Press kit 2007 pdf-format - Borup, Hasse

HASSE BORUP – VIOLIN
Photo by Mary Noble Ours

Biography
Bio Short
Violinist Hasse Borup was, in 2005, appointed to the faculty of University of Utah
School of Music and maintains a busy performance schedule at music series’ and
festivals. Previous appointments include positions at University of Virginia and the
George Washington University. Mr. Borup has earned degrees in violin performance
from the Royal Danish Conservatory of Music, the Hartt School of Music and a Doctor of
Musical Arts Degree from the University of Maryland. In addition to numerous other
prestigious prizes and fellowships, Mr. Borup — in 1992 — was the only Dane to win the
International Yamaha Music Prize. Solo appearances include Venice, Cremona, Paris,
Copenhagen, Charlottesville and Salt Lake City. Mr. Borup was a founding member of
the award-winning Coolidge Quartet, serving as the first ever Guarneri-Fellowship
Quartet at University of Maryland. Mr. Borup has also worked with members of the
Emerson Quartet, Isaac Stern, William Preucil, Almita Vamos, David Takeno and Hatto
Beyerle. Audiences around the globe have heard Dr. Borup and the Quartet in both live
and broadcast concerts. In 2000 the Quartet was the subject of a documentary film
entitled “Four/Fours.” Mr. Borup has performed live on National Danish Radio, National
Slovenian Radio, National Australian Radio, Radio Hong Kong and was featured on
NPR’s “Performance Today.” In 2002, Mr. Borup performed Bright Scheng’s Piano Trio
with the composer at the piano, at a Silk-Road Project sponsored event. As an active
educator, Mr. Borup wrote an article for The Strad (August 2006) describing a series of
instrument-acoustics workshops: the result of groundbreaking collaboration between
University of Utah and the Violin Making School of America. Last season brought Mr.
Borup to Vienna, Washington DC, Beijing’s Central Conservatory, Nanjing and San
Francisco among other venues. In January he will release a CD on Centaur Records
entitled “American Fantasies” with music of Arnold Schoenberg and his American
students and followers. The recording is supported by the Arnold Schoenberg Center in
Vienna. To learn more, visit www.hasseborup.com
Bio Long
Hasse Borup, violin, was in 2005 appointed Assistant Professor in violin and chamber
music at the University of Utah School of Music in Salt Lake City. This important
position took him away from the performance faculty at the University of Virginia, his
previous appointment. Apart from these activities, he keeps an active schedule as a
chamber music performer with various groups such as Washington Musica Viva and the
Grand Teton Music Festival. During the 03/04 Season he joined the Guarneri String
Quartet for performances of the Brahms Op. 18 String Sextet to critical acclaim. In
April of 2004 he performed the Sibelius Concerto with the Charlottesville Symphony and
joined the National Philharmonic Summer Seminar faculty and Chamber Music Series.
Most recent performances, include The Arnold Schoenberg Center in Vienna, The
Central Conservatory in Beijing, Nanjing Normal University as well as concerts in

