Mari Silje Samuelsen is a Norwegian violinist, born December 21, 1984
She has collaborated with such artists as Max Richter, Jeff Mills, and Dubfire. Max Richter said of Samuelsen: “Apart from being a wonderful violinist, Mari has an instinctive understanding of my compositional world and an uncanny ability to communicate my intentions”. In 2014, Mari and Håkon performed the world premiere of Pas de Deux, a double concerto they commissioned James Horner to compose.
Samuelsen released her debut solo album, Mari, on June 7, 2019, via the label Deutsche Grammophon. It includes mostly modern and minimalist pieces, which she performs with Konzerthausorchester Berlin and conductor Jonathan Stockhammer. The album includes works from Max Richter, Johann Sebastian Bach, Brian Eno, and Philip Glass, among others.
Mari Samuelsen views music as an emotional, and transformative medium that transcends traditional classical boundaries. She favors contemporary, minimalistic, and neoclassical works—often collaborating with living composers—to connect with modern audiences. She sees music as a tool to convey life, love, and light, rather than just playing, as shown in projects like LYS and LIFE.