Grieg Academy has in recent years increasingly taken a public stance implying that it is ""the"" Grieg Academy, yet for those who know this history it remains undeniably clear that "the Grieg Academy" actually continues to be spread across two institutions, University of Bergen and Bergen University College, with some forms of collaboration. In recent years, the folk music school Ole Bull Academy in nearby Voss (named after renowned violin virtuoso Ole Bull), has also been to some extent brought under the Grieg Academy umbrella. The name Grieg may be traced to Norway's most famous composer Edvard Grieg, a native son of
Edvard Grieg to give the melody of the second theme in the first movement to a solo trumpet). In 1874–76, Grieg composed incidental music for the premiere of Henrik Ibsen's play "Peer Gynt", at the request of the author. Grieg had close ties with the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra (Harmonien), and later became Music Director of the orchestra from 1880 to 1882. In 1888, Grieg met Tchaikovsky in Leipzig. Grieg was struck by the greatness of Tchaikovsky. Tchaikovsky thought very highly of Grieg's music, praising its beauty, originality and warmth. Grieg was awarded two honorary doctorates, first by the University of Cambridge in