Washington DC, Columbus and Salt Lake City. A CD, entitled American Fantasies will
be released on Centaur Records in December 2007. This CD features works for violin an
piano by Arnold Schoenberg and his American students and followers, John Cage, Leon
Kirchner, Gunther Schuller and Donald Harris. The German chamber music magazine
Ensemble featured the project in an extensive article in June 2007. Mr. Borup is
scheduled to record the complete sonatas by Danish romantic composer Niels W. Gade
during in February of 2008 for NAXOS. In 2006, Mr. Borup was appointed leader of the
Chamber Music Institute at the prestigious Music@Menlo Festival in Palo Alto,
California by Artistic Directors David Finckel and Wu Han. As an active educator, Mr.
Borup wrote an article for The Strad (August 2006) describing a series of instrumentacoustics
workshops: the result of groundbreaking collaboration between University of
Utah and the Violin Making School of America.
Mr. Borup received his Diploma from the Royal Danish Conservatory of Music, a
Graduate Professional Diploma from The Hartt School and a Doctor of Musical Arts
Degree (Phi Kappa Phi honors) from University of Maryland. The dissertation emphasis
was on string quartet literature (“Anton Webern’s String Quartet Op.28: A Study of the
Work and Its Historic Context”). His main teachers were David Takeno, London; Roland
and Almita Vamos, Oberlin, Ohio; Philip Setzer, Hartt School and Arnold Steinhardt,
University of Maryland. Summer courses and Master classes include “Umeaa Summer
Festival,” Sweden with A. Arenkov; “Nice Summer Academy,” France with V. Klimov
and a Master class with Felix Galimir at Oberlin Conservatory. As a founding member
of the Coolidge String Quartet, he has studied with the Emerson Quartet (Philip Setzer,
Eugene Drucker, Lawrence Dutton, David Finckel), Guarneri Quartet (fellow/assistant to
Arnold Steinhardt, John Dalley, Michael Tree, David Soyer), Isaac Stern, Hatto Beyerle,
William Preucil and others. The Coolidge Quartet participated in summer programs at
the Aspen Music Festival (two-year fellowship, 1997-98), Quartet Institute at Deer
Valley with the Muir Quartet (1997-98), Jerusalem Music Encounters (1998),
Internationale Konzert Arbeits Wochen in Goslar, Germany (2000-01), Summerfest La
Jolla Workshops (1999) and Pablo Casals Festival (2001).
In 1992 Mr. Borup received—as the only Dane—the International Yamaha Music Prize
and was a Prizewinner in the National Danish Radio Music Competition. He was invited
to play for the Danish Queen and at other honorary concerts, representing the Royal
Danish Conservatory (the 1992 opening of the Music Academy in Prague, “Lichtenstein
Palace’s” Martinu Hall). He has received numerous private scholarships, the most
prominent being from Knud Højgårds Fond, Augustinus Fonden and Statens Musikråd.
Furthermore, he was for two years given the use of a 1685 Andrea Guarnerius owned by
the Danish state. As concertmaster of the Copenhagen String Orchestra he has
concertized throughout Europe, including solo appearances in Venice, Cremona, Paris
and Copenhagen. Mr. Borup has also collaborated with prominent Danish jazzsaxophonist,
Benjamin Koppel resulting in a series of crossover concerts, supported by
the National Danish Arts Council receiving overwhelming reviews. With British pianist
Sophia Rahman, he has performed in England and Denmark. They commissioned a
sonata for violin/viola (one player) and piano from Norwegian composer Frederik Glans
and the piece was premiered at the year-long festival “Copenhagen European Cultural

Capital, 1996.” Mr. Borup has worked with two major Danish orchestras: Copenhagen
Symphony Orchestra and the National Danish Radio Orchestra, both as first violin player.
In October of 2001 he performed Bright Sheng’s “Four Movements for Piano Trio” with
the composer at the piano at the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center as part of the “Silk
Road Project.” He was appointed lecturer in violin at Montgomery College, Maryland in
the fall of 2001.
With the Coolidge Quartet Mr. Borup has performed in radio, television (NPR’s
Performance Today, Hong Kong Radio, National Danish Radio, Australian Radio and
Television, and Radio Television Slovenia) and appeared at concerts in Europe
(Germany: “Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Festspiele”; Denmark: “Music Harvest Festival
for New Music” and “Culture Night Copenhagen,” France, Austria, Slovenia), Central
America (Guatemala), USA (New York: Weill Recital Hall, Washington: Corcoran
Gallery, Arts Club of Washington, Smithsonian Institution; Boston, Jordan Hall;
Hartford; La Jolla; Columbus, among others), Asia (Hong Kong: “Musicarama Festival”)
and Australia. The Quartet received prizes in the National Fischoff Chamber Music
Competition and Chamber Music Yellow Springs. Mr. Borup was Assistant Clinical
Professor at the George Washington University, where the Quartet was appointed quartetin-residence
in the fall of 2001. The residency included evening and lunchtime concert
series’, lectures, coachings and outreach activities in collaboration with the Kennedy
Center Educational Division.
The Coolidge Quartet has premiered works by Greg Steinke, Anders Koppel, Peter
Sculthorpe, Wing-fai Law, Jason Haney and was invited by Gunther Schuller to perform
his Third Quartet in Boston’s Jordan Hall at the composer’s 75 th birthday celebration. In
collaboration with Ohio State University and George Washington University the Quartet
won a grant from National Endowment for the Arts to have a quartet written by
acclaimed composer Donald Harris. In 2000 the quartet served on the faculty of the
“International Workshops” (organized by American and European String Teacher
Association, ASTA/ESTA) in Graz, and was asked by the city of Baden to perform
Beethoven quartets at Beethoven’s summer residence (Baden, Austria). The Quartet has
collaborated with the Smithsonian Institution in the creation of the lecture-concert series
“Quartet Conversations” (performed on the quartet of Stradivarius instruments, the
Axelrod Quartet) designed to educate and spark interest in music among the general
audience at the museum. The Coolidge Quartet recorded for the Classico Label and in
1999 film maker Uri Gal-Ed spent three months with the Coolidge Quartet creating a
documentary movie called “4/4.” Four Oaks Company and Walter Scheuer, who also did
“Mao to Mozart” with Isaac Stern and “High Fidelity” with the Guarneri Quartet,
produced the film.
Mr. Borup plays a 1992 copy of the ‘Plowden’ Guarneri del Gesu by Samuel
Zygmuntowicz, New York.

