Håkan Hardenberger

Håkan Hardenberger is esteemed for his performances of the classical repertoire and as a pioneer of noteworthy and virtuosic new trumpet works, including those written for him by Sir Harrison Birtwistle, Brett Dean, HK Gruber, and Mark-Anthony Turnage. Two world premieres feature in Mr. Hardenberger’s 2021-2022 season: JörgWidmann’s Towards Paradise (Labyrinth VI), which he performed with the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig and Andris Nelsons in September, and Helen Grime’s new trumpet concerto, which he performs next spring to begin his “Artist Portrait” with the London Symphony Orchestra. In October 2021 the Hardenberger International Trumpet Competition was announced in celebration of Mr. Hardenberger’s 60th birthday. Jointly organized by Malmö Live Konserthus/Malmö Symphony Orchestra and the Danish Broadcasting Corporation/Danish National Symphony Orchestra, its inaugural competition takes place in October 2023. Further birthday commemorations included performances with Malmö Symphony Orchestra and conductor and friend Fabien Gabel, playing Betsy Jolas’s OnzeLieder and Florent Schmitt’s Suite for Trumpet and Orchestra at Malmö Live Concert Hall, where he has been honorary artist since 2019. Mr. Hardenberger is also a conductor and has held residencies and collaborations with the Philharmonia Orchestra, WDR Sinfonieorchester, Dresdner Philharmonie, Swedish Chamber Orchestra, and Malmö Symphony Orchestra. Conducting highlights this season include concerts with the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic, Real Orquesta Sinfónica de Sevilla, Swedish Chamber Orchestra, and Seoul Philharmonic, the latter as part of his “Artist in Focus” with the orchestra. He has also conducted orchestral brass sections including the BSO’s. From 2016 to 2018 he was artistic director of the Malmö Chamber Music Festival. Born in Malmö, Sweden, he began studying the trumpet at age 8 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. Håkan Hardenberger made his BSO debut in January 2012 as soloist in the American premiere of Mark-Anthony Turnage’s From the Wreckage with Marcelo Lehninger conducting, subsequently appearing with Andris Nelsons and the BSO as soloist in Rolf Martinsson’s Bridge and the American premiere of Brett Dean’s Dramatis Personae as well as tour performances in London, Lucerne, and Cologne. In July 2017 at Tanglewood he performed Turnage’s From the Wreckage with Maestro Nelsons and the Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra and, joined by BSO principal trumpet Thomas Rolfs, the composer’s Dispelling the Fears for two trumpets and orchestra. His most recent appearances with the BSO were as soloist in HK Gruber’s Aerial at Symphony Hall in November 2018 and at Tanglewood in July 2019.