Anne Marie Granau
– Danish conductor

The 2014 recipient of the Grethe Kolbe Mindelegat Danish-born Anne Marie Granau (AMG) is establishing a solid reputation as a conductor of considerable versatility in a wide range of repertoire.

Anne Marie is dedicated to the symphonic, operatic and contemporary repertoire.

Contemporary Music

Being a keen exponent of contemporary music AMG was early in her career invited to conduct the St. Petersburg Chamber Philharmonic in the world premiere of Karsten Fundal’s Harp Concerto. With Opera Nord and the Athelas Sinfonietta Copenhagen AMG co-conducted (with Hannu Lintu) the world premiere of Trbojevic’ opera Heart in a Plastic Bag. She further conducted the Athelas Sinfonietta in the ‘Ice Breaker’ project and concerts and appeared with the ensemble at the Cannes Festival in 2009.

Royal Danish Opera

AMG was subsequently invited to take up the position of Assistant Conductor at the Royal Opera House in Copenhagen, a position she held from 2010-14. During her time at ‘Operaen’ she worked with conductors such as Schønwandt, Morandi, Rizzi, Carignani, Boder, Saraste, Böer, Meister and Ranzani on the operas Nabucco, Così fan tutte, Tannhäuser, Suor Angelica, Pagliacci, Cavalleria Rusticana, La Traviata, Madama Butterfly, Turandot, Bohème, Die Frau ohne Schatten, Othello, Tristan und Isolde, Rusalka as well as Beethoven Choral Symphony.

Orchestras and ensembles

AMG has worked with some of the best ensembles and orchestras in Denmark such as Aarhus Symphony Orchestra, The Royal Danish Opera Orchestra (Det Kongelige Kapel), Aalborg SO, South Denmark Philharmonic (Sønderjyllands Symfoniorkester), Danish Chamber Orchestra (Danmarks Underholdningsorkester), Concerto Copenhagen, Athelas Sinfonietta, Den Jyske Opera, Danish Chamber Players (Ensemble Storstrøm), Esbjerg Ensemble, Ars Nova Copenhagen and Danish National Vocal Ensemble (DR Vokalensemble). Outside DK AMG conducted the Malmö Opera, British Youth Opera and St. Petersburg Chamber Philharmonic.

Søholm Opera

AMG holds the position of Music Director for the newly established company Søholm Opera in the heart of Denmark, conducting The Messiah, I Pagliacci, as well as several Christmas Spectacular and opera concerts since 2017.

Nurturing young talent

Committed to nurturing young talent Anne Marie Granau held the position of Principal Conductor of the prestigious Copenhagen Girls’ Choir (Sankt Annæ Pigekor) from 2014-22 alongside her part-time freelance career. From August 2022 AMG decided to resign from her position to fully commit to her freelance career.  Through her work with the girls’ choir AMG has collaborated with many leading orchestras, ensembles and venues in Denmark and abroad. She has commissioned pieces from Bent Sørensen, Nick Martin, Rasmus Zwicki, Lil Lacy and Flemming Windekilde. Since 2019 Anne Marie Granau and Concerto Copenhagen have been exploring the Ospedali repertoire by Vivaldi and his contemporaries  – music composed for the famous ensembles of young female orphans at the 4 Ospedali Grandi of Venice.

Education

As a part of her training AMG completed a PG Dip in orchestral conducting under Neil Thomson at the Royal College of Music in London, receiving a scholarship from the Templeton Award.

Before that AMG graduated from the Royal Danish Academy of Music (PG-diploma – kordirigentklassen) under Dan-Olof Stenlund and Frans Rasmussen. Also AMG has a BA in musicology and Danish Literature at the University of Copenhagen. Here, her first conducting teacher was Morten Schuldt-Jensen.

AMG has taken part in masterclasses with renowned conductors such as Bernard Haitink, Leif Segerstam, Jorma Panula, Marin Alsop, Sir Roger Norrington and Helmuth Rilling.

During her time in London AMG also conducted performances and concerts with British Youth Opera (Onegin), South Bank Sinfonia, Contemporary Consort (music by composers Kenneth Hesketh and Claes Biehl), Britten International Opera School (L’Heure Espagnole and L’Enfant) and Woodhouse Opera (Cunning Little Vixen).