Rolf Lislevand

From 1980 until 1984 he studied the classical guitar at the Norwegian State Academy of Music. In 1984 he entered the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis in Switzerland, which was then the most active early music centre in Europe. He studied there until 1987, under the guidance of Hopkinson Smith and Eugène Dombois. He was then asked by Jordi Savall to accompany him with groups such as Hespèrion XX, La Capella Reial de Catalunya and the Concert des Nations. Through Savall, he acquired first-hand knowledge of 17th century French viola da gamba music, just as Montserrat Figueras introduced him to 16th and 17th century Spanish vocal music.

Since 1987 he has been living in Verona, Italy, where he has been trying to reconstruct an authentic way of performing Italian music from the first half of the 17th century. Lislevand is a professor at the Staatliche Hochschule fur Musik in Trossingen (Germany).

Since 1993 his recordings have been released on the Naive/Astrée label. With the Ensemble Kapsberger he presents a new artistic conception of the instumental music of the 17th century and a revisionis approch to current performing traditions in early music. His first CD of music by the Italian-born lutenist Hieronymus Kapsberger received, along with glowing reviews, the French’Diapason d’Or de I’année 1994′ award. The same year, the Kapsberger CD was voted the `Best Record of Music before 1650′ at the MIDEM international music industry fair in Cannes and, in 1995,’Critics s choice’ of Gramophone.

In 2000, the Santiago de Marcia CD was voted the’Best Record of Music 17th-18th century’ at the MIDEM international music industry fair in Cannes and was awarded by the French `Diapason d’Or de I’année 2000′. Gaspar Sanz and other composers neglected today, have given new impetus to a whole generation of instrumentalist. Lislevand reintroduces into music-making elements of rhythm and genuine improvisation, wonderfurl mastery of timbres and of the acoustic space, thereby conveying the values of an earlier musical tradition to modern audiences. In parallel with the work of the ensemble, he has realised his own vision of the lute solo repertoire and became established as one of the foremost lutenist of our time, a status confirmed by unanimous critical acclaim and many record award. He currently appears as a soloist or directing his ensemble at numerous festivals in Europe, U.S.A. and Asia.