The story of Thomas Dyke Acland Tellefsen (1823-1874) has a special place in the history of 19th century Norwegian music. In his own lifetime he earned an international reputation as a composer, piano virtuoso and teacher, enjoying a close relationship to Chopin both as a pupil and a friend. The connection to Chopin is reflected in several ways in Tellefsen’s music, both in terms of choice of style and genre and by the fact that the majority of his works are for solo piano.

Jørgen Larsen was born in 1958 and after winning the Youth Piano Master competition in 1973 he studied under Eva Knardahl. He had his debut concert in Oslo’s University Hall in 1979 before being appointed accompanist at what was then Trøndelag Music Conservatory, now Institute of Music, NTNU, where he still teaches. Jørgen Larsen is a member of several chamber music ensembles, as well as being orchestral pianist with Trondheim Symphony Orchestra.