Lars-Anders Tomter

One of today’s most outstanding violists, Lars Anders Tomter was born at Hamar, Norway. He studied both the violin and viola with Professor Leif Jørgensen at the Oslo Music Conservatory and at the Norwegian State Academy, continuing his studies with Professor Max Rostal and with Sándor Vegh. Awarded a special prize at the International Viola Competition in Budapest in 1984, he won the Maurice Vieux International Competition in Lille in 1986. He began his international solo career in 1987 / 88, touring the United States and Germany with the Norwegian Chamber Orchestra under Iona Brown, and since then his appearances as a viola soloist at prestigious halls throughout Europe and the United States have been greeted with the highest public and critical acclaim. Playing a viola made by Gasparo da Salò in 1590, he has performed with orchestras and conductors of the front rank, is a regular guest at international festivals across Europe, and has initiated a number of new concertos, a.o. by composers Erkki-Sven Tüür (world premiere in October 2008, a joint European commission of the Sønderjyllands Symfoniorkester, Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, the NDR Radio Philharmonic Hannover and the Orchestre National de Lille with support of Norsk Kulturråd), Ulf Wallin (scheduled for November 2009), Ragnar Söderlind (world premiere in August 2008) and Lasse Thoresen (scheduled for 2011). Also a busy recording artist, Lars Anders Tomter is a Professor at the State Academy in Oslo. © photo: Nicki Twang