Accordionst Frin Wolter (b. 1994), has gained increasing recognition for his qualities as a soloist and chambermusician in recent years. Mainly active in Luxembourg, Belgium, France and Germany, he is actively shaping the development of the Accordion in Benelux Countries and cooperating with a diversity of musicians, composers, ensembles and artistic collectives. As a strong advocate for contemporary music and connoisseur of the 20th century accordion repertoire, he encourages the creation of new works for his instrument in close collaboration with composers. He equally shares great passion for baroque music and is himself the author of a great number of arrangments and transcriptions in various styles and formations. Frin Wolter distinguishes himself from other accordionists of his generation through his ability to break through the stereotypes of the accordion and to go beyond the barriers of a standardised classical music scene, by joining multidsciplinary projects that include all kinds of genres, artistic disciplines and cultural backgrounds.
Picking up the accordion at the age of 8, his academic pathway led him through the Conservatoire de la Ville de Luxembourg (Lu), the ESMD in Lille (Fr) in the class of Vincent Lhermet and the University of the Arts, Sibelius Academy in Helsinki (Fi), where he completed a bachelors and masters degree in accordion performance and pedagogy with Matti Rantanen, Veli Kujala, and Helka Kymäläinen in 2021.
Artistic career
Since 2021 he is active in cultural institutions such as the Philharmonie du Luxembourg, Fondation EME, Villa Vauban, KuFa and les solistes européens. He has been regularly invited to numerous festivals including the Rainy Days festival 2023 (LU), Esch22 (LU), Summerdream Steinfort festival (LU), Bruxelles Street are festival (BE), "Air de Rien" festival in Lille (Fr) and the "Journées du Patrimoine de l'Opera” in Lille, the International Accordion Festival in Kokkola (FI) "Talviharmonikka festival". His experience as a high-level soloist allows him to perform in various chamber music ensembles as well as orchestras. He is regularily invited to play at prestigious venues such as the annual “Hommage à Franz Liszt” (LU) at the Casino of Contemporary Art of the city of Luxembourg (LU), the Chapel for Europe and Maison de la création in Brussels (BE). He has performed works as a soloist with Orchestra on numerous occasions, such as A. Sallinen's (FI) Concerto for accordion “Barabas Variations”, Jacqueline Fontyn's Accordion Concerto "Vent d'Est", and Astor Piazzolla's Concerto "Aconcagua". In 2019, he takes part in creating the opera « The Sleeping Thousand » by Adam Maor and Yonatan Levy at the Aix-en-Provence opera festival (FR).
As an instrumentalist in larger ensembles, he has performed with conductors such as Elena Schwarz, Julien Leroy, Manuel Nawri, David Reiland and Pit Brosius.
Since 2019, he is a permanent member of the Luxembourg based Contemporary music Ensemble United Instruments of Lucilin. He is active in numerous chamber music formations such as the Trio Accord (Lu), Duo Kiasma with cellist Pierre Fontenelle (Be), and his Trio WAS in Finland. He has been invited to various ensembles around Luxembourg, including the Orchestre de Chambre du Luxembourg , Serge Tonnar & Band, Dadophonic, Hochschulorchester MusikSaar and to NYKY contemporary music ensemble (Fi).
Awards and distinctions
At the age of 18 he is the winner of the Luxembourgish "Accart" Competition, winning the first national prize and the promotion prize of the Ministry of Culture (2012) and later the international "Accordéopale" competition in Berck-sur-Mer, where he won the 2nd prize (2014), France. He has been awarded with the finalist prize at the all-instruments competition Prix Anne and Françoise Groben (2017).
Besides, Frin has benefited from the guidance of numerous personalities such as Vincent Peirani, Matti Rantanen, Vincent Lhermet, Mika Väyrynen, Teodoro Anzellotti, Susanne Kujala, Geir Draugsvull, Stefan Hussong, Janne Rättyä, Silvain Tissot, Klemen Leben, Mie Miki, Heidi Luosujärvi and Vladimir Blagojevic.