THE STRAD
Volume 110 Number 1309
R E V I EW
Review
Koppel: Quartet No.1
Steinke:Native American Notes
Britten: Quartet no.1
Coolidge Quartet
Classico CLASSCD 251
Danish composer Anders Koppel is perhaps best known for his film music. His Quartet
No.1, composed in 1997 and given its world premiere recording here, bears out these
preoccupations in its swathes of dramatic chromaticism interrupted by bursts of tonality.
Although his unvaried repetition of certain obvious motifs does become clumsy, the work is
compelling for its drive and momentum. Koppel conjures up many interesting textures, such
as the thick chordal wash over the cello’s discordant pizzicato tread in the final Allegro
con brio. The Coolidge Quartet, which formed in Poland in 1996 and is now in residence at
the University of Maryland College Park, plays with crisp precision and a dark-hued, velvet
tone colour well suited to Koppel’s tense harmonic language.
Greg A. Steinke takes a more ambitious approach in his Native American Notes of 1990,
also recorded for the first time. Texts by Native American K’os Naahaabii are recited
between its movements, their potent images of nature inspiring Steinke’s music. The
resulting work is powerful and appealing, its overtly colouristic language and static feel
giving the impression that one is looking at a fixed object through changing perspectives.
The Coolidge Quartet gets to the heart of this intriguing work, tackling its elements of
improvisation with finesse.
The delicacy and warmth of Britten’s Quartet No.1 is intensified in juxtaposition with
these recent works. The players give an expansive and eminently expressive reading,
violinist Hasse Borup and cellist Amy Leung’s soaring, soloistic moments in the third
movement being particularly noteworthy.
CATHERINE NELSON

Impressive debut for faculty players
By Edward Reichel
Deseret Morning News
Published: March 27, 2006 2:01 p.m. MST
MOZART FESTIVAL, Libby Gardner Concert Hall, University of Utah, Sunday.
The University of Utah's school of music hasn't neglected Mozart during his
250th birthday celebration this year. Since the beginning of February, the U. has
been offering concerts focusing on different genres in the composer's output,
from opera and choral works to concertos to chamber music to songs and
arias.
The series continued Sunday with chamber music featuring three
incomparable works — the Oboe Quartet in F major, K. 370; the Horn Quintet in
E flat major, K. 407; and the Piano Quartet in E flat major, K. 493.
Sunday's concert also saw the debut of the school's newest ensemble, the
Faculty Chamber Players. The music department's stated objective is to give
the Chamber Players its own series beginning next year — a goal that will
certainly enhance Salt Lake City's already plentiful musical offerings.
The players, many of whom are members of the Utah Symphony, got off to an
impressive start with performances of the highest artistic quality, which
underscored yet again that Salt Lake City has some of the finest chamber
musicians in the country.
Throughout the evening, the musicians exhibited remarkable ensemble playing
and a collaborative spirit that infused their interpretations with dynamic vitality
and enthusiastic energy.
The concert opened with the Oboe Quartet, played by the symphony's principal
oboe Robert Stephenson. He was joined by the symphony's associate
principal viola Roberta Zalkind, along with violinist Hasse Borup and cellist
Steve Emerson.
The Oboe Quartet is one of Mozart's most genial chamber works. That the oboe
was a favored instrument of his is rather obvious in the manner in which Mozart
lovingly crafted its part, while integrating it effortlessly into the string textures.
Stephenson gave a radiant reading, wonderfully supported by his colleagues.
They captured the lyricism and amiable character of the outer movements
compellingly, while bringing a gentle poignancy to the Adagio.
Mozart wrote several notable works for French horn, not the least of which is the
magnificent Quintet, K. 407. Richly scored for two violas, along with violin and

