Aksel Rykkvin

Norwegian boy soprano Aksel Rykkvin, whose appearance embodied classic Scandinavian features, issued his first record, Aksel!, in late 2016. At that point he had reached the age of 13 and was nearing 14, an age when puberty typically begins later than in many other Western countries today. The exceptional purity of his tone may have seemed otherworldly precisely because it was destined to vanish within months, leaving uncertainty about the adult voice that would eventually emerge.

Born April 11, 2003, Rykkvin showed an early passion for singing that his parents observed while he was still a toddler. A maternal uncle had previously sung as a boy chorister, prompting the family to guide Rykkvin toward the Oslo Cathedral Boys' Choir at age five. Though formally underage, he gained entry to its preparatory program under Helene Haarr and advanced to the principal ensemble two years later. During family holidays he rehearsed solo repertoire, which led to his first solo assignment at eight and early recognition of his exceptional ability. He later enrolled at the partly Oslo-funded Music at Majorstuen school, where he studied with Marianne Lewis, and in 2013 he became a member of the Children's Chorus of the Norwegian Opera & Ballet.

Although Aksel! appeared to present a new voice to international audiences, Rykkvin had already built a considerable reputation inside Norway. He had performed on the NRK and TV2 networks, appeared in multiple concerts alongside the Norwegian Radio Orchestra, and delivered the opening music for one of the country's most popular Christmas Eve broadcasts. Additional exposure came via an appearance on BBC Radio 3's In Tune. He also sang at state ceremonies attended by senior government figures and members of the Norwegian royal family. On the operatic stage he took part in Rolf Wallin's science-fiction work Elysium, in Kurt Weill's Der Jasager, and, during spring 2017, as Yniold in Debussy's Pelléas et Mélisande at the Norwegian Opera. Up through 2016 he remained active in cathedral choral programs throughout Scandinavia and Britain. The album, which contained arias by Bach, Handel, and Mozart, entered the Top Ten of a British classical retail chart and received distinctions such as the Diapason "Découverte" award for emerging artists in France. Away from performance, Rykkvin plays soccer for an Oslo-area club.