After the critic’s failure with his first symphony in 1912, Hjellemo took his time before presenting his second work in this genre – Symphony no.2 in B minor, which was premiered in 1926. The Second Symphony is even more extensive and advanced than the First, and requires an even larger orchestra. This suggests well that Hjellemo had more confidence in his own abilities than in the critics’ judgment. The Symphony is a large, epic work almost unparalleled in Norwegian music history. The symphony was, as critics reported, very well received by the audience – the composer had to come forward three times to receive applause.


Christopher Tun Andersen started playing violin at the age of four. His main teacher in Norway was professor Isaac Schuldman, with whom he first studied at the Barratt Due Institute of Music, and later at the Norwegian Academy of Music. Christopher is laureate and participant in several international violin competitions, inclu-ding the XV International Tchaikovsky Compe-tition in Moscow (2015). He won 2nd prize in the international violin competition in Wörthersee Austria (2007), 1st prize at the “Jugend Musiziert” competition in Germany (2007), and the Heifetz Prize in the IV International Jascha Heifetz Violin Competition (2013) as well as 1st prize in the Serguei Azizian competiton (2020). Other appearances as soloist include Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, Moscow Chamber Orchestra, the Minsk State Chamber Orchestra and the Norwegian Radio Orchestra. In 2015, he played Sinding’s Suite in the Berlin Philharmonic Hall with the Berlin Symphony Orchestra.