“I don’t usually care much about medals, but when Vice-Chancellor Erik Renström called and told me that I would receive the Lund University gold medal, I felt genuinely happy,” says Håkan Hardenberger.
He has been professor of trumpet at the Malmö Academy of Music since the late 1990s. Although Håkan Hardenberger has travelled the world and played on the biggest stages, he has always remained loyal to the city he grew up in, Malmö.
“Even though I travel a lot for work and had plans to live in Paris and London when I was young, I like Malmö. When I was asked about the professorship, I thought it would be fun to do something where I lived, to root myself locally. I also enjoy teaching.”
Håkan Hardenberger’s trumpet career began at the age of eight. It all happened quite by chance. He doesn’t come from a musical family, but Håkan’s father had seen Louis Armstrong and bought his son a trumpet for Christmas.
“It was like being hit by lightning; I was instantly hooked. I’ve also been incredibly lucky, partly because I got an instrument that suited me so well, and partly because I had the privilege of having such a fantastic teacher, Bo Nilsson,” he says.
He is considered the world’s best trumpet soloist and has played on major stages internationally. The classical trumpet repertoire is not extensive.
“There are a few classic pieces, but I’ve spent my life trying to change that.”
As a result, several leading contemporary composers, both in Sweden and abroad, have written pieces especially for Håkan Hardenberger. He regularly collaborates with the world’s foremost orchestras and conductors, including occasionally in smaller chamber ensembles, has recorded many albums, and played TV and radio concerts all over the globe.
There is a video in Swedish where Håkan Hardenberger is talking about receiving the gold medal.