Ssens Trio

Sølve Sigerland, violin Henninge Landaas, viola Ellen Margrete Flesjø, cello Ssens Trio (pronounced "Essens") was started in 2014 by three musicians with long experience in international musical life. The trio has performed, among others, in collaboration with Geir Inge Lotsberg, Eivind Ringstad, Frank Havrøy, Håvard Gimse and Leif Ove Andsnes. Their first CD with Beethoven's String Trios Op. 3 and 8 (LAWO Classics) received the "Supersonic Award" (Pizzicato Magazine) and was nominated for the prestigious ICMA Award in 2018. Fanfare Magazine wrote: "With absolutely no hesitation I will say that it goes right to the top of my Beethoven String Trios list." (Jerry Dubins). Pizzicato Magazine gave the CD the following review: "Beethoven with communicative joy in playing. The playful joy of playing is consistent throughout. The 'trialogue' is excellent, each one sensing the others. Through this interactive music-making, which in the Adagio and Menuet movements enchants with intimate moods, Beethoven's work gains depth and sensuality. When this soulful playing is combined with a fantastically eloquent virtuosity, there is nothing left to wish for" (Alain Steffens). In 2019 Ssens Trio released a CD with music by W. A. Mozart on LAWO Classics. This recording has been received with very good reviews in, among others, Classica (France), Fanfare Magazine and Pizzicato Magazine and was nominated for the ICMA Awards and the highly regarded Opus Klassik Award in Germany in 2020. The latter recording has had over 4 million plays on digital platforms and regularly has over 15,000 unique listeners every month. The CD "Ricercare" with music by Johan Kvandal, Finn Mortensen, Edvard Fliflet Bræin and Bertil Palmar Johansen came out in 2022. It has received glowing reviews in, among others, Gramophone, The Strad, Pizzicato Magazine (where it received the "Supersonic Award"), Sonograma in Spain and in leading journals in the Netherlands. In Norway it has had a very positive reception in, among others, Dag og Tid, KlassiskMusikk and Ballade. "Ricercare" was nominated for the ICMA Awards and OpusKlassik in 2023. Ssens Trio is supported by Arts Council Norway (Norsk Kulturråd) and Bergesen Stiftelsen.