Sigmund Groven

Sigmund Groven (born 16 March 1946 in Heddal Municipality, Telemark) is a Norwegian classical harmonica player, today considered one of the world's leading classical harmonica players. He plays with a large number of the world's leading musicians and orchestras, and he has made 23 recordings yet in his own name (compilations not counted). His repertoire ranges from popular and folk music to his own compositions, from Bach to contemporary music.

Influences and early career Groven grew up in a family with rich music and cultural traditions. His uncle was the folk musician and composer, Eivind Groven (1901–77). As a child, he heard Tommy Reilly playing harmonica on radio, and was fascinated by what he heard. From 1960, Groven studied with Reilly in London, in 1965 he performed as a solo artist for the first time, and has since often been seen and heard on TV and radio. Groven has worked as a music producer, radio presenter, programme producer for radio and as a music teacher, at Norwegian universities and at master-classes around the world.

Teaching For more than 30 years Groven has been teaching at the annual summer courses organized by the Norwegian Harmonica Association. He has also been teaching at the Trondheim Conservatory of Music and has given master-classes both in Europe, North America, and several Asian countries.

Since August 2018, Sigmund Groven is harmonica teacher at the Norwegian Academy of Music in Oslo.

Solo and collaborative discography (original titles) 1975: Så spiller vi harmonica 1976: Music for two Harmonicas (with Tommy Reilly) 1977: Musikk for en lang natt (with Ketil Bjørnstad) 1979: Motlys 1981: Musikken inni oss (with Arve Tellefsen) 1981: Kom sol på alle mine berg (with Geirr Lystrup) 1981: Lævandes dikt (with Ove Røsbak, Iver Kleive) 1983: Songar utan ord (with Henning Sommerro) 1986: Colour Slides 1988: Aria 1988: Sigmund Groven (compilation) 1990: Nordisk natt 1991: Nattønsker (compilation) 1993: Siesta 1995: Til Telemark 1996: I godt lag (compilation) 1998: Harmonica Album 2000: Innunder jul (with Iver Kleive, Anne Vada) 2001: Vi på Langedrag (TV documentary soundtrack) 2003: Over the Rainbow 2004: Here, There and Everywhere (with The Norwegian Radio Orchestra under the direction of John Wilson) 2005: PhilHarmonica (with The Norwegian Radio Orchestra under the direction of Christian Eggen) 2007: Grieg Album (with Ivar Anton Waagaard, Kåre Nordstoga, and The Norwegian Radio Orchestra under the direction of Peter Szilvay) 2010: HarmOrgan (with Iver Kleive) 2012: Classical Harmonica 2014: Sigmund Groven Collection vol. 1: Harmonica Hits (compilation) 2015: Sigmund Groven Collection vol. 2: Tradition (compilation) 2016: Sigmund Groven Collection vol. 3: Concerto (compilation) 2018: Bønn for drømmen 2019: Songs for harmonica 2020: The sound of Telemark (with Knut Buen) 2021: In Concert (compilation) 2023: Kjenslevev (with Knut Buen)

There are three recordings with the Norwegian Radio Orchestra. The first is an album featuring works for harmonica and orchestra by Sir George Martin, as well as his arrangements of Lennon–McCartney songs and other shorter pieces. The second is followed by PhilHarmonica, a CD of serious original works by Darius Milhaud, Heitor Villa-Lobos and Scandinavian contemporary composers. The third is an album of adaptions of the music of Edvard Grieg.

"HarmOrgan" together with organist Iver Kleive is an album of baroque works by Bach and Handel, plus original pieces by Groven and Kleive recorded in Surround Sound on Blu-ray format by Lindberg Lyd and released on the prestigious 2L label.

Groven plays a custom-made Polle silver concert harmonica.

Awards 1984: Musical work of the year from NOPA for several works 1986: Heddal Bank's award 1990: Musical work of the year from NOPA for Prestegangaren and Tårån i troppene 1991: Honorary citizen of Texas state 1994: The Kardemumme scholarship 1995: The annual Cultural Award from Telemark county 1996: The Gammleng award 2002: Honorary member of NOPA 2004: City of Oslo's scholarship 2006: The Storegut award 2009: Klaus Egge Memorial Award 2010: Lifetime annual honorary grant from the Norwegian government 2012: Guangzhou Music Award (China) 2015: The Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav, Knight class