Wagning, Esther

Esther Wagning ( dated. Esther Nielsen Vagning ; June 28, 1905 , Strib-Ryuyleskov, now in the Middelfart commune - December 31, 1986 , Copenhagen ) is a Danish pianist.

She started playing music at the age of three, from the age of 14 she played in local cinemas, accompanying silent movies. Already in her youth she performed in the ensemble with prominent local musicians - in particular, with Peder Möller . From the age of 17 she studied under the guidance of Agnes Adler , and also studied music theory under the guidance of Hortense Panum . She debuted as a soloist in 1928 in Tivoli Park, performing the Third Piano Concerto of Ludwig van Beethoven . In the early 1930s. She improved her skills in Paris at Santiago Riera and in Berlin at Edwin Fisher .

Wagning led an intense concert activity: according to estimates made for the 25th anniversary of her concert career, during this time she gave 1,289 performances, including 49 abroad. As an ensemble she especially performed as a part of the piano trio with Henry Holst and Erling Blöndal Bengtsson (it was in this lineup that they performed, in particular, in 1978 at a concert in honor of the 50th anniversary of Wagning’s concert career). At the same time in 1936-1944. Wagning worked as a tutor in the choir of the Danish Radio, collaborating, in particular, with conductor Nikolai Malko . In 1960-1975 she taught at the Royal Conservatory , among her students Elizabeth Westenholz .