Rasmus Schærff Kjøller

Léonie Sonning Talent Prize 2012

Rasmus Schjærff gained a summa cum laude in his final examination at The Royal Danish Academy of Music and now studies in the soloist class there. He has won prizes at international competitions in Italy (Val Tidone) and German (Bensheim), has played solo and chamber music at international and Danish music festivals and at concerts at The Royal Danish Embassy in Washington DC as well as at the legendary Carnegie Hall in New York.

Biography

Rasmus Schjærff Kjøller was born on 23 February 1983 and grew up on Bornholm. At the age of 20, he began his studies at The Royal Danish Academy of Music under Geir Draugsvoll and James Crabb. He passed his final exams with distinction and now studies in the soloist class there. During his studies, he has also received instruction from the violinist Sirkka-Liisa Kaakinen-Pilch and the gambist Hille Perl. Since 2010 Rasmus has also taught at the academy. He has won prizes at international competitions in Italy (Val Tidone) and German (Bensheim), has played solo and chamber music at international and Danish music festivals and at concerts at The Royal Danish Embassy in Washington DC as well as at the legendary Carnegie Hall in New York.

As half of the MYTHOS duo, Rasmus won the Danish Radio P2 Chamber Music Competition in 2011. MYTHOS is considered one of the leading chamber music ensembles in Denmark. Apart from MYTHOS, Rasmus has also collaborated with Esbjerg Ensemble, Det Jyske Ensemble and Ars Nova in Malmö and has an accordion-viola duo with Sanna Ripatti.

With the aid of grants and foundations, Rasmus Kjøller now owns a unique Italian, hand-made instrument: ‘Pigini Mythos no. 28’ – the Steinway grand of accordions – with specially made Russian metal voices.

Scholarship from the Léonie Sonning Music Foundation

The scholarship is to be used for studying under the accordionist Joseph Macerollo in Toronto, Canada and Professor Matti Rantanen from the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki. Rasmus Kjøller’s accordion is also to have a thorough maintenance check in Italy.

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