Biography

Aage Richard Meyer (b. 1994) is one of Norway’s young and promising conducting talents. In 2019 Meyer was chosen to become the seventh assistant conductor for the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra through the “Karsten Andersen Program”, and their Chief Conductor, Edward Gardner. From 2020 to 2022 when he served as assistant, he held several of the orchestra’s educational concerts, along with their 2021 new year concert, their summer concerts in 2021 and 2022, and the opening ceremony of the International Bergen Festspillene in 2021, all with great success. He also actively assisted Edward Gardner and principal guest conductor Sir Mark Elder in several of their projects, most notably the orchestra’s tour in August 2022 to Edinburgh, Copenhagen, and Germany, and the semi-staged production of Richard Wagner’s Parsifal in January 2023. During the pandemic, Meyer would also take an active role as a sound producer in the orchestra’s live-stream production “Bergenphillive”. As a part of the orchestra’s assistantship, he would also take part in assisting in Bergen National Opera’s productions of “La Clemenza di Tito” in 2021 and “The Merry Widow 2.0” in 2022.

In 2017, Meyer was picked to be one of the first to take part in Dirigentløftet’s newly started program “Dirigentforum” and would be an active participant until the end of 2022, with great response both from the mentors and musicians who participated in the program. In 2020, with a jury consisting of the head council of Dirigentløftet along with representatives from all of Norway’s professional orchestras, he was chosen to take part in Dirigentløftet’s top program Opptakt, which will see him work with all of Norway’s professional orchestras from 2021 to 2023 and have access to international and national mentors in the field.

Through the Program, Aage Richard has already had success with orchestras such as Kristiansand Symphony Orchestra in autumn 2022 with their local tour, and Stavanger Symphony Orchestra in spring 2023 with the subscription concert “Klanger fra den Nye Verden” along with the Norwegian Tubist August Schieldrop. February 2023, as a part of Opptakt and due to his still strong partnership with Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra’s current chief conductor and the coming chief conductor of the Norwegian National Opera and Ballet, Edward Gardner, Meyer is taking part in the Norwegian Opera’s production of Guiseppe Verdi’s “Un Ballo In Maschera” as both assistant and Co-conductor. April 21st, 2023, Aage had his Opera Debut at the Norwegian Opera and Ballet performing Verdi’s “Un Ballon In Maschera”. It was a debut met with standing ovations from the audience and positive responses from the choir, orchestra, and soloists.

Abroad, Meyer worked as an assistant to Edward Gardner at the London Philharmonic Orchestra in March 2022, and from April to May 2022, Meyer was picked by the American conductor James Gaffigan to assist him in Valencia at The Palau De La Reina Sofia in their production of Alban Berg’s “Wozzeck”. This invitation was a result of a successful masterclass in Oslo through Dirigentforum, and collaboration together during The Bergen Philharmonic’s summer concerts in 2021. Meyer had his international Debut in 2018 in Rudolfinum, Prague with the Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra, where he performed Grieg’s Piano Concerto and Dvorak’s 9th Symphony.

Meyer has already worked with several of Norway’s professional ensembles, such as the Stavanger Symphony Orchestra, Bodø Sinfonietta, Tromsø Chamber Orchestra, The Royal Marine Band Horten, The Royal Navy Band Bergen, and The Royal Army Band Harstad.