Eldbjørg Hemsing & Mishka Rushdie Momen

Violinist Eldbjørg Hemsing returns to Goodmesh, joined by pianist Mishka Rushdie Momen, for a programme bringing together the emotional force of Schumann and Bruch with the distinctive musical voices of the North.

The evening begins with Schumann’s Violin Sonata No. 1 in A minor, a work of restless energy and lyrical tenderness, where violin and piano move through an ever-changing conversation. Bruch’s Romance follows, offering long, expressive melodies and a moment of reflection.

At the centre of the programme is the Arctic Suite, gathering three contrasting works by Henning Sommerro, Einojuhani Rautavaara and Edvard Grieg. From Vårsøg to Whispering and Last Spring, this sequence invites listeners into a different sound world, shaped by stillness, longing and the promise of renewal. For Hemsing, whose Norwegian heritage is a central thread in her artistic life, this repertoire has a particular resonance.

Grieg’s Violin Sonata No. 2 in G major closes the programme with rhythmic vitality and expansive lyricism. Its folk-inspired character brings the evening’s Romantic and Nordic strands together in a spirited dialogue between the two instruments.

Goodmesh offers the opportunity to experience these works at close range, hearing the details of the exchange between two musicians whose careers encompass solo performance, chamber music and adventurous recording projects.

Programme

Robert Schumann

Violin Sonata No. 1 in A minor, Op. 105

Max Bruch

Romance in A minor, Op. 85

Arctic Suite

Henning Sommerro: Vårsøg

Einojuhani Rautavaara: Whispering

Edvard Grieg: Last Spring (Våren)

Edvard Grieg

Violin Sonata No. 2 in G major, Op. 13

Eldbjørg Hemsing · violin

Norwegian violinist Eldbjørg Hemsing combines an international performing career with a strong commitment to the music and cultural heritage of her homeland. Known to Norwegian audiences since childhood, she has appeared on stages including New York’s Lincoln Center, London’s Wigmore Hall and Beijing’s National Centre for the Performing Arts.

Her recordings range from Bach and Grieg to contemporary concertos and projects exploring Nordic identity. An exclusive Sony Classical artist, she has collaborated with composers including Tan Dun and Anders Hillborg. Her recording of Hillborg’s Second Violin Concerto features Esa-Pekka Salonen and the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra.

Beyond performing, Hemsing co-founded the Hemsing Festival in her native Valdres region and supports the development of young musicians. She studied at the Barratt Due Institute of Music before continuing her training with Boris Kuschnir in Vienna. She plays the 1707 Rivaz Baron Gutmann Stradivarius, generously loaned by the Dextra Musica Foundation. Artist biography

Mishka Rushdie Momen · piano

British pianist Mishka Rushdie Momen brings a wide-ranging musical curiosity to her work as a soloist and chamber musician. Her repertoire spans Renaissance keyboard music, the works of Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert and Schumann, and contemporary compositions. She has commissioned music from Nico Muhly and Vijay Iyer.

Her recital appearances include Wigmore Hall, Hamburg’s Elbphilharmonie, the Lucerne Festival and Carnegie Hall. Chamber music is an equally important part of her career, with collaborators including Steven Isserlis, Joshua Bell, Midori, Ian Bostridge and Angela Hewitt.

Her 2024 album Reformation, released on Hyperion, explores music by Byrd, Bull, Gibbons and Sweelinck on the modern piano. It reached the top of the UK Specialist Classical Chart and received a Critics’ Circle Award in 2025.

Rushdie Momen studied with Joan Havill and Imogen Cooper at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, worked periodically with Richard Goode, and continued her studies with Sir András Schiff at the Kronberg Academy. Artist biography