Sigmund Groven is a Norwegian classical harmonica player, today considered one of the world's leading classical harmonica players. He plays with a large number of the world's leading musicians and orchestras, and he has made 23 recordings yet in his own name. His repertoire ranges from popular and folk music to his own compositions, from Bach to contemporary music.
Influences and early career
Groven grew up in a family with rich music and cultural traditions. His uncle was the folk musician and composer, Eivind Groven. As a child, he heard Tommy Reilly playing harmonica on radio, and was fascinated by what he heard. From 1960, Groven studied with Reilly in London, in 1965 he performed as a solo artist for the first time, and has since often been seen and heard on TV and radio. Groven has worked as a music producer, radio presenter, programme producer for radio and as a music teacher, at Norwegian universities and at master-classes around the world. In 1971 Groven presented his first original composition; the music to Erik Bye's poem, "Så spiller vi harmonica", and he continued to work with Erik Bye on a number of songs and projects.
Collaborations, soundtracks, main works
Groven has contributed to over 250 recordings, and has written more than 350 original compositions, from children's songs and instrumental ballads to movie and TV soundtracks, and works on a larger scale. He has written music to lyrics and poems by Ove Røsbak, Halvor J. Sandsdalen, Tarjei Vesaas, Olav Kaste, Hans Børli, Josef G.Larssen and Erik Bye. Composers who have written music especially for Groven include Hui Cheung Wai, Øistein Sommerfeldt, Terje Rypdal, James Moody, Johan Kvandal, Oddvar S. Kvam, Ketil Bjørnstad, Kristian Lindeman, Henning Sommerro, Iver Kleive, Egil Kapstad, Kenneth Sivertsen, Johan Øian, John Surman, Siegfried Steinkogler, Lars Tilling, and Fried Walter. Soundtracks include the films "For Tors skyld" and "Fuglekongen", and the TV documentary series "Vi på Langedrag". Many of Groven's recordings have become part of the Norwegian cultural heritage. Reodors ballade from the movie "Flåklypa Grand Prix", "Svalbard theme" by Bøhren & Åserud, and a version of Henning Sommero's "Vårsøg" are among the instrumental classics of Norwegian music, loved by several generations. Groven has recorded 23 albums ranging from original music via Beatles hits to classical works. His albums are sold worldwide and he enjoys great popularity in Asia. Groven has toured all over the world with solo recitals from New York to Tokyo. In 2002 he became the first harmonica-player to appear as soloist with the Mozarteum Orchestra in Salzburg giving the world premiere of Siegfried Steinkogler’s Harmonica Concerto, and has performed with symphony and chamber orchestras in the US, Canada, Europe and Asia, including Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, the radio orchestras of Berlin, Munich, Brussels, Stockholm and London, the Hong Kong CityChamber Orchestra and orchestras in Quebec, Dallas, Minneapolis and Anchorage. He has been featured at festivals and major events in Washington, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Minneapolis, Dallas, Houston, New Orleans, Toronto, most major cities in western Europe as well as Budapest, Belgrade, Athens, also Riydah, Jeddah, Hong Kong, Taipei, Seoul, Kyoto and Yokohama.
Teaching
For more than 30 years Groven has been teaching at the annual summer courses organized by the Norwegian Harmonica Association. He has also been teaching at the Trondheim Conservatory of Music and has given master-classes both in Europe, North America, and several Asian countries. Since August 2018, Sigmund Groven is harmonica teacher at the Norwegian Academy of Music in Oslo.
Solo discography (original titles)
1975: Så spiller vi harmonica 1976: Music for two Harmonicas 1977: Musikk for en lang natt 1979: Motlys 1981: Musikken inni oss 1981: Kom sol på alle mine berg 1981: Lævandes dikt 1983: Songar utan ord 1986: Colour Slides 1988: Aria 1988: Sigmund Groven 1990: Nordisk natt 1991: Nattønsker 1993: Siesta 1995: Til Telemark 1996: I godt lag 1998: Harmonica Album 2000: Innunder jul 2001: Vi på Langedrag 2003: Over the Rainbow 2004: Here, There and Everywhere 2005: PhilHarmonica 2007: Grieg Album 2010: HarmOrgan 2012: Classical Harmonica 2014: Sigmund Groven Collection vol. 1: Harmonica Hits 2015: Sigmund Groven Collection vol. 2: Tradition 2016: Sigmund Groven Collection vol. 3: Concerto 2018: Bønn for drømmen 2019: Songs for harmonica There are three recordings with the Norwegian Radio Orchestra. The first is an album featuring works for harmonica and orchestra by Sir George Martin, as well as his arrangements of Lennon–McCartney songs and other shorter pieces. The second is followed by PhilHarmonica, a CD of serious original works by Darius Milhaud, Heitor Villa-Lobos and Scandinavian contemporary composers. The third is an album of adaptions of the music of Edvard Grieg. "HarmOrgan" together with organist Iver Kleive is an album of baroque works by Bach and Handel, plus original pieces by Groven and Kleive recorded in Surround Sound on Blu-ray format by Lindberg Lyd and released on the prestigious 2L label. Groven plays a custom-made Polle silver concert harmonica.
Awards
1984: Musical work of the year from NOPA for several works 1986: Heddal Bank’s award 1990: Musical work of the year from NOPA for Prestegangaren and Tårån i troppene 1991: Honorary citizen of Texas state 1994: The Kardemumme scholarship 1995: The annual Cultural Award from Telemark county 1996: The Gammleng award 2002: Honorary member of NOPA 2004: City of Oslo’s scholarship 2006: The Storegut award 2009: Klaus Egge Memorial Award 2010: Lifetime annual honorary grant from the Norwegian government 2012: Guangzhou Music Award 2015: The Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav, Knight class
