on YouTube and Facebook.

 

At 13 years old Aksel won the National Norwegian Music Competition for Youth, which is open to classical musicians and singers up to age 22.

 

Aksel is already a merited soloist at the Norwegian National Opera. The Financial Times described him as “freakishly good” in his first main stage role as ‘the Boy’ in Rolf Wallin’s Elysium. He dazzled critics further as ‘Yniold’ in Debussy’s Pélleas et Mélisande, a performance that ResMusica called ‘unsurpassable’. In September 2017 Aksel made his international opera debut at Opéra Comique in Paris, as ‘Anthony’ in Katie Mitchell and Raphaël Pichon’s Miranda.

 

Since June 2016, Aksel has collaborated regularly with baroque trumpeter Mark Bennett for concerts together with various Norwegian orchestras, some of which have been broadcast on NRK. After a concert series with the MiN Ensemble in Nordland, the artistic leader Lazar Miletic invited Aksel and Mark to record a baroque album which was released in March 2018 on Signum Classics (London). The Guardian wrote that the soprano arias “suit young Rykkvin’s pure tone and mature musicianship to perfection”.

 

Aksel still sings in Oslo Cathedral Boys’ Choir where he started out receiving training as a five-year-old from voice teacher Helene Haarr. When he started singing in the Children’s Chorus of the Norwegian National Opera at the age of ten, Aksel began singing studies with his present main voice teacher Marianne Lewis both in the opera and in the classical music talent class at Majorstuen school in Oslo. Aksel and Marianne have been invited to international voice teacher conferences in Stockholm and New York to present their work. Aksel’s voice changed in the late autumn of 2017. He has surprised everyone with a fast transition to baritone and is heading towards a continued career as a classical and opera singer.

C U R R I C U L U M  V I T A E

A K S E L  R Y K K V I N

Born 11.04.2003

 

Contact Rikard Rykkvin (Aksel's father/manager):

mobile: +47 91 75 56 52
rikryk@gmail.com

Background

 

Aksel Rykkvin is a 13 years old award-winning, classically trained boy soprano with extensive soloist and choir experience from the Children's Chorus of the Norwegian National Opera and Oslo Cathedral Boys' Choir from the age of five years. He is the most requested boy soloist in Norway for operas, festivals and concerts, has a large following in social media, and is becoming more and more recognized internationally. In 2017 he won the Norwegian Music Competition for Youth. Aksel's first solo album, recorded with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment in London, was released in September 2016 on Signum Classics. It was celebrated by critics in international magazines, received awards such as Diapason d'Or découverte, and led to a "Spellemann" award nomination for Aksel as "Newcomer of the Year".

Awards

Norwegian Music Competion for Youth 2014 | Norwegian Academy of Music

23.11.2014 | Winner of category: singers, 10 – 15 years (25 out of 25 points)

 

Norwegian Music Competion for Youth 2014 | Norwegian Academy of Music

23.11.2014 | Winner of Norwegian Music Teachers' Association's Prize

MusicWeb International

31.10.2016 | Recording of the month

Diapason magazine

23.11.2016 | Diapason d'Or Découverte

Norwegian Music Competion for Youth 2016/17 | Norwegian Academy of Music

21.01.2017 | Overall winner: "Musician of the year"

Education

 

Majorstuen school ("Music at Majorstuen") 2015 -

Primary and secondary school offering music education in conjunction with Barratt Due Institute of Music. for talents within classical music.

 

Voice teacher 2013 - :       Marianne Willumsen Lewis  (Music at Majorstuen & Children's Chorus of the Norwegian National Opera & Ballet)

Voice teacher 2009 - :      Helene Haarr                           (Oslo Cathedral Boys' Choir)

Voice teacher 2010 - 11:   Ulrika Löfgren                          (Oslo Cathedral Boys' Choir)

Voice teacher 2012:           Daniel Sæther                          (Oslo Cathedral Boys' Choir)

Selected concert performances

 

In dulci jubilo Christmas concerts| Oslo Cathedral

Dec 2011 – Dec 2014 | with Oslo Cathedral Boys' Choir, Oslo Cathedral Choir, etc

 

Oslo International Church Music Festival | St. Margaret's Church, Oslo (NRK)

