Part of Norway’s oldest and perhaps most internationally renowned chamber music festival, the RisørUNG programme was launched as a mini-festival within the Risør kammermusikkfest as a young performers’ and audience development programme during the years 2013–15.

Directly following the position as Artistic Director of Fagerborgfestspillene in 2014, I was excited to take up the role as Project Director of RisørUNG. Generously supported by Sparebankstiftelsen, RisørUNG saw an exciting development over its three year course, addressing new and younger members of audience from the Oslo region. In addition, next generation musicians were invited to perform, present and create a genuinely informal chamber music setting, as well as participating in masterclasses held by some of the main festival artists such as Henning Kraggerud, the Vertavo Quartet and Leif Ove Andsnes.

RisørUNG was handed over to the international trumpet soloist Tine Thing Helseth, who is currently developing it as an extensive festival academy focusing on wind players who are at the start of international careers.