Personal Interests
Besides his accordionist career, Frin is interested in audio technology and sound editing, theater and dance. He is also a passionate hobby baker, cook and wood sculptor.
Grants and artistic support
In 2014, he received a financial grant from the Cultural Fund Focuna. In 2018, Frin was invited to the international music academy of Villecroze (France) and is since then benefiting from their artistic support for young talents.
Picking up the accordion at the age of 8, his academic pathway led him through the Conservatoire de la Ville de Luxembourg (Lu), the ESMD in Lille (Fr) in the class of Vincent Lhermet and the University of the Arts, Sibelius Academy in Helsinki (Fi), where he completed a bachelors and masters degree in accordion performance and pedagogy with Matti Rantanen, Veli Kujala, and Helka Kymäläinen in 2021.
Artistic career
Since 2021 he is active in cultural institutions such as the Philharmonie du Luxembourg, Fondation EME, Villa Vauban, KuFa and les solistes européens. He has been regularly invited to numerous festivals including the Rainy Days festival 2023 (LU), Esch22 (LU), Summerdream Steinfort festival (LU), Bruxelles Street are festival (BE), "Air de Rien" festival in Lille (Fr) and the "Journées du Patrimoine de l'Opera” in Lille, the International Accordion Festival in Kokkola (FI) "Talviharmonikka festival". His experience as a high-level soloist allows him to perform in various chamber music ensembles as well as orchestras. He is regularily invited to play at prestigious venues such as the annual “Hommage à Franz Liszt” (LU) at the Casino of Contemporary Art of the city of Luxembourg (LU), the Chapel for Europe and Maison de la création in Brussels (BE). He has performed works as a soloist with Orchestra on numerous occasions, such as A. Sallinen's (FI) Concerto for accordion “Barabas Variations”, Jacqueline Fontyn's Accordion Concerto "Vent d'Est", and Astor Piazzolla's Concerto "Aconcagua". In 2019, he takes part in creating the opera « The Sleeping Thousand » by Adam Maor and Yonatan Levy at the Aix-en-Provence opera festival (FR).
As an instrumentalist in larger ensembles, he has performed with conductors such as Elena Schwarz, Julien Leroy, Manuel Nawri, David Reiland and Pit Brosius.
Since 2019, he is a permanent member of the Luxembourg based Contemporary music Ensemble United Instruments of Lucilin. He is active in numerous chamber music formations such as the Trio Accord (Lu), Duo Kiasma with cellist Pierre Fontenelle (Be), and his Trio WAS in Finland. He has been invited to various ensembles around Luxembourg, including the Orchestre de Chambre du Luxembourg , Serge Tonnar & Band, Dadophonic, Hochschulorchester MusikSaar and to NYKY contemporary music ensemble (Fi).
Awards and distinctions
At the age of 18 he is the winner of the Luxembourgish "Accart" Competition, winning the first national prize and the promotion prize of the Ministry of Culture (2012) and later the international "Accordéopale" competition in Berck-sur-Mer, where he won the 2nd prize (2014), France. He has been awarded with the finalist prize at the all-instruments competition Prix Anne and Françoise Groben (2017).
Besides, Frin has benefited from the guidance of numerous personalities such as Vincent Peirani, Matti Rantanen, Vincent Lhermet, Mika Väyrynen, Teodoro Anzellotti, Susanne Kujala, Geir Draugsvull, Stefan Hussong, Janne Rättyä, Silvain Tissot, Klemen Leben, Mie Miki, Heidi Luosujärvi and Vladimir Blagojevic.
Personal Interests
Besides his accordionist career, Frin is interested in audio technology and sound editing, theater and dance. He is also a passionate hobby baker, cook and wood sculptor.
Grants and artistic support
In 2014, he received a financial grant from the Cultural Fund Focuna. In 2018, Frin was invited to the international music academy of Villecroze (France) and is since then benefiting from their artistic support for young talents.
