Holding the position as Artistic Director of the Trondheim Soloists in 2002-2017, Øyvind Gimse developed the orchestra into being one of the most distinguished ensembles in Scandinavia and won international recognition for it’s distinctively open and clear orchestral sound, described by the British music magazine „Classic FM“ as „The Trondheim Sound“. His recordings with the Trondheim Soloists have received nine GRAMMY nominations and won three Norwegian Grammys, and he has toured from Japan to South America with the ensemble.
After his studies in Munich and Vienna, Gimse began his career as principal cellist in the Trondheim Symphony orchestra. He is regularly visiting all of the Norwegian chamber music festivals and as a soloist or orchestral guest director he has visited Finland, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Russia and in particular Spain. . His dedication to contemporary music has allowed him to co-operate with composers like Sofia Gubaidolina, George Crumb and Bent Sorensen. Gimse is also an internationally recognized professor, holding workshops and masterclasses throughout Europe. The development of musical talent and the fostering of an enduring musical environment in Norway constitutes a vital part of his work. He is a member of the mentor program «Konstknekt», a cooperation between musicians of the Berlin Philharmonic orchestra and the chamber music festival «Vinterfestspill» in Røros, where he held the position as the artistic director 2020-2023.
Øyvind Gimse is a member of the «Berliner Barocksolisten», a Berlin Philharmonic ensemble, and he has a professorship for cello and chamber music at NTNU, the university of Trondheim.
Gimse plays a Francesco Goffriller (Udine 1735) owned by Sparebankstiftelsen/Dextra Musica in Oslo, a magnificent instrument formerly played by the legendary cellist Jacqueline du Pré.
