Terje Tønnesen is one of Norway’s leading violinists and concertmasters. He made his debut concert in Oslo in 1972 and continued his studies at "Østlandets musikkonservatorium" in Oslo with Kaare Sæther, followed by five years of study with Professor Max Rostal at the Bern Conservatory in Switzerland.
From 1977 to 2021, Tønnesen served as concertmaster and artistic director of the Norwegian Chamber Orchestra, for many years in collaboration with Iona Brown. He was principal concertmaster of the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra from 1983 to 2020, and has been concertmaster of both Camerata Roman and Camerata Nordica.
Internationally, he has collaborated with artists such as Mstislav Rostropovich, Maurice André, and James Galway, and has toured throughout Europe, North America, South America, and Asia as a soloist, chamber musician, artistic leader, and concertmaster.
Tønnesen has made numerous CD recordings and received several awards. As a composer, he has written music for multiple productions at the Norwegian Theatre.