Niklas Walentin to 'Play Carl Nielsen' at Carnegie Hall Tonight

In celebration of world famous Danish composer Carl Nielsen's 150th birthday, the talented young Danish violinist Niklas Walentin will perform four of Nielsen's compositions at a special concert at Carnegie Hall in New York City. The tribute concert will be commemorated by the release of Walentin's new recording, Niklas Walentin Plays Carl Nielsen - Four Grand Works for Violin. Walentin will be accompanied by award-winning concert pianist Ulrich Stærk.

Niklas Walentin, 21, is one of today's most outstanding young musicians. From a very young age, he has performed as a soloist with numerous Danish and international orchestras and is known for his emotional style not often found among modern artists. Having been a three-time winner of the Carl Nielsen International Violin Competition at the age of 18, Walentin feels a special connection with Carl Nielsen's works and considers the CD recording and celebratory concert some of the most important work of his career.

"Many musicians have, among all the great composers in the world, one they are especially fond of, one with whom they are especially productive. For me, Carl Nielsen is that composer," says Walentin.

The four works he will be performing hold a special place in Walentin's heart and he describes them as being both very complex and very Danish. Nielsen is known for creating an anticipatory build up to a melodic explosion that immediately quiets to a playful whisper while the grand sound lingers. Knowing Nielsen and his works provides a special insight into the subtle complexities of his compositions.

Nielsen's 150th birthday will be widely celebrated across the world, and Walentin is the only artist who will perform these four very demanding and complex works. It is indeed a challenging and difficult task, but one that the young Walentin faces with confidence and passion that characterizes his many achievements.

Walentin attributes his success to being stubborn and challenging the strict stylistic rules dominant in Europe. He finds inspiration from the early 1900's more experimental style and the Russian romantics. By combining these inspirations with this traditional training, he has created his own unique and expressive style. Walentin believes that there shouldn't be any rules and is very much looking forward to performing in the US where he feels there is a great open-mindedness and balance between the different styles of playing.