Eivind Holtsmark Ringstad

Eivind Holtsmark Ringstad is the latest talent to emerge from a new, golden generation of Scandinavian musicians. Eivind (b. 1994) started to play the violin at the age 5, moving to the viola as his main instrument nine years later. He made his debut with the Oslo Philharmonic orchestra with conductor Eivind Aadland in 2013, and has since been travelling all around the world, performing in prestigious festivals and concert venues. A national favorite, he often performs with KORK, the Norwegian Radio Orchestra, Bergen Philharmonic, and Trondheim symphony orchestra, Stavanger symphony orchestra, Kristiansand symphony orchestra as well as the Norwegian chamber orchestra and Oslo Camerata. In 2016 he was chosen to join the world’s most prestigious training programme for experienced classical musicians: the BBC’s New Generation Artists Scheme. This has led to performances with BBC Symphony Orchestra, BBC orchestra of Wales, BBC Northern Ireland, as well as performances with London Sinfonietta. Previously, Eivind has been selected for the BorlettiBuitoni fellowship award, and has also been part of the ‘Crescendo mentorship programme’. The programme is a collaboration between Bergen International Festival, the Oslo Philharmonic and the Barratt Due Institute. Eivind is a prolific chamber musician and is a regular fixture on Norway’s thriving chamber music scene. His passion for chamber music is high, and he performs regularly with great musicians all over the world. Performing highly virtuoso pieces on the instrument, as well as famous short pieces has led Eivind to make his own transcriptions. In this way, he can explore and demonstrate all the possibilities the viola has. “What I love about music is the emotions it awakens inside of me. Music gives my daily life more meaning. To share this is for me a real blessing.” He plays the G. Guadagnini ‘ex-Vieuxtemps’ viola dating from 1768, kindly on loan from Dextra Musica.