cello, the work exudes a warmth that doesn't dispel either the exuberance of the
opening movement or the sunny brightness of the finale.
Utah Symphony hornist Stephen Proser gave a captivatingly dynamic
performance, displaying digital nimbleness in the finale as well as showing his
expressive side in the eloquent Andante. He was partnered by Borup, Zalkind,
Emerson and violist Robert Baldwin, who matched his nuanced playing
wondrously.
Mozart's instrument of choice was the piano, so it is no wonder that he would
pour some of his most substantial musical thoughts into the works he
composed for the keyboard. This is certainly true of the Piano Quartet, K. 493,
the final work on Sunday's concert. The quartet is written on a larger scale than
the other two works on the program, and is comparable in scope to Mozart's
string quartets and quintets.
Pianist Jeffrey Price, along with Borup, Baldwin and cellist Elliott Cheney, didn't
glide over the magnitude of the music in their reading. They gave a wonderfully
dazzling performance that vividly captured the work's vibrancy, seamless
lyricism and occasional humor.

FACETIME- Look out, Leopold: New concertmaster keeps busy
Published December 12, 2002 in issue #45 of The Hook
BY ELIZABETH KIEM BOOKS@READTHEHOOK.COM
There's something charming and archaic in certain job titles. Like
fishmonger, milliner, or apothecary, the orchestral concertmaster may
seem to non-musicians like a character from another era.
Not so with Hasse Borup, the new concertmaster for the Charlottesville
Symphony, who lives up to Old World visions. Young, handsome, and
obviously European, Borup would be well cast in a Thomas Mann
novella featuring a tragic love triangle entangling a music tutor, a
consumptive maiden, and a predatory widow.
Of course, none of that is in his job description.
The concertmaster is the first violinist in a symphony orchestra, sitting
closest to the audience and to the left of the conductor. Leopold
Mozart was a leading concertmaster in his day, as was his slightly less
professional son, Wolfgang. As the last member to enter the stage
before the conductor, the concertmaster presides over the tuning-up
and acts as an assistant to the conductor, transmitting his cues to the
larger orchestra.
"The ideal concertmaster is trying to have a leg in both the managerial
side and the artistic side," explains Borup over coffee on the Corner
recently. "If you have the slightest doubt about what you're doing, it
reflects on the whole orchestra."
In other words, the concertmaster is part co-captain and part union
rep, with a whole lot of rhythm going on.
Borop offers still another comparison. "I have to be careful of
analogies because I'm not from this country, and I don't really know,
for instance, football so well... but everyone's talking about the
quarterback?"
Borop, a native of Denmark, came to the US to study music at Oberlin
Conservatory in Ohio. After earning a Doctor of Music Arts degree from
University of Maryland, he helped found the Coolidge String Quartet,
which lasted six years before folding under divergent personal
ambitions. Borup began looking for an opportunity to combine
chamber music, orchestral work, and teaching.

"I didn't know what to expect when I came here," says Borup of the
caliber of Charlottesville's orchestra, "but it's been a very pleasant
surprise."
The Charlottesville and University Orchestra comprises about 75
community and student musicians, and is directed through UVA's
McIntire Department of Music. As a performance faculty appointment,
Borup is tasked with teaching a University course in addition to his 19
private tutorials and scheduled rehearsals.
Oh, and a note for those eager young protégés who rush to the next
performance (on January 25), moved by my promise of early 20th
century romance and European high culture... see the lovely, darkhaired
cellist attentively watching Borup's lead? That's the
concertmaster's wife and musical partner, Amy Leung.