History

I always wanted to play the bassoon, here is my first attempt to make my own out of legos, age 4.

Luckily in 1996 I got my first Fagottino, made by Bernd Moosmann. This was the first time I tried the instrument.

I remember very well the second time I tried my new Fagottino, I was playing alone in the living room, and I got extremely pissed off. My whole life I had heard my father Robert Rønnes play the bassoon beautifully, but when I played it sounded nothing like him. I got so angry that I threw the Fagottino on the sofa, still with the bocal and reed on, and shouted out loud: "Din dumming!" ("You fool!"). However after some time I got to know that some lessons might help, so I eventually started.

My father Robert Rønnes started to teach me early on. I'm playing the Fagottino and he was playing a Tenor-Bassoon, then we sounded more alike.

I got to visit my bassoon manufacturer's factory (Bernd Moosmann) for the first time, late 90s.

Bernd Moosmann was kind to show me around his workshop.

The first "Prost" ("cheers") with

Bernd Moosmann.

A photo after a fun recording session of "Drunken Sailor" with my father and Audun Halvorsen. (Audun is today the Principal Bassoonist in the Danish Radio, in Copenhagen.)

Drunken Sailor - Audun Halvorsen (1st), Robert Rønnes (2nd), Kristian Oma Rønnes (3rd)

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Some years later (age 13) I got to be a soloist in the Stavanger Symphony's hall with Rogaland Youth Symphony Orchestra, on the program was Antonín Jiránek's (1712-1761) Bassoon Concerto no. 3 in F major. Here I'm playing on my first full size bassoon, Model 100 by Moosmann.

My first time playing with a professional orchestra (Stavanger Symphony Orchestra), I was 14 years old.

The concert program from my international debut as a soloist, in Steinfurth (Germany) at the age of 14.

The bassoon section in the concerthall "Grieghallen" in Bergen (Norway) for Mahler's 5th Symphony in 2006, on the photo: Jon Backer Johnsen, me and James Lassen (Bassoonist in Bergen Philharmonic)

In 2007 (I was 15 then) I became The Norwegian Academy of Music's first guest student as a bassoonist, and I played concerts with the bassoon class. I played Mozart's Bassoon Concerto.

My debut in The Norwegian Academy of Music's LevinHall, together with the pianist Bjørn Strandvold.

While hospitating to The Norwegian Academy of Music I also played with the Academy's orchestra, here we're playing Penderecki's 5th Symphony, with Penderecki as conductor! I was the youngest musician in the orchestra.

Trying my new Moosmann model 200 "Soloist Model" for the first time, 2008. (The bassoon I have today)

Belarus State Chamber Orchestra rehearsing my "Fantasy for String Orchestra" at the Norwegian Academy of Music in the LindemannHall. Conducted by Nils Erik Måseidvåg.

Just before the concert with The Norwegian Radio Orchestra in Oslo Cathedral, Stravinsky on the program.

Got interviewed by the Portuguese TV, after performing in the Portuguese cities: Lousada, Oporto and Vieira do Minho, March 2014 at the Harmos Festival.

Discussing & adding the high F# key on my bassoon's wing joint at Moosmann's factory.

Played principal bassoon under Neeme Järvi and Paavo Järvi at the Pärnu Festival in Estonia, 2014.

A tired face after a really good lesson with Martin Kuuskmann on Jolivet Bassoon Concerto in Estonia.

The Norwegian Academy of Music's library was the first library to buy my Bassoon Studies. My studies were already in the library while I was studying my Bachelor.

Won a Norwegian Schoolarship to travel to Florence (Italy) to study baroque interpretation with Federico Maria Sardelli. Here is his feedback after discussing Vivaldi and after I played 2 of his own Sonatas for him, both dedicated to me.

Reed making class with Dag Jensen, this reed we made together.

My Final Bachelor exam, on the program: Jolivet Bassoon Concerto, Sardelli Sonata d-minor, and Mozart Bassoon concerto. Pianist: Per Arne Frantzen, Cembalist: Knut Johannessen. LISTEN (Mozart 2nd mov)

My teachers: Dag Jensen and Per Hannisdal (Principal Bassoonist, Oslo Philharmonic) both joined for a celebration after my exam.

Reunion with my Fagottino after many years. It's now used at The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø.

Moved to Mannheim, Germany, to study my masters with Ole Kristian Dahl. On the photo Ole Kristian Dahl, me, Časlav Brujić and Felix Schwamm are performing my arrangement of Schumann's Konzertstück, Op.92.

Meeting Trevor Cramer (TrevCo Music Publishing) and Bodo Koenigsbeck (Accolade Musikverlag) in München to recieve my first publication at TrevCo: my restored Urtext version of Müthel's Concert in Eb-Major for 2 Bassoons and orchestra.

Back to Moosmann's factory, this time for adding the low contra A key and improving the bore of the low A bell.

