Magnus Martensson
Magnus Martensson (born 1966) is a Swedish and American comedian, pianist and conductor.
Born in Malmö, Martensson studied at the Malmö Academy of Music and the Cleveland Institute of Music. From 1997 until 2007, he was visiting professor at the University at Buffalo, and served as Music Director of the Slee Sinfonietta and the university's symphony orchestra. Since 2002, he serves as Music Director of the Scandinavian Chamber Orchestra of New York.[1][2]
He was composer of incidental music for plays and chamber music; Before the Law (opera after Kafka) premiered in Buffalo in 1997; Kvasir for Strings, performed at New York's Carnegie Hall.
In 2003, he turned to comedy after an impromptu performance in New York, has since toured extensively throughout the US and Canada; hosted "Magnus Martensson & Friends" comedy and music series; appeared at the United Nations, Carolines on Broadway; radio and TV. Comedy routines include Vivaldi's Four Seasons on piano and violin simultaneously, and "A Backwards Poem."
Martensson is the author of the book Thoughts, Verse and Further Nonsense, and the films The Dog and The Maestro.