Tone Groven Holmboe

Tone Alis Groven Holmboe (born 9 January 1930) is a Norwegian composer and teacher. She is the second daughter of composer and innovator Eivind Groven, and teacher and singer Ragna Groven.

Works and musical style

She composes is in a classical idiom, with strong flavours of Norwegian folk music. The music is fully tonal and structurally simple, yet with attention to small rhythmical and harmonic details and variations. Her melodic sense is very strong, and the bulk of her work is indeed songs, mostly for voice and piano (ca. 100). She has written a number of chamber musical duets and solos, most notably “Syv slåtter og impresjoner for piano solo” (“Seven Dances and Impressions for Piano Solo”).

Performances and recordings

Her music has been regularly broadcasted by the Norwegian bradcasting’s radio, and is represented on various recordings by other artists. On her 70th birthday, she released her first CD as a composer, named “Tonebilder” (“tone paintings”) (2000), with performances by Rolf Erik Nystrøm, alto and sopranino saxophones, her cousin Sigmund Groven, harmonica, and 10 other performers, amongst them all her three children. One track from this recording was used as film music in the popular Norwegian movie Elling (2001).

Personal life

She is married to Adler Holmboe (1923), and they have three children, Ragnhild (1955), Kristin (1959) and Thorolf (1967).