Master instrument paves way for violinist
Sigurd Eide, a talented 26-year-old musician from Bergen, has been playing a virtuoso violin from KTH Royal Institute of Technology since the summer.
“I'm already in love with the sound,” he says about the instrument, which was built by one of the world's leading violin makers.
The KTH violin is a prize in the form of a unique instrument that can be used for three years by a violinist at the beginning of his or her career. Sigurd Eide, a recent graduate of the Royal College of Music, is happy and grateful for the opportunity:
“It was a tough competition with several other talented violinists, so it was a fantastic announcement to receive.”
He is currently freelancing in various orchestras in Sweden: the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra and the Norrköping Symphony Orchestra. The KTH violin will be a great help to his development as a violinist, he says.
“Such a good violin makes it easier for me to express myself the way I want to, and bring out the details and nuances that I want and that the music requires. Despite being a modern violin, it has such a warm and beautiful tone, while being powerful.”
Adjustment period
He received the instrument in June and has been playing it for a while:
“As is often the case when you get a new instrument, there's a bit of an adjustment period, but Iquickly got used to it, and I'm already in love with the sound it makes.”
The violin was built by Joseph Curtin, USA, recognised as one of the world's finest craftsmen. It was originally commissioned and purchased by KTH's Department of Speech, Music and Hearing seven years ago. The idea was to show how knowledge transfer from the engineering sciences can affect all activities in society, including the cultural sphere.
“It feels great to be able to support a young musician in this way. Our previous winner both graduated and won the audition for the Sønderjylland Symphony Orchestra in Denmark, where she now has a permanent position,” says Mats Janhagen , director musices and chairman of the jury.
Advanced craftsmanship
According to him, the KTH violin symbolises how research and engineering can contribute to advanced craftsmanship. Creating a master instrument requires combining proven experience and craftsmanship with new knowledge and scientific measurement methods, he explains.
“For a newly graduated violinist, it is almost impossible to pay for an instrument at this level. And that's what it takes to continue your career.”
This year's winner convinced the jury by playing a piece from the Brahms Violin Concerto.
“He chose a high level of difficulty, and showed a technical maturity with good musicality and intonation. He set the bar a little higher than the others and got it,” Janhagen says
Eide himself will continue to freelance in both Sweden and Norway in the near future.
“I'm looking forward to getting to know the violin better and also to doing various auditions so that I can eventually get a permanent job in an orchestra.”
Text: Christer Gummeson ( gummeson@kth.se )