Winner of the Wolfgang Jacobi competition (Germany), semi-finalist in the Swedish soloists' prize, 4th prize winner in the Nicati competition (Switzerland) and semi-finalist in the Llangollen International instrumentalists (Wales). Johannes Thorell is one of the most distinguished and talented musicians in Sweden of today.
Saxophonist Johannes Thorell was born in 1976. After taking saxophone lessons in music school and at the music dep. of senior high school, Johannes, 1995, headed on to the Royal University College of Music in Stockholm and saxophone lesson with prof.Christer Johnsson.
In autumn 2000 Johannes was admitted for the post graduate soloist class at the R.U.C of M where he graduated in 2002.
He made his soloists debut with the Royal Philharmonic orchestra in Stockholm in 2002 performing the Saxophone Concerto by Edison Denisov.
Between 1999 and 2001 Johannes was also a student at Conservatorium van Amsterdam with prof.Arno Bornkamp as saxophone teacher.
Johannes has also participated in master classes with, amongst others, Claude Delangle, John Harle, Nobuyo Sugawa and Douglas Masek.
In 2002 Johannes, together with pianist Magnus Sköld, won first prize in the international chamber music competition "Wolfgang Jacobi competition" in Munich which led to a recording at the Bavarian radio and a radio broadcasted concert at the Schwarzwald music festival.
In 2001 Thorell was one of the finalists in the "Ljunggrenska tävlingen" in Gothenburg, in the summer of 2002 he was one of the semi-finalists in the "Llangollen International instrumentalists".
Johannes has also won 4th prize in the "Nicati competition" which is an "all-instrument" competition for contemporary music in Biel/Bienne (Switzerland).
Johannes is a devoted chamber musician and plays regularly with four ensembles; Hässlö saxophone quartet, Nordic Saxophone Quartet, RUMORE and duo Sköld/Thorell.
His devotion for contemporary music has led to commissions and premieres by composers Jonas Asplund, Marcus Willén, Matias Sköld, Dror Feiler, Lars Ekström, Lars Carlsson, Johan Hedin, Ylva Q Arkvik and Mårten Josjö amongst others.
In the summer of 2003 Johannes and Magnus performed a concert in the festival "Music at mansions and castles in Sörmland", where Johannes was chosen as "Young Swedish soloist".
In the summer of 2004 Johannes was awarded the prize "Stora Enso Kvarnsvedens bruksstipendium" which offered duo Sköld/Thorell to perform a concert at Furudals bruk in the festival "Music around Siljan" that was recorded and broadcasted by Swedish Radio P2
