Lindbergs opera debut a huge success

 In four days Lindberg prepared the Arctic Philharmonic Orchestra, choirs from Bodö and Tromsö and soloists from the Oslo Opera House in his first ever full opera production. Lindberg conducted the three-hour opera Carmen and Norwegian critics gave him stunning reviews – and six on the dices!
Nordlys wrote:
It has been extremely exciting to follow the progress of the Arctic Philharmonic Orchestra. In less than one year the Principal Conductor, Christian Lindberg, has literally lifted the new orchestra up to international top level, making it ready to conquer the international stage. Last Monday evening they sounded better than ever. So perfectly in tune, so caressing, yet also so fierce when needed. I have given the wind players credit before, but on Monday they completely knocked me out, particularly the flutes. The orchestra played with a solidity and accuracy that one would only expect from a body of players with a much longer history, and there was no doubt that they followed every little signal from their conductor. This is an orchestra that I am absolutely sure will reach great heights even outside our territories.

Lindbergs 10-11 season busier than ever

Christian Lindberg opened the season by conducting a full production of Bizet’s Carmen with soloists from the Oslo Opera House. This was followed by three concerts conducting the North Netherlands Symphony Orchestra after which he opened the Swedish Wind Ensemble’s season at the Berwaldhallen in Stockholm. Among the orchestras that Lindberg will conduct during the season are the Phoenix Symphony Orchestra, Tenerife Symphony Orchestra, Irish National Orchestra, Royal Flemish Symphony Orchestra, Cape Town Philharmonic, Nürnberger Symphoniker, Württembergischer Philharmonie, Aarhus Symphony Orchestra, Jenaer Philharmonie, Musica Vitae, Västerås Sinfonietta and the Iceland Symphony Orchestra. He will also be conducting three extensive tours with his own Arctic Philharmonic Orchestra. One to Russia in November, one to China in January and one to Japan in June.

"Lindberg unspools music of great spiritual depth and staying power" according to San Francisco Chronicle

Lindberg’s piece "Visions and Non Thoughts" commissioned by the Swedish Radio Choir recently received the following review in San Francisco Chronicle:
...The Rorem segues perfectly into the title work, Christian Lindberg’s Visions and Non Thoughts (2008). Commissioned by the Swedish Radio Choir and Concerts Sweden, and dedicated to Bohlin, this definitive recording of text by three spiritual teachers — Saint John of the Cross, Rumi, and Krishnamurti — repeatedly has narrators and chorus return to the phrase, “there is no security.” That may sound frightening, but it ultimately serves to affirm that life, love, and death all spring from the same eternal source. As the women masterfully create tongues of fire, and the full chorus makes animal sounds so realistic as to impel our pooch to hunt for the dog that had invaded our living room, Lindberg unspools music of great spiritual depth and staying power.
San Francisco Chronicle August 2010

Lindberg receives huge ovation for creating the first gender equal orchestral season in history

During his 7th season as chief conductor of The Swedish Wind Ensemble, Lindberg has been bold enough to create a season containing at least 50% women soloists/conductors/composers. The opening concert had an all female programme including Bacewicz’s 3rd Violin Concerto, Gotzkowsky’s Sinfonia Brillante, Fanny Mendelssohn’s Overture in C and new works by Tower, Eriksson, Kien and Tandberg. "Lindberg’s deserves to get the KVAST-prize next year" the critic Carl-Gunnar Åhlén says in Svenska Dagbladet.