Principal Bassoon on Mozart's Symphony No. 40 and several other Mannheim composers in Mannheim Palace with Kurpfälzisches Kammerorchester. Mozart has played in this hall!

Great food with the bassoon class in Stuttgart after a masterclass with Bence Bogányi (Prof. in Hannover), February 2016.

Hospitated in Klaus Thunemann's class for a semester in Madrid (Spain) at Escuela Superior de Música Reina Sofía, 2016.

Met my old teacher Dag Jensen again after almost two years, at the AURORA-Festival in Sweden 2016.

The most beautiful "small" hall I've ever played in; the Rococo Hall at Schwetzingen's Castle. Principal bassoon and only Mannheim composers on the repertoire. Mozart has played in this hall!

Performing Robert Rønnes' "Christ at Via Dolorosa" (highest note high Ab) in the beautiful Old Aula in Heidelberg's Old University, 2016. LISTEN

Was the soloist on Dana Wilson's bassoon concerto "Avatar" for Solo Bassoon, Windensemble, Piano, Contrabass & Percussion in the church "Epiphaniaskirche" in Feudenheim. LISTEN

Back in Madrid to study more with Thunemann, here he is teaching the Weber Concerto. Pianist: Noelia Rodiles.

After recording Federico Maria Sardelli's Sonata for 2 bassoons & basso, with my father. LISTEN

Premiering my arrangement of Edvard Grieg's "Prelude" from the Holberg Suite with Ole Kristian Dahl and his bassoon class in Mannheim. This performance was done to support the EUYO ("European Union Youth Orchestra") from shutting down. LISTEN

A success at Moosmann after adding some new keys and rollers on all the whisper keys.

Got the contract as Principal Bassoonist in South Denmark Philharmonic.

Ready for Smetana's "Die verkaufte Braut" & Nielsen's 2nd Symphony. Photo from Alsion concerthall, Sønderborg.

On tour to Flensburg (Germany), on the program was Tchaikovsky's 6th Symphony and Shostakovich's Violin Concerto No. 1.

The bassoon section was: me, Xavier Vidal and Jesper Kaae Rasmusen.

From our photoshoot for the new season. Some truly fantastic musicians and friends, and I'm always looking forwards to be back!

Ready to play my first week (of many) with Iceland Symphony Orchestra in their glorious hall "Harpa", Reyjavik.

The bassoon section in Iceland Symphony after one of the concerts, from left to right: Michael Kaulartz, Bryndís Þórsdóttir, Brjánn Ingason and me. This is the same group who premiered my arrangement of Edvard Grieg's "In the Hall of the Mountain King" for 3 bassoons & contra. The sheet music can be downloaded for free HERE.

Played "Eugene Onegin" by Tchaikovsky with The Icelandic Opera, photo from the orchestra pit.

Meanwhile Ole Kristian Dahl and his class in Mannheim performed my arrangement of Mozart's Symphony no. 25. LISTEN

CD recording with Iceland Symphony Orchestra, only Icelandic composers on the repertoire.

Visiting the largest music shop in the Netherlands, "Broekmans & van Poppel". I even found my "12 Bassoon Studies, Op. 33" there.

More concerts with South Denmark Philharmonic, here together with Contrabassoonist Jesper Kaae Rasmusen.

Premiering my arrangement of Gustav Holst's "Mars" from the Planets, with Ole Kristian Dahl & his bassoon class in Mannheim. LISTEN

Premiering my arrangement of Edvard Grieg's "March of the Trolls" from the Lyrical Pieces, with Ole Kristian Dahl & his bassoon class in Mannheim. Both Yuan Lu & me with low A bells.

Visiting Rieger with my Mannheim Bassoon Trio: Franz Jurgen Dorsam and Mäx Kersch.
I was working with Rieger to make my own reed shape, based on Hombach's style.

Bassoon Quintet concert at the Musikschule in Mannheim with great friends.

Attended the Muri Masterclass in Switzerland 2017, where I studied with Matthias Rácz, Stefano Canuti, Klaus Thunemann and Heinz Holliger. In the video I'm playing Saint Saens for Thunemann, with the pianist: Noelia Rodiles.

Inherited my father's (Robert Rønnes') bassoon sheet music library. What you see in the photo are the first 7 of the total 14 boxes of only bassoon music, which took 46 years to collect.

Performed Rachmaninov’s 2nd Symphony with Deutsche Philharmonie Merck in one of my favorite halls in Wiesbaden: Friedrich von Thiersch Saal.

First week in Stavanger Symphony Orchestra on the Principal chair with my father playing 2nd bassoon. On the photo are me and Principal Clarinetist Håkon Vestly.

Played Principal Bassoon with the NorrlandsOpera in Sweden with several festive pieces by Bernstein, Kurt Weill, Darius Milhaud & more on the program

My bassoon is pictured in Bret Newton's orchestration book.

