My name: Rasmus Kure Thomsen
Born: 12 March 1981 in Copenhagen
Voice: Bass-baritone
I started in the local school's children's choir, and then it went from there. The Danish Boys' Choir, various church choirs and amateur choirs. Then the conservatory and simultaneous association with Musica Ficta and many other ensembles in the region.
I joined DRKK in 2007 and am on contract with DRVE until November 2018.
Outside DR, my most important work is as a regular member of Musica Ficta and as a singer in Trinitatis Church. In addition, as far as possible, solo and ensemble assignments.
In 2012, I received the Editor Hans Voigt Memorial Scholarship Talent Award.
I'm passionate about early music. Especially the secular and sacred music of the Renaissance.
The hardest thing I've ever sung has to be Ligeti, but recently Franz Schmidt also provided a nice challenge.
My name is Christina Åstrand
Born 6/6-1969
Instrument: violin
I started playing the violin according to the Suzuki method at the Aarhus Folk Music School when I was 4 years old. I studied with Tove and Bela Detrekøy. When I was 11 years old, I got Tutter Givskov as a teacher, and in 1983 I entered the Royal Academy of Music in Aarhus. In 1988/89 I joined the soloist class and studied for a year in Paris with Gerard Poulet. I made my soloist debut in 1990
In the spring of 1992, I competed for my current position as concertmaster at DRSO, where I started on 1 January 1993.
I've always played all kinds of music. Love baroque music. Enjoy swimming in Viennese classical music, being moved to tears in Romantic music, seeking challenges in new exciting compositional music, where different techniques push my limits of what I can achieve on my instrument.
I grew up with string orchestra music, as my father founded Århus Unge Strygere when my sister and I were children, so we could have the opportunity to play together with other children and young people. In 1992 I co-founded Århus Sinfonietta. Otherwise, I've had my own string quartet, horn trio and piano/violin duo. The latter is the only thing I have time and energy for at the moment.
I play with my husband Per Salo, and there is a fantastic and inexhaustible repertoire for our ensemble. In addition, I have many soloist assignments at home and abroad. I have a special passion for playing Danish music and have also recorded a lot on CD.
I have received the Jakob Gade Prize and the Tagea Brandt Honorary Scholarship. I am a Knight of the Dannebrog
Basically, I think the very best music is the music I'm playing right now.
The hardest game I've ever played
has to be Ligeti's violin concerto. It's also some of the most moving music I know