Stunning reviews and standing ovations when Lindberg conducted Gurzenich Orchestra in Kolner Philharmonie

Christian Lindberg conducted his own Helikon Wasp, Schubert Overture in C and Allan Pettersson´s 7th Symphony for more than 5000 people altogether in Kölner Philharmonie. The audiences gave him standing ovations, and the reviews were stunning:
Kölner Stadtanzeiger 21 June 2010.
Appearance of the multi-talent
Christian Lindberg shines with Gürzenich Orchestra
It was a night of musical transformation, inspiration and imitation that Christian Lindberg presented to the audience with the Gürzenich Orchestra. the amusing Swedish muliti talent digged deep in to the crate of novelties, mixed it with desolating moments, but put all this together in a very humorisous way. The audience in Philharmonie gave him huge ovations.
Also Allan Pettersson writes music with great respect for history and tradition, but what Lindberg does out of the lust to play, is for Pettersson existential distress....in his Seventh Symphony here performed by in a totally grandiose manner, could one feel every part of his pain, lament and desperation in a way that reminds of Schostakovich and Mahler. It was a capturing concert.
Kölnische Rundschau 21 June 2010:
Christian Lindberg in Cologne presents a colorful blend as well as sympathetic self irony. The agile Swede is full of surprises... the audience could admire Lindberg´s art of directing and trombone playing straight from the front. No nuance of his highly virtuosic instrumental performance was lost, and in his conducting, he managed to lead in a casual-precise style. A colorful mixture, then, with a sympathetic touch of irony and self awareness, that gave the whole thing high entertainment value.
After the break Lindberg undertook a complete change of character, when he as conductor presented a very exciting and sophisticated version of Allan Pettersson 7th Symphony. Gone was the entertainer and there was an artist bringing out chromatic lines, disturbing screams and painful shattering from a composer born in the Stockholm slum in 1911. And the Gürzenich orchestra let this 45-minute passionate piece take a compelling shape.

Lindberg invited by Gergiev to conduct Tchaikovsky 5 at the Mariinsky Theatre St Petersburg, with Arctic Philharmonic Orchestra.

On November 26 this year Christian Lindberg and the Arctic Philharmonic will make their Russian début at the Mariinsky theatre. On the programme is Tchaikovsky’s 5th Symphony (Esa Tapani on solo horn) Grieg’s Piano Concerto and Ole Olsen’s Aasgårdsreien. Lindberg will also lead a Trombone Masterclass at the Rimsky-Korsakov conservatory.

Klangbiennale Frankfurt commissions piece by Christian Lindberg

Next year’s contemporary music festival Klangbiennale Frankfurt has commissioned Christian Lindberg to write a 15 minute piece in memory of the composer Iannis Xenakis. The piece will be dedicated to the Hessische Rundfunk Big Band and will be performed by this splendid ensemble under its chief conductor Örjan Fahlström. Lindberg’s piece Brainrubbish will also be performed at the concert, as well as Xenakis’ Keren with Christian Lindberg as soloist.

Lindbergs Tuba Concerto Panda in Love a huge success at its Premiere

Öystein Baadsvik, Christian Lindberg and the Nordic Chamber Orchestra had a huge success recently with the world première of Lindberg’s Tuba Concerto ! Panda in Love. Not only did it receive a standing ovation in Sweden, but a crowd of 800 people could see it live through Optic Fiber Transmission (first time in history for classical music) at a theatre in Tuscon, Arizona! Even in Tuscon there was a standing ovation, and the review from the concert was stunning:
Christian Lindberg is an accomplished composer and Panda in Love turned out to be something more than a tuba concerto. It was a true adventure of sounds, a jungle of impressions where the panda sings, plays and falls in love with a deep, hearty voice over a great landscape of sonorities. Here were beautiful and original melodies, imaginative orchestration and a tonal language which, although modern, was carrying a deep harmony in which everything fits in with each other.
We knew that Öystein Baadsvik is one of the world leaders on his instruments. With his big tuba, he gave the panda a varied personality, letting it crawl, walk, dance in triumph, go marching, run with majestic power and cry silently at night. His vibrato is as sound and solid as a warm Mediterranean evening, and his panda was not at all a clumsy! It was rather a magnificent and majestic animal, with shiny fur and natural aplomb, one that spoke with power. And the concerto was the highlight of the evening.
Susanne Holmlund, Sundsvalls Tidning 28 May 2010.

