Honourable mention for violinist in the orchestra

During a break in the concert in the Concert Hall on Saturday 16 March, Anders Fog-Nielsen, first violinist in the Danish National Symphony Orchestra, was presented with the Peter Varming Memorial Grant of DKK 25,000. Peter Varming was the first chairman of the Friends of the orchestra, and he was also director of the Beckett Foundation, which has sponsored the scholarship and has supported the orchestra extensively over the years.

The grant was presented by singer Julie Borgwardt-Stampe, who is a board member of the Beckett Foundation. From the stage, she said the following about why it was Anders Fog-Nielsen who received the award as the 11th musician in the DR orchestra:

- The Peter Varming Memorial Grant of DKK 25,000 is awarded to a musician from the Danish National Symphony Orchestra who, in addition to having been a member of the orchestra for an extended period of time, plays a particularly prominent role and works to maintain and promote the high international level the orchestra has today.

- 1st violinist Anders Fog-Nielsen received his first lessons from his father, who also played in the Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra, he trained in Copenhagen and London.

Anders has been employed by the Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra twice - from 1982-85 and again from 1991 to the present day. In the meantime, he helped found the European Community Orchestra led by Claudio Abbado, after which he joined the very fine and prestigious Chamber Orchestra of Europe and the Philharmonia Orchestra in London.

- Anders Fog-Nielsen has stamina and experience. He is also well liked by his colleagues in the orchestra, he has a fundamentally positive and happy attitude to his work and his workplace, and he makes an extra effort for the community by sitting on the Artistic Council, which is a group of people around the orchestra who help set the guidelines and select repertoire and conductors.

The recipient of the award is appointed by an award committee consisting of a representative of the orchestra, the head of DR's choirs and orchestras, a representative of the foundation and the chairman of the Friends Association.