Vanessa Blander Hedegaard

My Education: Ottawa, Canada, student of Walter Prystawski. The New England Conservatory, Boston, student of Malcolm Lowe.

My favourite composition: Beethoven’s late string quartets.

My greatest musical experience: I believe it was at the end of the 2009 season, during the final performance of Tristan and Isolde with Jiri Kout on the podium. The atmosphere that he created during the Liebestod was so magical that no-one dared to move afterwards, and the audience stayed silent for a very long time.

My most memorable/funny/unusual experience in the Kapel: In 1998, meeting Victor Borge at the orchestra’s 550th anniversary celebration. He was quite famous in Canada where I grew up, and one of my grandfather’s favourite entertainers. I procured an autograph for him!

When I’m not playing in the Kapel: I head out into the forest for some peace and quiet. As much as time allows I try to grow, cook and share fruit and vegetables from the garden. It is also one my great pleasures to play chamber music with colleagues from the orchestra.