Håkon Austbø

Håkon Austbø ( born October 22, 1948 in Kongsberg ) is a Norwegian pianist and university professor.

Life

After first appearances in his Norwegian homeland Austbø studied at the Paris Conservatory and the local École Normale de Musique. In 1970 he won first the Concours National de la Guilde Française des Artistes Solistes, followed in 1971 the first prize in the Olivier Messiaen Competition for Contemporary Music in Royan. Later he also visited the Juilliard School in New York City and the Academy of Music in Munich. In 1974, he achieved an award at the Munich International Competition ( along with Marina Horak ), 1975 finally then also in the Ravel Competition and the UNESCO Rostrum Bratislava as a member of Trio du Nord.

His career has Austbø through Europe, Asia and America, but most of the time he spent in the Netherlands. In 1989 he received the Prize of the Norwegian music critic, in 1992 appointed Artist of the Year and awarded the 2003 Grieg Prize. Meanwhile, he has held the chair of piano at the University of Stavanger. In addition, he makes every initiated by him LUCE project a special color realization of Scriabin's Prometheus.

Discography

Special recognition is achieved Austbø through his recordings of works by Messiaen and Scriabin. He won in 1998 for his interpretation of the Catalogue d' Oiseaux the Edison Prize. Various recordings of both composers were awarded the Spellemannprisen, including the complete sonatas of Scriabin. Among other recordings Austbøs are the complete piano works of Debussy, Janacek, Satie and Grieg as well as works by Schumann, Brahms, Schat, Boucourechliev, Hedstrom, Boulez, Racot, Tveitt, Thommessen and many others.