Mari Samuelsen

In Mari Samuelsen's musical world, there are no boundaries between the music of contemporary composers like Max Richter, Caroline Shaw, Philip Glass, and Arvo Pärt, and that of Bach, Beethoven, and Vivaldi. With her artistic skill and imaginative programming and presentation, she captivates audiences worldwide. The Norwegian violinist's emotional playing, coupled with flawless technique and thoughtful experimentation, makes her broad repertoire even more fascinating. Now in demand worldwide for concerts and recitals, Mari Samuelsen has performed in many leading international concert halls, including Carnegie Hall in New York, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, the Philharmonie de Paris, the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées, the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg, the Konzerthaus Berlin, Victoria Hall in Geneva, the Tonhalle Zurich, the Barbican Centre and Queen Elizabeth Hall in London, and the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. Her popularity and appeal to new listeners are remarkable – for instance, the YouTube video of her performance of "Summer" from Vivaldi's The Four Seasons has garnered over 40 million views to date. Mari regularly collaborates with composer Max Richter. She is the soloist in the premiere recording of Three Worlds – Music from Woolf Works by Deutsche Grammophon and performed Richter's "November" at the DG120 concert in Beijing's Forbidden City in October 2018. In February 2020, she participated in the world premiere of Richter's Voices at the Barbican Centre in London and has since performed the work in London, at the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff, and at the Bluedot Festival at the Jodrell Bank Observatory. Her projects include collaborations with artists such as Jeff Mills, Dubfire, and Philipp Geist, as well as her groundbreaking explorations of modern art and classical music at the Yellow Lounge in Oslo. "I always found it exciting not to do what is expected," she says. "My desire is to create new and innovative programs for music lovers – without regard for genre." This intention is clearly reflected in Mari's discography with Deutsche Grammophon. After signing an exclusive contract with the label in January 2019, her first DG recording, MARI, was released in June of that year. In addition to the Chaconne from J. S. Bach's Partita No. 2 for solo violin and "Knee Play 2" from Philip Glass's Einstein on the Beach, the album features compositions by Brian Eno, Max Richter, Jóhann Jóhannsson, and Peter Gregson. In 2020, Mari released two singles on the yellow label: Moonlight, an adaptation of the first movement of Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata," and an arrangement of Ludovico Einaudi's Una mattina – both accompanied by performance videos. This was followed in 2021 by a new version of the Scandinavian Christmas carol Mitt hjerte alltid vanker ("My heart always wanders") on the DG album Winter Tales. Mari Samuelsen's next album for Deutsche Grammophon explored life and light with a courageous selection of dynamic and original music. The program of Lys (Norwegian for "Light") features works by 13 female composers – from Hildegard von Bingen to Hildur Guðnadóttir – combining specially commissioned pieces with new arrangements of existing music. The album was released to critical acclaim in May 2022 ("This dynamic collection gains cohesion from the skillful arrangements and nuanced recordings, as well as Samuelsen's consistently superb playing" – A Closer Listen). The experience of becoming a mother shapes LIFE, her third DG album, which will be released digitally and on LP in August 2024. It musically reflects, through virtuosic interpretations, the diverse emotions that can accompany parenthood, presenting music by Olivia Belli, Bryce Dessner, Ludovico Einaudi, Nils Frahm, Jóhann Jóhannsson, Mário Laginha, Hania Rani, Max Richter, Steve Reich, and Franz Schubert. Mari Samuelsen was born in 1984 in Hamar, located south of the Olympic city of Lillehammer and on the shore of Norway's largest lake. She began violin lessons at the age of three. She continued her studies with Arve Tellefsen. At 14, she entered the renowned Barratt Due Institute of Music in Oslo and subsequently studied for almost ten years with Zakhar Bron at the Zurich University of the Arts. In November 2014, she premiered James Horner's Double Concerto for Violin, Cello, and Orchestra and recorded the work as the centerpiece of the album Pas de Deux, released by Mercury Classics (Universal Music). Mari's first solo album, 2017's Nordic Noir, creates a mysterious atmosphere with haunting music, reminiscent of TV series like The Killing, The Bridge, and Broadchurch. Both albums reached number 1 and 2 respectively on the Norwegian pop charts. 6/2024