Manfred Gräsbeck
Manfred Gräsbeck is one of the most distinguished violinists
in the Scandinavia. He studied at the Turku conservatoire and later
at the Sibelius Academy where he received his Master’s degree.
Abroad he studied with Christian Ferras as his “élève
personnel” in Paris (1971-78) and with Olga Parhomenko at
the Tchaikovsky Conservatoire in Kiev (1978-1981).
In 1977 he won the first prize in the Nordic Violin Competition
in Västerås, Sweden and the same year brought him also
international success in the competitions like Tibor Varga in Sion
and the Sibelius Violin Competition in Helsinki.
Heard widely as recitalist and soloist throughout Finland and Scandinavia,
Manfred Gräsbeck has also appeared in Germany, France, Spain,
Italy, Switzerland, England, Holland, Czechoslovakia, Poland , Estonia,
Lithuania, Russia, Ukraine and Israel. His concerto repertoire covers
over 50 works including several violin concertos by the Finnish
and Scandinavian composers who have chosen him to the first performance
of the works.
Manfred Gräsbeck has recorded for several Scandinavian recording
companies (BIS, Finlandia, Mils etc.) and made various radio and
TV programmes both home and abroad. He is also active as a composer
with output of 7 symphonies, 3 violin concertos and chamber works
among others.
In 1982 Manfred Gräsbeck became the first leader of the Finnish
National Opera Orchestra.
Maija Lehtonen
Maija Lehtonen studied at the Sibelius Academy, taking her organist's
diploma in 1982, before graduating three years later as the first
of the Academy's full fledged soloists.Abroad she studied with Jon
Laukvik (Stuttgart), Guy Bovet (Lausanne) and Marie-Claire Alain (Paris).
She won several prizes: 1980 a special award in the National Organ
Competition in Lahti, 1984 the 1st prize in the Nordic Organ Competition
in Lahti (Finland) and in 1989 the 2nd prize in the International
Organ Competition "Donato Marrone" in Bari (Italy).
She started her concert career in 1979 and has since appeared throughout
Europe, USA, Canada and Russia. In 1988 she was invited as the first
Finnish organist to give a recital in the Royal Festival Hall, London.
The same year she was named Finland Festivals Young Artist of the
Year, a name which brought her the possibility to perform in all
the major music festivals in Finland.
Her various radio and TV performances both home and abroad include
a film "Finnische Orgellandschaft" with Norddeutscher
Rundfunk-television, Germany. She has made around 20 recordings
both with solo organ and duo repertoire together with her husband,
one of Scandinavia’s leading violinists, Manfred Grasbeck.
At the moment Maija Lehtonen also directs the Faculty of Organ
as Senior Lecturer at Oulu Polytechnic School of Music, Dance and
Media.
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