Svein Hundsnes (b.1951)

The Norwegian composer Svein Hundsnes has an oeuvre encompassing several styles. His orchestral works include a Flute Concerto, premiered by Vidar Austvik and the Stavanger Symphony orchestra, conductor Hannu Lintu; Haugtussa for soprano and orchestra, with Eir Inderhaug and the Bjergsted Sinfonietta, conductor Steinar Sætre (later: NRK production with the Stavanger Symphony Orchestra, conductor Kjell Seim). The Trondheim Symphony Orchestra has premiered Symphony No. 1 (conductor Terje Boye Hansen) and Sinfonietta Romantica (conductor Friedrich Goldmann), and the Norwegian Youth Symphony Orchestra premiered Signale Orchestrale (conductor Kjell Seim). Hundsnes received the national Norwegian state scholarship for composers 1990– 92, and subsequently taught music theory and composition at the University of Stavanger for two decades.

His chamber works include String Quartet No. 1, premiered by a quartet from the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, String Quartet No. 2 premiered by members of the Stavanger Samtidsensemble, His Majesty’s Sound Amusement for wind quintet, premiered by the Fremad Ensemble, Rilke Lieder for baritone and chamber ensemble, soloist David Halvorsen, premiered at Nordlysfestivalen, Clarinet Quintet, premiered by Roger A. Vigulf and the Ametri String Quartet, Six Songs, premiered by the Munor ensemble, First Suite for Accordion, premiered by Geir Draugsvoll, and Second Suite for Accordion, premiered by Mogens Ellegaard. Other works include the ballet Borobudur for electronics, choreography by Sølvi Edvardsen and premiered by the Collage Dance Company, Three Norwegian Peasant Dances for piano, premiered by James Clapperton, Brass Quintet, premiered by Arctic Brass, Moonlight Maidens for female choir, premiered by Bel Canto Vestfold, conductor Eva Høgset, Backstreet Symphony for symphonic band, premiered by Sverre Sigurdson Musikkorps, Sevilla Suite, premiered by the Paganini Duo, Suite for Clarinet and Piano, premiered by Roger A. Vigulf and Geir Henning Braaten, Transoboic Fusion for oboe and symphonic band, premiered by Arild Halvorsen and Haugesund Ungdomskorps, conductor Steinar Sætre, Cello Quartet, premiered by Svenska Cellokvartetten, revised in 2018 for CelloKaramell, and Violin Quartet, premiered by members of the Tromsoe Symphony Orchestra.

Svein Hundsnes has also written music dedicated to young musicians published by Norsk Musikforlag: Six Easy Pieces and Various Shades of Blue for piano and Four Easy Pieces for flute and piano. He has written music for an NRK TV production about the Norwegian author Arne Garborg. Hundsnes has been associate professor at the University of Stavanger for many years and received his doctoral degree on Tchaikovsky’s orchestral style in respect of counterpoint in 2014.