Johannes Thorell

Johannes Thorell (born in 1976) is one of Scandinavia´s leading saxophonists. He studied at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm as well as at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam and has been taught by saxophonists Leif Jonsson, Christer Johnsson and Arno Bornkamp amongst others.

Johannes Thorell did his soloist debut with the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra in 2002 performing the hugely demanding saxophone concerto by Edison Denisov, a performance that was given a rousing reception by both press and audience.

Since then Thorell has received numeral prizes and grants, including a first prize in the Wolfgang Jacobi competition in Munich together with pianist Magnus Sköld and the Rosenborg/Gehrmans grant. He has received major grants from the Swedish Arts Grants Committee and was a prizewinner at the Biel/Bienne competition for contemporary music.

Johannes is, together with his colleague Claus Olesen, creator of the Nordic Saxophone Festival. He has also been editor for the Nordic Saxophone Journal and has had his own chamber music series “Örebro Live”.

Thorell frequently tours the world with different programs and ensembles and performs regularly with pianist Magnus Sköld, the Swedish Wind Ensemble and the Nordic Saxophone Quartet.

In 2011 Johannes released his debut CD The forbidden saxophone (dBCD138) together with pianist Magnus Sköld that in 2012 was followed by the CD Far North (dBCD150).

Johannes is since 2012 a Henri SELMER Paris performing artist.