Eivind Ringstad
Viola
Eivind is a true viola star. When we announced him, fans emailed to thank us for the booking. No wonder he's Principal Viola of the London Symphony Orchestra.
About the Artist
One moment you're playing bass, then second voice, next the viola is the soloist. You have to stay in the background, but also be able to shine when needed.
Eivind Ringstad is one of Norway's foremost violists. Full stop. At 17, he won NRK's Virtuos competition and later took first prize at Eurovision Young Musicians, the first Norwegian ever to do so. Today he is Principal Viola of the London Symphony Orchestra and Professor at the Royal College of Music. A career most 31-year-olds can only dream of.
But it's not the titles that make Eivind special. It's the way he embraces his beloved instrument, often a bit overlooked in the grand orchestral context. The viola isn't something you choose because you weren't good enough at violin. It's an instrument with its own soul. Eivind reminds us why the viola is always present in the most iconic chamber music works.
He has performed with Janine Jansen, Steven Isserlis, and Leif Ove Andsnes, and co-directs his own Norsjø Chamber Music Festival in Telemark.
Now he's coming to Risør. We can't wait, and we know you can't either.
Concerts
See the full program →Free City Concert
Head down to the town square and hang out with hundreds of other music lovers. This is the start of another lovely summer day in Risør.
Opening Concert
Artistic Director Tine Thing Helseth invites you to a spectacular opening featuring Haydn, Ravel, and others. Welcome to Risør Chamber Music Festival 2026!
Midsummer Party at Torvet
We’re inviting the whole town to Torvet on the most beautiful summer day of the year. Classical treats and good spirits, with food and drinks. Welcome!
Mari's Song Treasures
Close your eyes and picture this: soprano Mari Eriksmoen in a summer dress, in a lush green garden, her world-famous voice filling your heart.
Gold Is Forever
Quality music can withstand anything. You can tear and wear it, twist and turn it, take all kinds of liberties with the original, and the quality still shines through.
Back to the Future
Beethoven's string quartet will finally be performed in Risør Church again. But the first part of the concert is crucial to understanding Beethoven's last great work.
At Home with Bibiche & Arnfinn
The people of Risør open their homes so you can hear chamber music as it was meant to be: intimate, unfiltered, and wonderfully close.
Chamber Treasures
This is not a regular concert. It's the start of the weekend with the world's finest musicians letting loose and letting their hair down.
Seasons at Torvet
One of classical music’s absolute superhits brings the concert to a close, and the build-up to the climax is filled with the loveliest seasons, from the cold north to the hot south.
Heartstrings
This year’s closing concert is inspired by an intricate emotional life between several great composers. The festival’s final concert plays on the most sensitive strings we have: the heartstrings.
