Herbert Blomstedt appointed Honorary Conductor
The legendary conductor Herbert Blomstedt was Chief Conductor of the Oslo Philharmonic from 1962 to 1968. He is now being awarded the title of Honorary Conductor.
Written by Oslo Philharmonic
On 21 March 1960, Herbert Blomstedt conducted his first concert with the Oslo Philharmonic. Two years later, he was appointed permanent Kapellmeister, a role he shared with Øivin Fjeldstad.
When Blomstedt and the orchestra now perform their 133rd and 134th concerts together, he is a conductor who has earned unconditional respect in the world of music. He is now also appointed Honorary Conductor of the Oslo Philharmonic.
– Herbert Blomstedt is an institution in the classical music world, both in Scandinavia and internationally. The Oslo Philharmonic is deeply grateful for its relationship with Blomstedt, stretching from 1960 until today. He brings out something truly special in the orchestra and has helped build it to an international level over the course of a lifetime, says Knut Skansen, Director of the Oslo Philharmonic.
Herbert Blomstedt was born in the United States to Swedish parents, and studied in Uppsala (Sweden), New York (USA), Darmstadt (Germany) and Basel (Switzerland). His first position as Chief Conductor was with the Norrköping Symphony Orchestra in 1954, before assuming the role of Kapellmeister of the Oslo Philharmonic in 1962, at the age of 35.
Since then, he has been Chief Conductor of the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Danish National Symphony Orchestra, the Staatskapelle Dresden, the San Francisco Symphony, the NDR Sinfonieorchester (today the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra) and the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig. Even at the age of 98, Blomstedt continues to conduct orchestras all over the world.