Håkan Björkman, Principal Trombone (Associate)
Håkan Björkman started playing with the Chamber Orchestra of Europe in 1998 as principal trombone.
Besides his involvement in the COE, Håkan has been principal trombonist of the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra since 2010 and held the same position in the Stockholm Symphonic Wind Band (1993-1996) and in the Royal Swedish Opera (1996-2010). Håkan is a keen chamber musician and has played with Christian Lindberg’s quartet Trombone Unit 2000, The Stockholm Sinfonietta, The Stockholm Brass Band, and a trumpet quartet including the bass trumpet as well as the contrabass trumpet.
Håkan was born in Arboga, Sweden, in 1969. He started taking piano lessons and decided to learn the trombone as well, studying first with Folke Carlsson and John Petersen (principal trombonist of The Royal Stockholm Philharmonic). Håkan then entered Stockholm’s Royal Academy of Music where he was taught by professor Sven-Erik Eriksson. He graduated with a Medalist Solo Diploma and, through scholarships, studied in the USA with Joe Alessi, Per Brevig and Mark Lawrence.
As a soloist, Håkan has performed in Sweden, Finland, Norway the UK, USA, Spain, Austria, Germany, Belgium and Holland together with orchestras including the Royal Swedish Orchestra, Royal Stockholm Philharmonic, Stockholm Sinfonietta, Nordic Chamber Orchestra, Tromsø Chamber Orchestra and Stockholm Symphonic Wind Orchestra.
Over the years, Håkan has won numerous international competitions and regularly takes part in Festivals, performing solo recitals or in chamber music ensembles. He was invited to perform with the World Trombone Quartet in New York on the ITF 2016. Håkan currently teaches at MDH Music Academy and The Royal Academy of Music in Stockholm. He released his second solo album, “Selections” in 2014. The Swedish composer Sven-David Sandström has been commissioned by the Swedish Radio to compose a trombone concerto for Håkan which will be premiered during the 2018/19 season.
Håkan is a Yamaha performing artist and has developed his own model and mouthpieces.