Sandstroms Echoes of Eternity received standing ovations three nights in a row!

Concertgebouw orchestra trombonist and Christian Lindberg joined forces in Sandström’s new Concerto for Solo Trombone, Conducting Trombonist and Orchestra. The concerts in the Concertgebouw, Nijmegen, Arnhem and Apeldoorn were all a huge success (Lindberg also conducted Sibelius’ second symphony and Nielsen’s Helios Overture) and received standing ovations from the audiences.

Huge success for Lindbergs Austrian conducting dbut

Helios Overture, Sibelius 1st Symphony and Lindberg’s own Helikon Wasp were on the programme when Lindberg conducted the Tiroler Symphonie Orchester for the first time. Chemistry was great between orchestra and conductor, and the Tiroler Tageszeitung wrote:
And then of course the wonderful trombone of Mr Lindberg, highly virtuosic, energetic and always smooth, soft and very rich in sound. Lindberg, the marathon runner, is full of energy - and a hard worker. In Nielsen´s Helios Overture, the sun shone with intense force, and in Jean Sibelius´ First Symphony he created a sound full of dark melancholy, intensity, and open landscapes, and also gave the Tiroler Symphonie Orchestra a new sound, full of poetic longing.

Lindberg conducts the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra

The internationally renowned bassoon player Christian Davidsson from the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra had real problems in September even running for 60 seconds. Thanks to Lindberg’s training schedule Davidsson(who weighed almost 120 kilos 8 months ago) is now ready to join Lindberg for the Stockholm Marathon on the 5th of June. On Saturday 1st of May they did 70% of the distance (30km) and Davidsson was not even exhausted afterwards!

Lindberg conducts the Cape Philharmonic Orchestra in two programmes at the Cape Town Festival

Christian Lindberg will open the Cape Town Festival in South Africa next year in January.  He will conduct the Cape Philharmonic Orchestra in the world première of his daughter, Andrea Tarrodi’s orchestra piece Camelopardali, play and conduct his own piece Kundraan’s Karma and will conduct Sibelius’ 5th symphony and Tchaikovsky’s 5th symphony.

The Baroque Trombone is an Editors Choice in Gramophone

Lindberg continues to received international awards for his recordings, and his Baroque Trombonerelease was given the accolade of an Editor’s Choice in the world famous record magazine Gramophone. The disc features Lindberg together with the Australian Chamber Orchestra in a programme of baroque music.

Lindbergs Euphonium Concerto to receive its British Premiere with David Childs

Lindberg’s compositions continue to be played all over the world. Not only will Chick’a’Bone Checkout, written for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, be performed throughout the world, but pieces like Olle and the Steamboatjetty are widely performed too. In March 2011 Lindberg will conduct the British première of his euphonium concerto in Cardiff, Wales. The soloist will be the world famous euphonium virtuoso David Childs.

Follow Lindbergs monthly video diary on Youtube, Facebook and his web site

All set for the Christian Lindberg/Arctic Philharmonic Orchestra tour to China

The Arctic Philharmonic has just signed the contract for its China tour in January 2011 with Wu-Production. The orchestra will play a minimum of 8 concerts in major venues in China, and the repertoire will include Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 5, Griegs Piano Concerto, Peer Gynt Suite and Webers Clarinet Concerto. CHECKOUT PROMOVIDEO ARCTIC PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA AT THE FOLLOWING LINK: http://albatrossrecords.se/arctic/arctic2large.mov (high resolution) or www.tarrodi.se/cl

Lindbergs recording of Dvorak Legends praised by major international critic

David Hurwitz, the well-known critic from Fanfare and founder of Classics Today praises Lindberg for his interpretation of Dvorak Legends: This is a splendid recording...Christian Lindberg´s interpretation of the Legends is as fine as any on disc, period. His tempo choices invariably work, the orchestra seems to be an ideal size to let every detail of Dvorák´s orchestration tell (listen to the harp in No. 6), and the playing is outstanding. The concluding Legend is deliciously nostalgic without ever sounding too sentimental. Furthermore, these pieces still aren´t as well known as they deserve to be, so to have another outstanding version available (in addition to Kubelik, Mackerras, and Fischer if you can find them) on a label that tends to keep its titles in print for a reasonable amount of time is a very good thing.

