Halvorsen, Leif

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Halvorsen, Leif

Halvorsen, Leif, Norwegian violinist, conductor, and composer; b. Christiania, July 26, 1887; d. there (Oslo), Dec. 28, 1959. He studied violin with local teachers, then went to St. Petersburg, where he became a pupil of Auer. Upon his return to Norway, he served as concertmaster in the National Theater Orch., Christiania (1915–17). He then was an opera conductor (1918–21), and also led the Fredrikstad Singing Soc. (1925–47). He wrote much incidental music, an orch. suite, Peasant’s Legend, piano pieces, and songs.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire