Hemsing was born into the heart of the Norwegian traditional folk region. She began to play the violin at 5 years of age and, showing exceptional talent, was invited to enroll at the prestigious Barratt Due Institute of Music in Oslo at the age of nine. Ragnhild is currently studying in Vienna with Prof. Boris Kuschnir. Hemsing plays on a Francesco Ruggeri violin built in Cremona in 1694 kindly on loan from the Dextra Musica Foundation. At only 13 years of age Hemsing made her debut with the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra where she performed the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto, and with the Trondheim Symphony Orchestra. The following year she was invited to make her debut with the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra. Since then she has performed with all major Norwegian orchestras as well as with the Danish National Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Ukrainian National Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Kazan State Orchestra in Russia among others. Recent engagements include appearances with the Oslo Philharmonic and Kristiansand Symphony Orchestra, the Geirr Tveitt Concerto for Hardanger Fiddle with the Liepaja Symphony Orchestra in Latvia, the Trondheim Symphony Orchestra and the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra. Hemsing was awarded the Sparre Olsen-prisen in 2005, for her "exceptionally instrumental endowment that grabs the audience with her vivid, passionate and brilliant performance", according to the jury.
Appearances
She has given guest appearances at all major festivals and concert halls across Norway including the Bergen International Festival, the Oslo Chamber Music Festival, Hardingtonar Festival and Førde International World Music Festival, where she has been combining folk programmes with classical repertoire. As a recitalist she has also performed at the Northern Lights in Tromsø and the Stavanger, Trondheim and Harstad International Chamber Music Festivals, and at the Wigmore Hall, the Verbier Festival, Bellerive Festival in Switzerland and AlpenKlassik in Germany, amongst others. In 2011 together with Leif Ove Andsnes and Tine Thing Helseth, she performed at the Cheltenham festival. She is a well known artist on Norwegian radio and television. Recent high-profile engagements included the Nobel Peace Prize Concert, and at the Spellemannprisen. Together with her sister, Eldbjørg Hemsing, she recorded a 60-minute documentary on the life of the famous Norwegian violinist Ole Bull, which received a special EBU award. In 2013 she was awarded the Beethoven Ring to the best concert performed during the annual Beethoven Festival in Bonn, Beethoven's birthplace.
Honors
2003: First Prize and European Union Prize at the Kocian International Violin Competition in the Czech Republic
2003: First Prize and Special Prize at the European Music Prize for Youth
2003: First prize in Norway Young Musician Competition
2005: Sparre Olsen-prisen
2006: First prize in Norway Young Musician Competition
2013: Beethoven Ring to the best concert performed during the annual Beethoven Festival in Bonn
