Dagny Mehus

BASSOONIST

The bassoon is often referred to as the clown of the orchestra—melancholic, humorous, and dramatic all at once. For Norwegian bassoonist Dagny Mehus, it is precisely this versatility that makes the instrument unique. In addition to classical repertoire, she loves exploring contemporary works, especially those written specifically for the bassoon.

Dagny voksede op i en familie af ingeniører, hvor musik ikke var en naturlig levevej. Alligevel blev hun hurtigt grebet af spilleglæden, især takket være en inspirerende saxofonlærer på den lokale kulturskole. Han opfordrede hende til at søge ind på det prestigefyldte Barratt Due Musikkinstitutt i Oslo, hvor hun som 10-årig fik plads – dog ikke med saxofonen. Skolen manglede ikke flere saxofonister, men tilbød hende en plads, hvis hun skiftede til fagot.

Dagny grew up in a family of engineers where music wasn’t seen as a viable career. But her passion grew quickly, largely thanks to an inspiring saxophone teacher at her local culture school. He encouraged her to apply to the prestigious Barratt Due Institute of Music in Oslo. At age ten, she was accepted—not as a saxophonist, but as a bassoonist, since the school already had enough saxophone students.

Over time, it became clear that orchestral playing was her true calling. This led her to the Royal Danish Academy of Music in Copenhagen, where she completed her bachelor’s degree and is now pursuing a master’s.

Her breakthrough came when she received an unexpected call from Copenhagen Phil. They needed a bassoonist, and someone had noticed her—especially from a festival in Aarhus, where she impressed on contrabassoon.

The Léonie Sonning Talent Prize will be used to purchase reed-making equipment and fund lessons with some of the world’s leading bassoonists, as well as participation in international masterclasses.