{"id":22057,"date":"2024-03-20T09:04:59","date_gmt":"2024-03-20T07:04:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/norrlandsoperan.se\/musikerna\/karin-bjurman\/"},"modified":"2026-09-03T13:13:41","modified_gmt":"2026-09-03T11:13:41","slug":"karin-bjurman","status":"publish","type":"musician","link":"https:\/\/norrlandsoperan.se\/en\/musikerna\/karin-bjurman\/","title":{"rendered":"Karin Bjurman"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\u201cIt\u2019s almost surreal to get to work on what you\u2019ve always dreamed of\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cellist: Karin Bjurman<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n

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Meet the Musicians<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I’ve always wanted to be a musician.<\/strong> When I was seven years old at after-school care in Lycksele and had to write down what I wanted to be when I grew up, I wrote \u201ccellist.\u201d I\u2019d been playing for just a month at that point. I kept playing until I was 12 or 13. Then I stopped because it became more important to do\u2014and be\u2014like everyone else. I worked hard to fit in. In high school, I chose the healthcare track, and when I was 18, I started playing again. Through that, I found my way back to myself and applied to Framn\u00e4s Folk High School in Pite\u00e5, where I attended for two years. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

After that, I attended the Stockholm College of Music<\/strong>; I continued my studies at the Edsberg Music Institute for four years, and during that time I also had children. My daughter Linnea became the school\u2019s mascot. She is 27 years old today, and my youngest, Tuva, is 13. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I received my diploma in 1997 and have studied under Frans Helmersson, Torleif Thed\u00e9en, and Ola Karlsson.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

After working as a nursing assistant in the emergency rooms in Storuman and Sorsele and as a music teacher in Lycksele, I moved to Ume\u00e5.<\/strong> I was a single mother, and not only did Ume\u00e5 seem like a good place for my child to grow up, but I also had high hopes of one day getting a job with the Norrlandsoperan Symphony Orchestra. In 2000, I started working here as a substitute. Since 2002, I\u2019ve been a permanent employee. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was my dad who got me interested in the cello and inspired me to start playing.<\/strong> We were at a concert in Lycksele, and there was a teenage boy playing the cello\u2014and as a 6-year-old, I was really impressed. My three older brothers play the trumpet, violin, and flute. We actually played together as a family orchestra when we were little\u2014we even appeared on TV! I think it\u2019s, if not a prerequisite, then at least very valuable to have a parent who\u2019s also passionate about what you do and can support and inspire you. Dad would sometimes play along with us kids, too. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best thing about my job is my coworkers and the sense of camaraderie.<\/strong> We do this together, creating music and striving toward the same goal. We give something to each other, and then it\u2019s amazing to be able to share that music with others. Playing music makes me feel so good! It drives me, and it makes me feel really great. It\u2019s almost surreal to get to work on what I\u2019ve always dreamed of\u2014especially at the Norrlandsoperan, where I hoped I\u2019d eventually end up when I moved to Ume\u00e5. It\u2019s a fantastic place to work. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I’m proud of my advanced education, of my extensive knowledge of music, and of having these skills. <\/strong>I set my sights high, and I always feel like I should have practiced more\u2014I\u2019m rarely satisfied. But I\u2019ve been playing for a long time now, and I can play very difficult pieces and correct any mistakes without anyone noticing. Over the years, you get pretty good at faking it! Of course, you don\u2019t need to practice less as you get older just because you have more experience, but we play a lot and often, and lately I\u2019ve lowered my standards\u2014I do my job as well as I can given my circumstances. You have to be patient with yourself. The day I feel like I\u2019m no longer up to the task\u2014that\u2019s when I\u2019ll quit. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bach is my absolute favorite.<\/strong> He was simply absolutely outstanding! The cello suites and violin sonatas are fantastic! To me, his music is complete. Bach is the very essence of music! He captured everything and was a pioneer for everyone who \u201ccame after him\u201d\u2014that\u2019s how I see it. I also like Romantic, more emotionally driven music, but Bach is my greatest role model, and being able to play his music is simply wonderful. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As part of an orchestra, I really enjoy playing Tchaikovsky with romantic cello solos<\/strong>. I also think string orchestras offer the most fun repertoire. Of course, it\u2019s especially impressive to play big, grandiose pieces with a full symphony orchestra, but chamber music is also wonderful. Opera isn\u2019t my favorite thing\u2014but that\u2019s mostly because I don\u2019t like sitting in the orchestra pit! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There’s something special about being able to reach new audiences through music.<\/strong> Something I particularly appreciate is when we get the chance to perform various crossover concerts with pop artists. I hope our repertoire will continue to be broad, with variety and an openness to all genres. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I don’t think I’m the only musician who relies on self-confidence to play as well as possible.<\/strong> You need to be well prepared, feel good about yourself, and\u2014feel your best. For your own sake and so that your performance will be as good as possible. Once, I\u2019d forgotten my concert clothes at home and had to borrow a few pieces from kind colleagues. Since the clothes weren\u2019t mine, none of them fit very well, and I wasn\u2019t exactly excited about going on stage\u2026 In the middle of the concert, a string snapped, and I had to leave my seat\u2014with my cello and all\u2014and walk out, right in the middle of the concert. Of course, in front of a packed house\u2026 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The outdoor opera *Elektra* is the greatest highlight of my career.<\/strong> It was completely crazy in every single way! Logistically, financially\u2026 the huge docks, the cranes\u2026 And then there was the weather! It was unbearably hot outside, and we were sitting indoors rehearsing, with the fans running, and everyone arguing about whether it was too hot or too cold\u2014someone caught a cold, some were constantly freezing near the fans, and others were sweating in the gym where we were playing. There were so many of us musicians, all striving to give it our absolute best, and there was an incredible sense of teamwork. The whole experience was so special for everyone involved\u2014including the audience. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Elektra is by far the most fun\u2014and at the same time the most demanding\u2014thing I’ve ever done professionally.<\/strong> The piece I was going to play is the hardest thing I\u2019ve ever done, both in terms of playing technique and musical notation. I practiced constantly for four weeks during the summer break, but it still wasn\u2019t enough. Yeah, it was a real challenge, but also a lot of fun. I\u2019ll never forget it. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Personal<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

I’m very interested in dogs and have several of my own. Two standard Poodles, Diana and her daughter Ariel, as well as a toy Poodle named Sigrid and a miniature Poodle named Lily. I also have two cats. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"menu_order":100,"template":"","meta":{"musician_role":"Cello"},"class_list":["post-22057","musician","type-musician","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\nKarin Bjurman - Norrlandsoperan<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/norrlandsoperan.se\/en\/musikerna\/karin-bjurman\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Karin Bjurman - Norrlandsoperan\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/norrlandsoperan.se\/en\/musikerna\/karin-bjurman\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Norrlandsoperan\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-09-03T11:13:41+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/norrlandsoperan.se\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/karin_bjurman_2X5A3737_web_liggande.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/norrlandsoperan.se\\\/en\\\/musikerna\\\/karin-bjurman\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/norrlandsoperan.se\\\/en\\\/musikerna\\\/karin-bjurman\\\/\",\"name\":\"Karin Bjurman - 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