Daniel Dalnoki

Daniel Dalnoki comes from Halden, and the first instrument he tried was the piano.

− After I had watched and listened to a performance by Arve Tellefsen on TV, I was determined to start playing the violin instead, he says.

− It was a slightly windy road, in a small environment, with a few breaks and some percussion playing before I finally found my focus when I was in high school.

− Gave me goosebumps and completely threw me

Daniel studied in Oslo and Dresden, and has since worked in several different orchestras, and was for many years Assistant concertmaster in the Norwegian National Opera Orchestra. He has been working in the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra since 2013.

− It gives me daily inspiration and joy to be working with my colleagues who every day stretch so far in order to reach the level of quality the orchestra has and will have in the future. It’s very satisfying to play with so many good musicians around you!

His first great experience with the orchestra is from a much earlier time:

− The first time I heard the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra still stands as one of my greatest concert experiences. It must have been around 1980, and it was the Russian conductor Svetlanov who was conducting Tchaikovsky’s Sixth symphony. Discovering live orchestral music on this level gave me goosebumps and completely threw me, and made me think that working here must surely be a dream job!

Inspiring when all the nuances come into their own

Daniel doesn’t find it so easy to pinpoint single experiences as a musician in the orchestra, but playing in some of the really good concert halls around the world has been unforgettable.

− Achieving such a good sound in a concert hall has been extra inspiring, for then you can be sure that the details and the nuances come into their own and reach the audience.

It’s almost equally difficult to pinpoint a favourite composer:

− The great experiences can come at unexpected times, with both well-known and lesser-known composers from almost all musical styles. Still, one of the most often-played tracks from the CD shelf at home in my living room is the second movement from Brahms’ violin concerto, which begins with the wonderful oboe solo.

The violinist loves to bring new listeners to a concert:

− Those times when I have invited people who initially have some resistance to attending a concert with the Oslo Philharmonic, and who get very excited about it afterwards, are a lot of fun!

When Daniel isn’t playing, he is outdoors as much as possible.

− I go mushroom picking in the woods, or potter around in the garden at home. And it’s great going to the slopes in winter!