An evening of Nordic Winter
Presenting Norwegian soprano Katharina Jakhelln Semb and pianist John Lidal. Music by Grieg, Sibelius, Kvandal and more.
Thursday, January 18th, 2007 at 7.30 p.m.

The program for the concert:

About the artists:

Katharina Jakhelln Semb Norwegian Soprano with musical background from Italy, Norway and Russia. In 2002 she concluded her vocal studies at the Norwegian Academy of Music in Oslo. From 2004 to 2006 she was a soloist at the prestigious “Academy of Young Singers” at the Mariinsky Opera in St. Petersburg, Russia. She performed at all the citys major concert venues.

In the Grand Philharmonic Hall she sang selected Grieg songs with the St. Petersburg Symphony Orchestra. This was recorded unto CD. She also performed Grieg at Valery Gergievs “White Nights Festival” at Mariinsky, that also was televised. December 2005 she had her debut as Leonora in “Trovatore” by Verdi in Cheboksary, Russia. She won the Tchaikovsky price at the International Rimsky-Korsakov Vocal Competition in St. Petersburg 2004. Her performance was televised all over Russia. In Norway she performed with the Trondheim Symphony Orchestra as one of their Young Talents 2004. Since 2006 she works with Trish McCaffrey in New York. In October of this year she moved to Berlin, after having been awarded the distinguished Jansons Grant for Artist, for one year in Germany. Katharina is fluent in English, Italian, French, German and Russian in addition to her native Norwegian. She also has a University Degree in Italian.

John Lidal – as a pianist, chamber musician and vocal coach, John Lidal is a much sought after artist, and has worked throughout the United States and Europe with such artists as Sherrill Milnes, Catherine Malfitano, Mignon Dunn, Tom Krause, Martina Arroyo, Fedora Barbieri, Licia Albanese, Anna Moffo, Håkan Hagegård, Ingrid Bjoner, Sarah Walker, Gabriella Tucci and Marilyn Horne.

Mr. Lidal currently serves on the faculties of the Manhattan School of Music, New York, the International Institute of Vocal Arts in Chiari, Italy, and the Israel Vocal Arts Institute, Tel Aviv, Israel.

With an extensive experience as audition pianist (NYIOP) and coach throughout the US and Europe, Mr. Lidal works regularly with established artists from the Metropolitan Opera and other renowned companies, as well as being affiliated with several leading voice teachers. Mr. Lidal attended his hometown conservatory in Trondheim, Norway, the Guildhall School of Music & Drama in London, the Norwegian Academy of Music in Oslo, Norway, and the Manhattan School of Music (MSM) in New York.

He was 1st prize winner in 1999 of two International Piano Competitions in London, UK. Lidal collaborates regularly with the new generation of the many outstanding singers in Scandinavia, and in the US both in recitals, recording and broadcast. Current projects include a US song recital series called “A Scandinavian Songbook”, as well as a series of public master classes presented with world-renowned American soprano, Catherine Malfitano.

Moreover, Lidal recently undertook an extensive coaching tour of Berlin, Oslo and London, where he was coaching numerous professional vocalists in the operatic repertory. Additionally, Mr. Lidal created and currently serves as the Artistic Director for the newly formed LidalNorth, which presented its first International Opera Workshop for advanced singers in June 2006, in Oslo, Norway.