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The Norwegian accordionist, Øivind Farmen, started Eight years old he started playing the accordion at the age of 8 with with Gustav Schmidt in Sandefjord. He continued at Sandefjord Music School and the musics side of Sandefjord Grammar School (1988-1991) under Arne Kulsvehagen. The last year at the grammar school and the following studies at the Barratt Due Institute of Music in Oslo (1991-1995) was made under Anders Grøthe in accordion and chamber music. He finished his conservatory studies with the highest grade, the top mark 1.0, both with regards to solo accordion and chamber music.
Øivind Farmen won prizes in several comptitions: in 1993 1st prize at the prestigious accordion competition in Klingenthal, Germany; in 1994 2nd prize at Premio Internazionale "Città di Castelfidardo" for concert soloists in Castelfidardo, Italy; in 1996 1st prize at Trofée Mondial de l'accordéon ("World Championships on the accordion") in Faro, Portugal. In addition, he has received many 1st prizes from the annual national competition by the Norwegian accordionists' association.
In 1993 Øivind Farmen started his international career as a concert soloist in Ukraine. Since then he has made concerts in countries like Russia, Spain, France, Serbia, China, England, Poland, USA, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland and Finland. He has been featured as a soloist with orchestras like Norwegian Radio Orchestra, Trondheim Symphony Orchestra, Barratt Due's Chamber Orchestra, Kristiansand Symphony Orchestra, Bodø Sinfonietta, the Norwegian Royal Marine's Symphonic Band and the Royal Norwegian Air Force Band. He has collaborated with musicians as Elise Båtnes, Ole Edvard Antonsen, Christian Eggen, Arne Nordheim, Øyvind Gimse, Ole Kristian Ruud, Stephan Barratt Due and Peter Szilway. In addition to his career as a soloist and chamber musician, the work of Farmen is very versatile. He tours regularly for the Norwegian Concert Institute and is often used as a session musician in variuos styles.
Øivind Farmen regulary collaborates with composers writing new works. He has worked with different composers as e.g. Håkon Berge, Fred Nøddelund, Terje Bjørklund, Erlend Skomsvoll, Johan Kvandal, Morten Gaathaug and Sigmund Lillebjerka.
Since 1995 Øivind Farmen has been teaching at the Institute of Music at The Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). At present he lives at Selbu. |
