Tine Thing Helseth....

Biography Tine Thing Helseth - Trumpet

Born in 1987, Tine belongs to a new generation of Norwegian soloists and indeed a new generation of brass soloists all together, perhaps more influenced by the idiom of string players and singers than what used to be the case. Tine's approach to music is refreshingly focused and straightforward, with an extra touch of artistic magic that reaches everyone who hears her playing. At the age of 20 Tine Thing Helseth has the best reason in the world for playing and recording these concertos: She makes wonderful music! Simax Classics, 2008 on her debut disc: Trumpet Concertos

Twenty-year-old Tine Thing Helseth from Oslo, Norway, started to play trumpet at the age of 7. Today she has an extensive and varied repertory within orchestra, recital and chamber music - and she is already one of our time's most talked-about young trumpet players, with many prestigious international performances behind her. In 2006 Tine was awarded 2nd Prize in the Eurovision Young Musicians finale in Vienna, 2006, an event that was televised live all over Europe. It was said that her fresh, effortless and throughout musical playing amazed and excited both audience and jury. This performance kick-started Tine's career as a classical artist, and resulted in a string of new performances as a soloist with orchestra throughout Europe and the rest of the world.

Tine is often referred to as an extraordinary talent, and her interpretation of Haydn's trumpet concerto has been highly acclaimed. Not only is it unusual to master this piece at such an early age, but Tine is also said to perform it with both natural spontaneity, authority and a unique quality of sound. Her first CD recording: Classical Trumpet Concertos with The Norwegian Chamber Orchestra (SIMAX PSC 1292) has been received with exceptional fine reviews. The Norwegian newspaper, Aftenposten, even appointed it as the classical recording of the year.

Further more, Helseth was awarded "Newcomer of the year" at the Norwegian Grammy Award 2007 despite of genre. She was the first classical performer ever to be nominated.

In connection with the award show of the Nobel Peace Prize 2007, Tine Thing Helseth was given the honourable task to open the great galla concert in Oslo. The concert was transmitted on TV to viewers all over the world.

In addition she is the recipient of a great number of national and international prizes and awards. Recent prizes include: - National Talent Prize, 2004 (Norway) - International Trumpet competition "Theo Charlier" 2005 (no age limit), 2nd prize - "Musician of the Year 2005", Norway - Oslo Music Teachers Foundation's "Prize of Honour 2005" - Yamaha Music Foundation's Europe Scholarship, 2006 - The Norwegian Soloist Prize, 2006 - The Norwegian Radio Orchestra's Talent prize, 2006 - The Norwegian Broadcasting's (P2) Soloist prize, 2006/2007 - Prince Eugen's Culture Prize 2006 (Norway/Sweden) - "The Luitpold prize" at the festival "Kissinger Sommer" as the most outstanding and interesting artist of the year 2006 (Germany) - Newcomer of the year, Norwegian Grammy Award 2007

Miss Helseth has performed with orchestras such as: Beethoven Academie, Wiener Symphoniker, Cappella Cracowiensis, Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, Göteborgsmusiken, Slovenian Radio Symphony Ljubljana, Sveriges Camerata Nordica, Württembergische Philharmoniker, Kreml Camerata, Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie, Georgische Kammerorchester, Bielefeld Symphony Orchestra, Värmlands Operaens Sinfonietta, London Concert Symphony Orchestra, INSO Lemberg and all the Norwegian orchestras.

Festival appearances include Kissinger Summer Festival, Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival, Nordland Music Festival, Bergen International Festival, Festival "Old Music in Krakow", Oslo Chambermusic Festival, Hardanger Musikkfest, Kirsten Flagstad Festivalen and Usedom Musikfestival.

Miss Helseth has worked with conductors such as Andris Nelsons, Eivind Gullberg Jensen, Peter Kuhn, Ariel Zuckermann, Arvid Engegård, Christian Arming, Christoph Poppen, Didier Boture, Sebastian Lang-Lessing, Ola Rudner, En Shao, Ole Kristian Ruud.

Upcoming engagements include concerts and performances with Vienna Chamber Orchestra, Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra, Ulster Symphony Orchestra, Statsphilharmonie Rheinland Pfalz, Philharmonie Baden-Baden.

In 2009 miss Helseth will make her Washington D.C. debut, and during the same year she will perform both in Japan and Vietnam.

Tine Thing Helseth is also leader of the brass ensemble, tenTHING. www.tenthing.no

Tine Thing Helseth has been awarded a STATOIL stipend running for four years from 2006.

Concert Reviews::

A NEW STAR ON THE CLASSSICAL MUSIC SKY ...She plays with radiance strong enough to light up the entire hall - her embouchure is light and her technique impressive. Each note is marvellous and her dynamics are based on natural and deeply felt musicality. As the young artist performed the delightful Andante she showed us just how wonderfully a trumpet can sing. It sounded like a song, but there were no need for words... (Concert review in Zürcher Landzeitung, June 2008, Haydn and Hummel trumpetconcertos with INSO Lemberg)

The twenty-year-old Norwegian trumpet player Tine Thing Helseth was a magnificent choice. With supremacy and soft embouchure, she delivered the star performance of the evening. Especially in the popular and well-known Rondo movement, with its breakneck run. At an early stage of the concert she proved her musicality through a compelling and beautifully performed cadenza, whilst still communicating brilliantly with her woodwind colleagues... (Concert review in Neue Westfälische Zeitung, December 2007, Haydn trumpetconcerto with Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie and Andris Nelsons)

Have we ever before heard this level of melancholia, such as what we heard in the Andante movement, or in the flowing and lively dance of the finale movement? When have we ever heard anyone run that brilliantly up and down along the scale? And that, on a trumpet! On this instrument that was formerly used to open splendid doors and gates for worldly and clerical rulers... (Concert review Lippische Landzeitung, December 2007 Haydn trumpetconcerto with Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie and Andirs Nelsons)

She overcomes the technical challenges with surplus energy, allowing her to focus on making music with her trumpet. At that moment there were not one person questioning why she won the second prize during the EBU finale for young musicians in Vienna earlier this year... (Dagbladet 2006, Hemri Tomasi: Trumpet concerto with The Norwegian Radio Orchestra)

She appears to have calmness, balance, musicality and mastering of technicality. She has vigour, confidence and natural authority, and her instrumental nerve demands the attention of listeners... As a soloist she falls into the line of several Norwegians who have shown extraordinary talent playing this instrument. Instrumental control and musical stability is what characterizes the entire expiration. There is no doubt she is an exceptional musician heading towards the top. (Aftenposten, Idar Karevold, 2006, Hayd: Trumpet concerto with The Norwegian Radio Orchestra)

Even the first tone from the trumpet revealed an intimate intensity that captured the audience immediately - whether she played with or without a mute. Hardly ever has a trumpet been played with such softness and gentleness... (Concert review in Maipost, July 2008, Kissinger Sommer, Bad Kissingen, Recital with Veststard Shimkus)

The first sensation of the night was the Norwegian trumpet player Tine Thing Helseth. The way she plays, the nineteen-year-old must be obsessed by her instrument ... (Concert review in Saale-Zeitung, June 2007, Kissinger Sommer, Bad Kissingen, Chambermusic)