The Royal Wind Quintet Stockholm
was founded at the initiative of clarinettist Staffan Mårtensson, and has enjoyed repeated international succes since its beginning in early 2003. The five artists, initially all soloists with the Stockholm Royal Opera, were enthustiastic about this repertory of chember music that they became familiar with through previous encounters with other musical ensembles. Building a basic repertory was easy but the need to enrich concert programmes with both contemporary and creative work became quickly obvious.
Now much in demand and known throughout Europe, the Swedish ensemble has spread its wings. They perform in Scandinavia, naturally, but also frequently in France, Spain, Germany and central Europe among other European destinations. Praised for their very specific sonority, both warm and precise, their musical homogeneity provides for a lively interpretation that is a continual process of recreation. Each and every one of their performances has been applauded by the musical press with laudatory reviews. Strongly inspired by musical pedagogy, the members of the Royal Wind Quintet Stockholm are regularly invited by major European music academies as guest teachers.
Peter Fridholm (flute) has been principal flute with the Stockholm Royal Opera Orchestra since 1995. Following brilliant studies with Professor Andreas Blau in Berlin and James Galway, he performed as first flutist for the Oslo Philharmonic, the Stockholm Philharmonic, the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra and the Chamber Orchestra of Europe. He was also recently invited as a soloist to interpret the Mozart Flute Concerto during a tour of the Norrköping Symphony Orchestra in China.
He enjoys sharing his musical knowledge, giving master-classes. He performs as achamber musician and soloist around the world.
Frederik Söhngen (oboe) is regarded as one of the finest oboists in Sweden.
He was born in Hamburg, Germany, where he began studying oboe. Upon moving to Stockholm, Sweden in 1986, he continued his studies at the Royal Academy of Music. Two years later, he obtained his first pemanent contract with the Uppsala Chamber Orchestra and the Omnibus Wind Ensemble. From 1995 to 1997 he played co-principal oboe with the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra. Since 1997 he is principal oboe with the Royal Swedish Opera Orchestra.
Fredrik Söhngen is also regularly a guest on principal oboe with leading orchestras of Sweden and Norway, such as the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra, or the Norwegian Opera Orchestra. He frequently appears as a soloist in chamber music festivals around the world.
Fredrik Söhngen is an esteemed teacher and has held master-classes in Sweden, Germany and France.
Fredik Söhngen plays an oboe by Ludwig Frank (Berlin)
Staffan Mårtensson (clarinett) , awarded Best Soloist of the year at the 2007 Swedish Grammis Awards, as well as Best CD 2006 by the Swedish Radio, is undoubtedly one of the most talented Scandinavian instrumentalists of his generation.
Solo clarinettist with the Stockholm Royal Opera Orchestra since 2000, prize winner of several national and international competitions, Sraffan Mårtensson travels the length and breadth of Europe as a guest soloist. His appearances include the Vienna Musikverein where he made his debut in 2004, promoting a contemporary repertoire with excellence. He is regularly praised by the French public for both his chamber music work and as a soloist with orchestra. His performances in France are widely awaited, and these last years his appearences have become more frequent. Staffan Mårtensson is a coveted teacher who regularly gives master classes in Music Academies, Conservatories or Musikhochschule, in France, Germany, Russia and the Czech Republic.
His recordings have met with success in numerous markets. In particular, the Clarinetto con forza (Phono Suecia 2006), a CD of Swedish contemporary works, has been largely honoured in the internationell press. His discography also includes Mozart and Copland concertos as well as works from Brahms, Schumann and the Mozart Quintet.
Staffan Mårtensson is the Artistic Director of the Linköping Chamber Music Festival, which he founded in 2001. He recently became director of the Stockholm Nationalmuseum Festival.
Staffan Mårtensson, who is sponsored by Buffet-Crampon, plays a model R13 Vinage from this well-known brand.
Hans Larsson (horn) studied horn at the Royal Academy of Music, Stockholm. In 1989, after a year as co-principal horn with the Norrköping Symphony Orchestra, he joined the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra where since 1995 he is principal horn.
Hans Larsson simultaneously leads a career as soloist and as a chamber musician in Sweden and abroad.
He is very much in demand for the interpretation of contemporary music while regularly performing with baroque groups.
Notably, he is a member of the Drottningholm Baroque Ensemble, with whom he plays classical and baroque horn.
Hans Larsson plays a horn by Alexander, Mainz, model 103.
Fredrik Ekdahl (bassoon) is principal bassoon in the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra. Appointed to the post at the age of 21, he is regarded as one of today's leading young Scandinavian woodwind artists. Fredrik has studied with Arne Nilsson, Knut Sönstevold, Ole Kristian Dahl and Dag Jensen at academies is Sweden, Denmark and Germany. He has recieved the Yamaha Competition first prize and second prize at the very prestigious Gillet-Fox Competition in 2007.
Fredrik has given master classes at the Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst Stuttgart and the Royal Academy of Musik Stockholm. His solo performances have been broadcasted on Swedish National Television (SVT) as well as on radio stations worldwide. Fredrik is frequently invited as artist by orchestras such as the London Symphony Orchestra, the Mahler Chamber Orchestra and the Munich Philharmonic.