Organ Matinée with Helena Holmlund

Through Konserthuset’s popular organ matinée subscription, audiences get to hear Sweden’s leading organists perform on the venue’s own organ, which with its 6,100 pipes is one of the largest in Europe. At this concert, Helena Holmlund presents German organ music.

Helena Holmlund grew up in Umeå and began performing as a substitute church musician when she was 13 years old. She later earned a bachelor’s degree in church music and a master of fine arts in solo organ performance at the Piteå School of Music. For several years, Helena Holmlund has been an active accompanist for the Erik Westberg vocal ensemble, and a regular guest at the International Organ Academy in Lövstabruk, home to one of Sweden’s best preserved baroque organs. She has received scholarships from the Royal Swedish Academy of Music, the Diocese of Luleå and the Foundation in Memory of Stellan, Sten and Märta Hähnel.

At this concert, Helena Holmlund will perform three pieces by Max Reger. Most of Reger’s best-known organ pieces were composed between 1898 and 1901, including his Twelve Pieces for Organ op. 59, which Intermezzo and Benedictus are from. Reger composed the 12 pieces, which are based on the Catholic liturgy, in just two weeks.

Introduction, Passacaglia and Fugue resonate with neoclassical style and were composed towards the end of Reger’s career.