New to Science – Johanne Skaansar

1. This isn’t the first time you’ve played with the Norrlandsoperan Symphony Orchestra—welcome back!

– Thank you! Yes, I’ve been working here as a substitute on and off since 2022 and have really enjoyed it. I love the city, and the orchestra is so wonderful—both the musicians and the music.

2. How did your interest in music begin?

– It started very early. I began playing the violin when I was six, and that’s how I met my friends. When I joined the youth orchestra in Bergen, I fell in love with the symphony orchestra, the atmosphere, and the whole experience. And that love has lasted ever since.

3. But you switched from the violin to the viola—how did that happen?

It was probably just a coincidence—I was playing in a chamber orchestra, and they needed a viola. After that, I never went back to the violin; the viola became my instrument. I really love its range and its ability to weave its way through the melodies.

4. What’s the best part of your job?

– It’s like sitting right in the middle of the orchestra pit, doing my small part to contribute to a whole that, together with the audience, becomes something amazing. That’s what I think during every performance: “Do I really get paid to do this!?”

5. What do you do when you’re not playing music?

– I enjoy the outdoors—as a Norwegian, I’d probably lose my citizenship if I didn’t say that—but otherwise I like to draw and paint. And hang out with friends.