Torun Sæter Stavseng
Co-Principal Cello
Torun Sæter Stavseng is a Norwegian cellist with diverse musical interests active as a soloist, chamber musician, orchestral leader and teacher. In 2010 she was awarded the Swedish Royal Academy of Music honorary prize after her debut in Britten ́s Cello Symphony with Stockholm Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. In the same year she was awarded the Young Swedish Soloist prize and offered the principal cellist position of Helsingborg Symphony Orchestra.
Torun has formed various ensembles with a broad span of repertoire including Duo TÖ with Swedish pianist Anna Christensson, Tre Voci alongside cellists/composers Gregor Riddell and Colin Alexander and TrioTaus with close long term friends, violinist Liv Hilde Klokk and violist Ida Bryhn. She is a member of Cikada Contemporary Ensemble and creative director of KRANTZ Chamber Music Series.
As an orchestral leader she has worked with Royal Opera Stockholm, Norwegian Radio Orchestra and Norwegian Chamber Orchestra. She is currently teaching cello at the Arctic Conservatory of Music Tromsø (Norway) and plays a cello by Matteo Goffriller (1725) on generous loan from Dextra Musica/Sparebankstiftelsen.
Aurora Memory
I have two particular favourites. The first is Schubert’s Winterreise, recomposed by Zender. The solo tenor part was performed so beautifully by Allan Clayton, and the theatrical aspect of the performance gave it a whole new dimension: the crows, the torches, the lit houses and the falling snow made it an eerie and mysterious experience, bringing Schubert’s / Zender’s universe even closer.
Another shining Aurora memory is when we did Beethoven’s fifth symphony by heart. The process completely opened my ears to this piece I thought I knew so well, bringing it to life in a new way. A special moment was when we had gathered under a huge oak tree in Norwich to perform the symphony, and as we got into the final movement, a little two-year-old girl in front of me couldn’t stop dancing and laughing!