Playing Jolivet for Prof. Roger Birnstingl

Giving a masterclass in Poznan (Poland) at the «Pracownia fagocisty 2018», here talking about the bassoon’s highest register for or an audience of approximately 40 bassoonists; which incuded everything from students, to professionals to Professors (86 year old Prof. Roger Birnstingl on first row!). 7 of my bassoon ensemble arrangements also got performed at this masterclass, by: Prof. Ole Kristian T. Dahl, Sebastian Stevensson, Arek Adamczyk, Mateusz Nowicki, Topias Kiiskinen and myself + all the copies I brought of my «12 Bassoon Studies, Op. 33» got sold. A wonderful time!

3 generations on stage together! From left to right: my teacher Prof. Ole Kristian T. Dahl, Prof. Roger Birnstingl still going strong at age 86 (teacher of both my teacher & my father Robert Rønnes), and me. Immortal memories.

Had a wonderful time with Stavanger Symphony February 2018, performing 5 great pieces by Debussy: «Premiere Rhapsodie», «La boîte à joujoux», «Danses sacrée et danse profane», «Nocturnes» and «Iberia».

Ready for concert with Mannheim Bassoon Quintet, pieces by J.S.Bach, R. Wagner, F. Chopin, P. Jansen and more on the program. From left to right: Katrin Mayer, Franz-Jürgen Dörsam, Martin Kersch, me & Sascha Jordan.

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One of the amazing things with being a musician: you never know who’s coming backstage after your concert to greet your tired face. Prof. Alfred Rinderspacher was among the audience after my concert in Mannheim Febr. 2018.

A short excerpt from the opening of Piazzolla's "Café 1930", played together with Guitarist Tormund Blikra Vea. This was performed a fter we gave a masterclass in Stavanger (Norway) in Febr. 2018. We also performed music by Vivaldi, Piazzolla, my own arrangements & more

Had a great talk with the Finnish composer Kalevi Aho in Helsinki (Finland), March 2018. His newest concerto for 2 bassoons is to be premiered later the same year.

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A great bassoon gathering in Helsinki March 2018, from left to right: Xaro Martínez Felipe (IDRS Winner 2017), me, Arvid Larsson (Contrabassoonist Helsinki Radio), Asko Padinki (1st Bsn Finnish Opera), Bence Bogányi (Bsn in Prof. Hannover) & Marcin Wosa Wosinski (Bsn in Tampere Phil.)

later march 2018 surprise-concert for Em

A photo after a surprise-concert for bassoonist Emil Schmitt's 90th birthday, together with Annina Holland-Moritz, Eckhard Mayer and Prof. Franz Jurgen Dorsam.

Won the audition for Principal Bassoon in The Baltic Opera, March 2018!

Szymon Michalik & Mateusz Nowicki (Principal Bassoonists in Warsaw & Poznań) came to visit shortly after. Always fun with surprise visits!

Made my own reed-shaper named: "KOR shape", it's still today available at Rieger. More info can be found here: KOR-Shape

My YouTube Channel got ranked as no. 7 on «Top 25 Bassoon YouTube Channels To Follow In 2018». To see the complete list, click HERE or on the photo.

Concert poster from my performance of Egil Hovland's (1924-2013) half hour long bassoon concerto "Agnus Dei" for bassoon and choir, in the church Johanniskirche in Mannheim (Germany), June 16th 2018.

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Got a custom-made wooden reedcase made by Holzinger (Australia)! It‘s big enough to store 60 reeds, and the reedcase fits perfectly in my Bam bassoon case. Excellent work Holzinger!

Meanwhile Prof. Ole Kristian T. Dahl and his class in Mannheim (Germany) premiered the 4th movement from my arrangement of Mozart's Symphony no. 25, for 5 Bassoons and Contrabassoon. Parts are doubled in the video. The arrangement is published by TrevCo Music Publishing, and is available HERE.

12 minutes excerpts from my performance of Egil Hovland's "Agnus Dei", performed together with the choir Kammerchor an Johannis and conductor Niklas Sikner. After the last chord the audience was silent for 30 seconds, truly a holy moment! VIdeo recorded by Yuan Lu (Bassoonist in Ningbo Symphony, China).

Started my own publishing company: "KOR-Publishing". The first published piece of music was my restored urtext edition of Georg Friedrich Händel's Concerto for Oboe & Bassoon, IGH 115. Within 24 hours it was already purchased in America, Asia and Europe. This publication is still available today, HERE (after clicking, scroll down)

At age 26 I became a Moosmann Artist, this was after having played on Bernd Moosmann's instruments for 21 years. The photo is a link to Moosmann's FB post.

Trying a lot of historical bassoons at Prof. Franz Jurgen Dorsam’s home, among them: french basson, baroque bassoon, german bassoon from c. 1890s, bass dulcian, soprano dulcian, and Rackett (last mentioned I’m playing in this photo).