Kristina is erg gefascineerd door de grote verscheidenheid aan geluid die je met de gitaar kunt produceren en ze houdt ervan om te ontdekken wat er mogelijk is met dynamiek en kleur. Als muzikant kijkt ze naar de mogelijkheden van de gitaar en ontdekt ze nieuwe ideeën met haar creatieve benadering van haar repertoire.
Ze kreeg haar eerste gitaar toen ze 6 jaar oud was, en begon met lessen op 8-jarige leeftijd. In 2013 begon ze haar bachelor aan The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland bij Allan Neave. Een jaar later ging ze verder aan het Prins Claus Conservatorium in Groningen (Nederland) met Sabrina Vlaskalic als haar leraar. Ze studeerde in 2017 cum laude af. Ze vervolgde haar studie in Oslo en behaalde daar haar kunstenaarsdiploma (diplomstudiet) aan de Noorse muziekacademie bij professor Erik Stenstadvold en professor Otto Tolonen.
Kristina is zeer gepassioneerd over het optreden. Ze gaf solorecitals in verschillende prestigieuze concertzalen, waaronder The Royal Concertgebouw in Amsterdam en Universitetets Aula in Oslo. Ook heeft ze als solist opgetreden met het Bergen Philharmonisch Orkest en het Litouwse Nationaal Symfonie Orkest. Ze heeft gespeeld op de nationale TV en radio in Nederland.
Haar debuutalbum “An Idea” kwam in mei 2019 uit bij het label Simax Classics en kreeg uitstekende recensies. Momenteel geeft ze les aan het Prins Claus Conservatorium in Groningen. Kristina speelt op een gitaar, gemaakt door Andrés D. Marvi en treedt uitsluitend op met D’Addario-snaren.
Kristina Vårlid (b. 1994) from Stavanger, Norway is already an internationally acclaimed classical guitarist after winning several competitions and awards. Among others she got the 1st prize in Antwerpen International Guitar Competition 2017, finalist and winner of the Koblenz International Guitar Academy Award at the Koblenz International Guitar Competition 2018 and finalist in Tokyo International Guitar Competition 2018. She was named the best music student in The Netherlands in 2017 when she won Grachtenfestival Conservatorium concours. In 2018 she became a part of the prestigious «Walk of Fame» at the Hanze University in Groningen.
Kristina is really fascinated by the big variety of sound you can produce with the guitar and she likes to explore and go beyond its limitations in dynamic, sustain and colors. As a musician she looks at music thinking everything is possible, she loves discovering new ideas with her creative approach to her repertoire and make it her own.
She got her first guitar when she was 6 years old, and started lessons at the age of 8. In 2013 she started her bachelor at The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland studying with professor Allan Neave, a year later she continued at the Prince Claus Conservatoire in Groningen, The Netherlands with Sabrina Vlaskalic as her teacher. She graduated her bachelor degree in 2017 with the highest mark and cum laude. She further continued her studies in Oslo with the artist diploma degree (diplomstudiet) at the Norwegian Academy of Music with professor Erik Stenstadvold and professor Otto Tolonen.
Kristina is very passionate about performing and thrives being on stage where she feels a very strong connection with the audience. She has given solo recitals in several major halls among others The Royal Concertgebouw in Amsterdam and Universitetets Aula in Oslo. She has also performed as a soloist with Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra and Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra. She has performed on national TV and radio in The Netherlands.
Her debut album “An Idea” was released in May 2019 with the label Simax Classics and it has received excellent reviews. She currently teaches at the Prince Claus Conservatorium in Groningen. Kristina plays on a guitar made by Andrés D. Marvi and performs on D’Addario strings exclusively.