Background
Bengtsson, Erling Blöndal was born on March 8, 1932 in Copenhagen, Denmark. Arrived in the United States, 1990. Son of Valdemar and Sigridur (Nielsen) Bengtsson.
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Erling Blöndal Bengtsson
Edit Profilemusic educator musician university professor
Education
He was admitted at the age of sixteen to the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia where he studied with Gregor Piatigorsky, who engaged him as a teaching assistant in 1949.
Career
Born in Copenhagen, Bengtsson gave his first public performance there in 1936, when he was four years old. From 1950 to 1953, Bengtsson taught his own cello class at the Institute, before being appointed to the Royal Danish Academy of Music in Copenhagen. In 1980, he became a professor at the Hochschule für Musik Kölane
He returned to America in 1990 and taught at the University of Michigan School of Music until his retirement from academia in 2006.
Bengtsson made most of his phonograph and Civil Defense recordings with the Danish label DANACORD. In November 2006, DANACORD released the Digital Video Disc The Cello and I, which presented a comprehensive portrait of Bengtsson"s career on the seventieth anniversary of his debut. He died in Ann Arbor, Michigan, aged 81.
Achievements
Membership
Bengtsson was a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music and was conferred the title "Chevalier du Violoncelle" by Indiana University in 1993.
Interests
Connections
Married Merete Bloch-Jørgensen, October 19, 1958. Children: Henrik Bløndal, Stefan Bløndal.
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Born
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Died
June 6, 2013 (aged 81) -
Nationality
Denmark -
Ethnicity
Education
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1950
Career
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1949 - 1950
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1953 - 1990
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1958 - 1978
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1978 - 1982
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1990 - 2006
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2006
Awards
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Named Knight 1st class, Order of Dannebrog, Queen of Denmark, 1972, Grand knight, Order of Falcon, President Iceland, 1970, Chevalier du violoncello, Indiana University Eva Janzer Memorial Cello Center, 1993, Premier Master Cellist, Detroit Cello Society, 2005. Recipient Award of Distinction, Manchester (England) International Cello Festival, 2001, Honorary award, International Federation Phonographic Industry, 2006.Named Knight 1st class, Order of Dannebrog, Queen of Denmark, 1972, Grand knight, Order of Falcon, President Iceland, 1970, Chevalier du violoncello, Indiana University Eva Janzer Memorial Cello Center, 1993, Premier Master Cellist, Detroit Cello Society, 2005. Recipient Award of Distinction, Manchester (England) International Cello Festival, 2001, Honorary award, International Federation Phonographic Industry, 2006.