Biography

Ingunn Korsgård Hagen is assistant conductor of the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, where she collaborated closely with Edward Gardner during his final two years as chief conductor. Now, she works with first guest conductor Sir Mark Elder and other renowned guest conductors, alongside conducting her own projects with the orchestra. Previously, she held the position of assistant conductor of the Stavanger Symphony Orchestra and she is also a member of Dirigentforum organized by Talent Norway’s Dirigentløftet. where she recently assisted Daniel Harding with the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra as well as participating in multiple masterclasses. 

Hagen has conducted orchestras such as Malmö Symphony Orchestra, Trondheim Symphony Orchestra, Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, Stavanger Symphony Orchestra, Kristiansand Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra Innlandet, and the Gstaad Festival Orchestra. She has participated in the Nordic Dirigentforum, where she conducted the Oslo Philharmonic and the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic in masterclasses led by Klaus Mäkelä and Sakari Oramo.

Hagen completed her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in conducting at the University of Stavanger, studying with Bjarte Engeset, Peter Szilvay, and Trond Korsgård. During her studies, she immersed herself in historically informed performance practices and earned top honors for her project on Frans Brüggen. Her master’s recital featured the premiere of Mountain Songs and Arias, composed and dedicated to her by Norwegian composer Stig Nordhagen.

Although her studies included a focus on the classical and baroque repertoire, Hagen loves being a part of the big and ambitious concerts. She recently conducted a side-by-side performance with the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, uniting over 350 musicians for the grand finale of “Orkesteråret 2024.” She has also assisted in performances of large-scale work such as Mahler’s Symphony No. 8, concert performances of Strauss’ Elektra and Puccini’s Tosca, as well as a variety of the major requiems.

Equally passionate about contemporary music, Hagen enjoys collaborating with living composers and has premiered numerous works. Her innovative approach has been showcased in projects such as two consecutive New Year’s Concerts, where musicians memorized parts of the programme, enabling creative staging and movement during the concert.

Hagen has collaborated with soloists, including Augustin Hadelich (during Bergen Philharmonic’s tour and a rehearsal at the Elbphilharmonie), Anastasia Kobekina, Guro Kleven Hagen, Caroline Wettergreen and Hedvig Haugerud to name a few.

Last summer, Hagen participated in the 2024 Fiskars Summer Festival with teachers such as Jukka-Pekka Saraste, Eva Ollikainen, and Esa-Pekka Salonen. She has also taken part in the Gstaad Conducting Academy, working with Jaap van Zweden, Johannes Schlaefli, and Baldur Bronnimann, as well as being a participant of the VIII Jorma Panula Conducting Competition. 

She is scheduled to make her debuts with the Iceland Symphony Orchestra and Aalborg Symphony Orchestra, while returning to Stavanger Symphony Orchestra, Kristiansand Symphony Orchestra, and Bergen Philharmonic Youth Orchestra.