Håkan Hardenberger is one of the world’s leading soloists, recognised for his phenomenal performances and innovation. He is also renowned as a pioneer of significant and virtuosic new trumpet works.
Hardenberger performs with the world’s finest orchestras, including the Berliner Philharmoniker, Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, Wiener Philharmoniker, Concertgebouworkest, London Symphony Orchestra, Boston Symphony Orchestra and Sydney Symphony Orchestra. Conductors he collaborates with include Alan Gilbert, Daniel Harding, Ingo Metzmacher, Andris Nelsons, Sir Simon Rattle, Sakari Oramo, François-Xavier Roth, Jukka-Pekka Saraste and John Storgårds.
Works written for and championed by Hardenberger stand as key highlights in the repertoire, including those by, Sir Harrison Birtwistle, Brett Dean, Helen Grime, HK Gruber, Hans Werner Henze, Betsy Jolas, György Ligeti, as well as Olga Neuwirth, Tōru Takemitsu, Jörg Widmann, Rolf Wallin and Mark-Anthony Turnage.
Notable engagements from the 2022/23 season include returning to Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, Oslo Philharmonic with Dima Slobodeniouk, Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden with Orozco-Estrada and Orchestre de la Suisse Romande with Daniel Harding. He returns to Elbphilharmonie Hamburg with WDR Symphony Orchestra with Widmann’s Trumpet Concerto and tours Germany with Amsterdam Sinfonietta. Hardenberger appears at Royal Stockholm Philharmonic’s Broström Festival, and at Tanglewood Festival. Hardenberger also continues his relationship at Grafenegg Academy with a mixture of concerts and teaching.
2021/22 saw extraordinary concerts as part of Hardenberger’s Birthday season, including the world premiere of Jörg Widmann’s Trumpet Concerto, co-commissioned by the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig and the Boston Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Andris Nelsons. He appeared as Artist in Portrait with the London Symphony Orchestra performing Betsy Jolas’ ‘Histoire Vraies’ with Sir Simon Rattle, returning for the world premiere of Helen Grime’s first Trumpet Concerto.
Conducting is an integral part of Hardenberger’s music making. Having led the Dresdner Philharmonie, Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, the Philharmonia, Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, Swedish Chamber Orchestra and Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra. This season Hardenberger returns to the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra with a play-direct programme. Key duo partnerships include pianist Roland Pöntinen and percussionist Colin Currie. With the latter Hardenberger released a recording featuring duo works by composers, Brett Dean and André Jolivet.
Hardenberger has a prolific discography. 2022 saw the release of his BIS collection of French trumpet concertos by Jolivet, Schmitt and Tomasi, which also includes the first commercial recording of Jolas’ ‘Onze Lieder’. He has also recorded for Deutsche Grammophon, Decca and EMI. From 2016 to 2018 Hardenberger was the Artistic Director of the Malmö Chamber Music Festival.
Hardenberger was born in Malmö, Sweden. He began studying the trumpet at the age of eight with Bo Nilsson in Malmö and continued his studies at the Paris Conservatoire, with Pierre Thibaud, and in Los Angeles with Thomas Stevens. He is a professor at the Malmö Conservatoire.
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