30.03.2014 | with Oslo Cathedral Boys' Choir, conducted by Vegar Sandholt

 

Solo concert | Oslo Cathedral

25.10.2014 | with Cathedral organist Kåre Nordstoga

 

Private event | House of the Norwegian Music Teachers' Association, Oslo

05.12.2014 | with pianist Sean Lewis

 

Private event | Bærum Waldorf School

10.01.2015 | with harmonica player Sigmund Groven and pianist Ivar Anton Waagard

 

Good Friday service| Nidaros Cathedral, Trondheim

05.04.2015 | with Nidaros Cathedral Choir, conducted by Tore Erik Mohn

 

Solo concert | Nidaros Cathedral, Tondheim

05.04.2015 | with principal cathedral organist Magne H. Draagen

 

Funeral of Carl Nesjar | Bøler Church, Oslo

02.06.2015 | with violinist Arve Tellefsen and pianist Erling Strøm

 

Congress | Norwegian National Opera, Main House

16.06.2015 | with pianist David Maiwald

 

Memorial service | Oslo Cathedral (NRK)

22.07.2015 | with Oslo Cathedral Choir, conducted by Vivianne Sydnes

 

Award ceremony of Anders Jahre's culture prize | University Aula, Oslo

03.09.2016 | with pianist Tore Dingstad

 

KKKK festival | Molde Cathedral and Kirkelandet Church

12. & 13.09.2015 | with Kristiansund Chamber Choir, conducted by Peder Rensvik

 

Røros Organ Festival | Røros Church

21.09.2015 | with Røros Chamber Choir, conducted by Stephen Hicks

 

Mozart "Kleine orgelsolomesse" | Røa Church and Nordstrand Church

24. & 25.09.2015 | with Oslo Cathedral Boys' Choir etc., conducted by Liv Marie Hofseth

 

Solo concert | Oslo Cathedral

31.10.2015 | with cathedral organist Kåre Nordstoga

 

Film concert | Oslo Concert Hall

21.11.2015 | with the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Håkon Nystedt

 

Christmas concert | Elverum Church

22.12.2015 | with violinist Victoria Lewis and Cantate Domino and, conducted by Ole Andreas Fevang

 

Album recording | St. Augustine's Church, Kilburn

17. - 22.01.2016 | with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, conducted by Nigel Short, produced by Sean Lewis

Good Friday service | Nordstrand Church, Oslo (NRK)

25.03.2016 | with Nordstrand Church Choir, conducted by Liv Marie Hofseth

 

Reception dinner (Minister of Labour and Social Inclusion Anniken Hauglie) | Government representation rooms

06.04.2016 | with violinist Victoria Lewis, pianist Sean Lewis

Youth help youth | Barratt Due Institute of Music

07.04.2016 | with pianist Natallia Papova

Mass | Oslo Cathedral

24.04.2016 | with cathedral organist Kåre Nordstoga

 

Launch concert Oslo Chamber Music Festival | Villa Grande, Bygdøy

10.05.2016 | with violinist Arve Tellefsen and pianist Håvard Gimse

Concert | Lady Chapel, Ely Cathedral (England)

12.05.2016 | with cathedral organist Kåre Nordstoga and Oslo Cathedral Boys' Choir

Concert | St. Mark's Church, Newnham, Cambridge (England)

13.05.2016 | with cathedral organist Kåre Nordstoga and Oslo Cathedral Boys' Choir

Concert | St. George's Church, Chesterton, Cambridge (England)

14.05.2016 | with cathedral organist Kåre Nordstoga and Oslo Cathedral Boys' Choir

Launch concert Oslo Chamber Music Festival | Lysøen, Bergen

19.05.2016 | with violinist Arve Tellefsen and pianist Håvard Gimse

Concert | Furuset church

22.05.2016 | with pianist Sean Lewis

 

Abel Prize banquet | Olav V's hall, Akershus Castle

24.05.2016 | with pianist Sean Lewis

Catholic mass | Trinity Church

29.05.2016 | with Oslo Cathedral Boys' Choir, Trinity Church Girls' Choir, Oslofjord Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra

Bach at mass (BWV51) | Akershus Castle Church

05.06.2016 | with composite orchestra, conducted by Lars Notto Birkeland

​Concert | Akershus Castle Church

05.06.2016 | with composite orchestra, conducted by Lars Notto Birkeland

 

Memorial concert for Turid Birkeland | Risør Chamber Music Festival, Risør Church

02.07.2016 | with harpsichordist Knut Johannessen

Outdoor concert | Risør Chamber Music Festival, Stangholmen

02.07.2016 | with the Norwegian Chamber Orchestra and violinist Henning Kraggerud

Handel concert | Oslo Chamber Music Festival, Olav V's Hall, Akershus Castle

21.08.2016 | with Trondheim Barokk and harpsichordist Steven Devine

Gala concert | Oslo Chamber Music Festival, Gamle Logen

25.08.2016 | with pianist Håvard Gimse

Bach Night | Oslo Chamber Music Festival, Uranienborg Church

26.08.2016 | with Ensemble Allegria, trumpeter Mark Bennett and cathedral organist Kåre Nordstoga

 

Concert project Majorstuen school | Norwegian Academy of Music

01.09.2016 | with trumpeter Ågot Sandbakken 

Music at Majorstuen concert | Oslo Culture Night, Gamle Logen

16.09.2016 | with trumpeter Ågot Sandbakken

Besides these, numerous other soloist performances 2011  - 16 in Oslo Cathedral, Trinity Church, St. Olav's Cathedral, Nidaros Cathedral, University of Oslo Library, Norwegian Academy of Music, Majorstuen school, Frognerhjemmet, as well as the churches of Old Aker, Eidsvoll, Nes, Ljan, Nordstrand, Kampen and Lilleborg.

 

 

Upcoming selected soloist appearances:

 

Faure's Requiem | Oslo Cathedral

05.11.2016 and 06.11.2016 | with Oslo Cathedral Choir and Oslofjord Chamber Philarmonic Orchestra

Opera roles

 

La bohème | The National Norwegian Opera (DNO), Main house

Feb 2014 | ”A boy”

 

The Tempest – The story about Miranda and Ferdinand | DNO, Scene 2

June 2014 | ”The Spider”

 

Cinderella – a children's opera | DNO, Scene 2

Nov 2014 | ”The Herold”

 

Snow White – a children's opera | DNO, Scene 2

May 2015 | ”Petter” (The Prince)

 

Der Jasager - He who says "Yes" | DNO, Scene 2

Nov 2015 | ”The Boy” (title role)

 

Elysium | DNO, Main House | Directed by David Pountney

Apr 2016 | ”The Boy”

Pelléas et Mélisande | DNO, Main House | Directed by Barbora Horáková Joly

March/April 2017 | "Yniold"

Tosca | DNO, Main House | Directed by Calixto Bieito

June/Aug 2017 | "Eduardo" (A Shepherd Boy)

Miranda | Opéra Comique | Directed by Katie Mitchell

Sept/Oct 2017 | "Anthony"

Other roles

Cygne (ballet) | DNO, Main House

June 2016 | "The Child"

Frozen Songs (dance performance) | Zero Visibility Corp

2017-19 | Pre-recorded video of Purcell's "The Cold Song"

TV and radio soloist performances

 

Artist gala | TV2

14.12.2013

July 22th Memorial service | NRK1

22.07.2015

Spillerom | NRK P2

04.12.2015

 

God Morgen Norge julaften | TV2

24.12.2015

 

Hovedscenen | NRK2

31.01.2016 (several re-runs)

In Tune | BBC Radio 3

09.09.2016

Lindmo | NRK1

17.09.2016

Activities

 

Oslo Cathedral Boys' Choir

Member since March 2009

 

Children’s Chorus of the Norwegian National Opera & Ballet

Member since October 2013

 

Choir and chamber choir - Music at Majorstuen

Member since August 2015

Recordings

 

Video recordings of songs (including TV recordings from NRK and TV2) can be watched by visiting Aksel's popular channels at YouTube and Vimeo:

 

www.youtube.com/c/akseljohannesskramstadrykkvin

www.vimeo.com/ajsrykkvin (older videos)

LANGUAGE

CV_ENG
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