Lindberg conducts Dvorak 9 with the Teneriffe Orchestra

The chemistry between Lindberg and the Teneriffe Orchestra was great when they worked together in December, and the collaboration continues. In March 2011 Lindberg will be back to conduct Dvorak’s New World Symphony, Sandström´s Echoes of Eternity and Nielsen’s Helios Overture.

Stunning reviews for Lindbergs Sibelius 5 in Barcelona

Lindberg’s performance of Sibelius’ 5th symphony continues to receive rave reviews. In Poznan last year he conducted the symphony for the first time, and now he has just come back from a major tour in Spain where he conducted the symphony with two different orchestras, Orchestra of the Palau in Barcelona, and the Basque National Orchestra. Reviews were stunning, and Lindberg will be back in Palau next season to do Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 4.

Lindberg commissioned by the Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra

In the 2011-12 season Lindberg will be presented as Artist in Residence with the Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra. Lindberg will be featured widely in all his three roles: As conductor, as soloist and as composer. The orchestra has commissioned a 20 minute long piece by Lindberg, a piece that already has its name: Lightening over Kythnos

North Netherlands Symphony Orchestra invites Lindberg to conduct special concert

At short notice the North Netherlands Symphony Orchestra has asked Lindberg to conduct their special season-opening concert in August this year. The programme will include composers like Piazzolla, Bernstein and Ginastera.

Lindberg conducts Sibelius 2 with the Phoenix Symphony Orchestra

In April 2011 it is time for Lindberg’s US première as conductor. In a programme including his own piece Helikon Wasp, Nielsen’s Helios Overture and Sibelius’ Second Symphony Lindberg will conduct the Phoenix Symphony Orchestra in 4 concerts from the 14th to the 18th of April.

Stunning reviews for Lindbergs Pettersson recordings. Project continues with Symphony Nos. 1 and 2

Allan Pettersson and Christian Lindberg are now starting to become a joint trademark! The second CD was released this month and, like the first, it has received top scores from the international press: Fanfare, USA: Christian Lindberg gets both right: urgency and accuracy Classiqueinfo, France: Is one of the most fascinating Swedish composers ignored by his own country? Some years ago one would have thought so, when the first complete recording of his symphonies was done by the German label CPO. But this is now finally changing with the excellent recordings of his music by Christian Lindberg. This first CD recording of the Barefoot Songs is a huge success! The string concertos require extraordinary skill from the musicians,and unusual mastery is found in this splendid interpretation. The strings are penetrating, sharp and singing. A real tour-de-force and an exercise in musicality. This music is so original, and it takes muscle, flesh and a lot of conviction to bring it off. These musicians, with Christian Lindberg in charge, have all that is needed make it happen.
Already in May this year Lindberg continues his recordings of Pettersson’s works. First in line is the unfinished Symphony No. 1 together with the massive Second Symphony. The orchestra is the excellent Norrköping Symphony Orchestra.

Lindberg makes his debut as opera conductor: Bizets Carmen

It took a long time, but Lindberg is finally making his début as an opera conductor. The Nordland Festival has decided to stage 4 performances of the most famous opera ever this summer in the North of Norway, and of course, the orchestra involved is Lindberg´s own Arctic Philharmonic Orchestra.

