Martina is an American-Norwegian soprano and graduate of both the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (RCS), and the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM). A Bergen National Opera (BNO) and Edvard Grieg Kor (EGK) Young Artist, Martina performed as part of the chorus for the 2021 BNO production of La Clemenza di Tito. Further soloist credits with the Bergen Philharmonic (BFO) include performing as soprano soloist as part of Festspill in Bergen “Let’s Play”, and R. V. William’s Serenade to Music. Additional recent solo work includes recording Rebecka Sofia Ahvenniemi’s new work Soundtrack of an Imaginary Opera. Martina founded the Firstemt Quartet in 2020, and their customers have included Bergen National Opera, NextGentel, Fjordkraft, Faculty of Law at the University of Bergen (UiB), and Department of Comparative Politics at UiB. A recent highlight for the quartet includes performing at the Award Ceremony for the King’s Medal at the University of Bergen. Opera credits include Soeur Catherine (Dialogues des Carmélites - RNCM), Elvira (Don Giovanni - RNCM Opera Scenes), Fiordiligi (Così fan tutte - RNCM Opera Scenes), and Dew Fairy (St. Magnus International Festival. Additional chorus experience includes Die Fledermaus (Royal Conservatoire of Scotland), Aïda (BNO), All About My Family (2014 - BNO). Martina has performed in masterclasses with Sir Thomas Allen and Rachel Nicholls.
An experienced ensemble singer, Martina won the RCS Governor’s Chamber Music prize as part of a vocal octet, and is an original member of RCS Voices Consort. The consort recorded for BBC Radio 3, and performed at most major Scottish Festivals, including the St. Magnus International Festival, Aberdeen International Youth Festival, and the Edinburgh International Festival. Highlights of Martina’s work as part of RCS Voices includes performing Messiaen’s Cinq Rechants for 12 solo voices, and recording Sally Beamish’s Highland Haiku for commercial release. During her time in Scotland, Martina was a founding member of vocal trio Hazeldene Voices, who worked with Live Music Now Scotland from 2018 to make music accessible to the community.
Concert experience includes performing La Donna della Finestra for voices, guitar and harp at the Whitworth alongside four other BNO Young Artists. Commissioned by the Edvard Grieg Choir, five Italian sonnets were set to music by composer Tyrone Landau. Further concert experience includes an innovative collaboration of song and dance between RNCM/South Manchester Dance School, with baritone Alex Roberts, and pianist Imy Luc, and a performance at the 2019 Festival Fresco with Hope is the Thing of Feathers with Simon Passmore (piano). An artist with the 2019 Internationale Sächsische Sängerakademie, Martina performed as part of multiple concerts and public masterclasses. In new work, Martina performed the role of “Witness” in Eldad Diamant’s Fivestones, a fusion between theatre, opera, improvisation, video, spoken-word, and visual effects.
SINGING TEACHER & CHOIR LEADER
An experienced voice teacher and ensemble leader, Martina currently works as a choir leader and music teacher at the Rudolf Steiner School in Bergen, and with various other ensembles across Bergen. Get in contact with Martina for more information.
