FRITZ GERHARD BERTHELSEN
Fritz Gerhard Berthelsen (FB)
Born 1963 in Copenhagen
Instruments: Bass Clarinet, Clarinet, & Visual Performer
Education: Primiére Prix Virtuosité in Clarinet from the Conservatoire de Musique de Genève. Class, Thomas Friedli (1992).
Ongoing Projects
Fritz has pioneered significant international cultural exchange initiatives and has frequently premiered works that are often accompanied by subsequent CD releases. Since 1997, he has embarked on solo concert tours across Scandinavia, Germany, France, Switzerland, Italy, China, the USA, and seven countries in South America. He has participated in reputable festivals, including the ICMC in Beijing (China), ISCM in Hong Kong, Interactive Arts Performance Series in New York City (USA), International Computer Conference in Havana (Cuba), Bridges Festival in Krakow (Poland), and Festival Syntese de Bourges (France).
Artistic Focus
A pivotal collaboration with Danish composer Ejnar Kanding in 1997 led to the establishment of ensemble Contemporánea, Live Electronics Denmark. This initiative combines classical score music with interactive electronic, fostering an innovative approach to content, concert form, and contextual presentation—often within a visual framework. This collaboration quickly demonstrated an ability to engage brand new audiences for contemporary music.
Background
In 1984, Fritz traveled to the Faroe Islands to teach clarinet, which marked the beginning of a transformative nine-year journey of intensive conservatory studies and a lengthy performance career on clarinet, bass clarinet, and as a visual artist. His studies commenced at Rogaland Music Conservatory with solo clarinetist Haakon Vestly in Norway’s picturesque western region, followed by a year at the Oslo Academy of Music, ultimately continuing his education at Conservatoire de musique de Genève, Switzerland.
Under the mentorship of Haakon Vestly, Fritz developed crucial storytelling techniques through his instrument, leading into a deeper exploration of aesthetics with renowned clarinet soloist Thomas Friedli. This exploration was grounded in the interplay of time, place, and other artistic expressions. Throughout this period, Fritz honed his technical abilities on both the clarinet and bass clarinet. His final years of study with solo clarinetist Art Rozeboom (the Netherlands) focused on mastering technical precision, equipping him to execute refined musical tasks with exemplary results.