The London Times compares Lindberg with Strindberg

The world première of Lindberg´s new piece Kundraan’s Karma created a sensation at the Nordland International Music Festival this summer. The concert was reviewed in the London Times:
An evening that ended with Blue jamming into the midnight sun, had begun with the Festival’s featured artist, trombonist Christian Lindberg, playing, conducting and narrating his new composition, Kundraan’s Karma, specially written for the festival. It’s the central panel of a trilogy (the first was heard at this year’s City of London Festival) in which Kundraan makes a journey towards Lucifer and his poisoned whisky — over a bridge, and onwards to a land which knows no compassion. The musical parable has a Strindbergian intensity — and Lindberg’s lungs are legendary. Somehow he finds the breath to tell the tale, play trombone music of huge virtuosity and conduct the Bodo Sinfonietta — all at once. It’s an explosive mix!  Hilary Finch, The London Times

Stunning review for Lindbergs new opera/ballet

Lindberg´s new 40 minutes long dramatic work Dawn in Galamanta for 13 singers/dancers/solo musicians and orchestra was premièred at the Stockholm Central Station on 15th of August with Lindberg as conductor. Sweden´s leading newspaper Dagens Nyheter wrote:
The roof at the Stockholm Central Station almost lifted when Christian Lindberg conducted his new work Dawn in Galamanta. In the overture the music leads up to a huge climax that could have awakened Gustav Mahler from the dead, probably with a smile on his face. The composer and conductor Christian Lindberg plays skilfully with heroic music and its natural development. With a great sense of humour, generous playfulness and contagious enthusiasm Galamanta illuminates the Stockholm Central Station, and almost lifts the roof.

Stunning reviews when Lindberg conducted Sibelius, Shostakovich and Tchaikovsky with the Deutsche Staatsphilharmonie.

Lindberg recently made his début with the Deutsche Staatsphilharmonie as conductor. This is an orchestra were he has been artist in residence over the year, and previously been presented both as soloist and composer. Now it was time for a full conducting programme, and the review was stunning:
Christian Lindberg in the role of conductor was a tremendous experience. Already in an orchestrated impromptu by Sibelius one was spellbound by the soulful pianissimos in the strings. Lindberg’s magic hands kneaded the air and his eyes kissed the sound. Lindberg’s charisma fascinated the orchestra. The cantilena passages in Tchaikovsky symphony no 1 sounded like smooth silk, and the rhythm in the scherzo had so much power that it sounded like a wild dance. Lindberg loves grand chords and contrasting dynamics, and he makes this young work by Tchaikovsky free from all its kitsch, making it a work of full substance.
The Swedish angel of the trombone is also fond of details. Nothing is left to chance in his hands. In Shostakovich’s Violin Concerto he accompanied Boris Belkin with the greatest precision, and the orchestra sounded inspired and alive.

Lindbergs Nielsen 5 praised by critics in Denmark

At the last concert of the 2008/09 season Lindberg conducted the Aarhus Symphony Orchestra in Nielsen’s Saga-Dream and the world première of Niels Martinsen’s In the Shadow of the Bat
The critics and the audience were, to say the least, enthusiastic:
Carl Nielsen’s 5th Symphony was a great choice for this international evening, and it turned out to be a grand performance, conducted by the versatile Christian Lindberg. He managed above all to bring absolute top performances from the winds, particularly the horns. He gave incentive impulses and managed to get a tremendously dramatic rise in the first movement. In this successful manner Aarhus Symphony Orchestra ended its season, one of the best in the history of the orchestra.

Lindberg the conductor a total success with the Rotterdam Philharmonic!

After two successful concerts conducting the Rotterdam Philharmonic Christian Lindberg not only impressed the orchestra and management, but the audience gave him spontaneous standing ovations both for his own piece The Waves of Wollongong and for Rautavaara’s 7th Symphony. Volkskrant’s critic Lonneke Regter wrote:
In a decisive way Lindberg took the strong currents to a deafening climax...there was passion and excitement...In Angel of Light by the Finnish composer Rautavaara he let the Rotterdam Philharmonic float on thin clouds and thunder. Brilliant sounded the Helios Overture Nielsen in the hands of Lindberg...In The Swan of Tuonela by Sibelius the Swede tempered his enthusiasm and even more depth arose from this.