Nordic Council Music Prize

The Nordic Council Music Prize is awarded annually by NOMUS, the Nordic Music Committee. Every two years it is awarded for a work by a living composer. In the intervening years it is awarded to a performing musician or ensemble.

The Nordic Music Committee (NOMUS)

The Nordic Council has four art committees:^[1]

• The Nordic Literature and Library Committee (NORDBOK)
• The Nordic Music Committee (NOMUS)
• The Nordic Centre for the Performing Arts (NordScen)
• The Nordic Institute for Contemporary Art (NIFCA)

NOMUS consists of two delegates from each of the five Nordic countries (Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and Finland) and observers from the three areas with self rule (Greenland, the Faroe Islands and the Åland Islands ). NOMUS awards grants to promote musical co-operation in the Nordic Region; subsidizes commissioned works, musical performances, seminars, conferences and educational courses; and acts as the secretariat and jury of the Nordic Council Music Prize.^[2]

The Nordic Council Music Prize

This prize was launched in 1965 and was originally awarded once every three years. Since 1990, however, the prize has been awarded every year. In alternate years it is awarded to a piece of music by a living Nordic composer and to a small or large musical ensemble of high artistic and technical standards. It is currently worth 350,000 Danish kroner.^[3]

Winners

The winners of the Nordic Council Music Prize to date have been:^[4]

• 1965 Aniara (opera) by Karl-Birger Blomdahl, Sweden
• 1968 Tredje symfonien (Third symphony) by Joonas Kokkonen, Finland
• 1970 Drömmen om Thérése (arenaopera) by Lars Johan Werle, Sweden
• 1972 Eco (soprano solo, mixed choir, orchestra) by Arne Nordheim, Norway
• 1974 Gilgamesh (opera) by Per Nørgård, Denmark
• 1976 Konsert för flöjt och orkester by Atli Heimir Sveinsson, Iceland
• 1978 Ryttaren (opera) by Aulis Sallinen, Finland
• 1980 Symfoni/Antifoni by Pelle Gudmundsen-Holmgreen, Denmark
• 1982 Utopia by Åke Hermansson, Sweden
• 1984 De ur alla minnen fallna (Requiem) by Sven-David Sandström, Sweden
• 1986 Poemi for solo violin and string orchestra by Hafliði Hallgrímsson, Iceland
• 1988 Kraft (symphonic orchestra, electronics) by Magnus Lindberg, Finland
• 1990 Gjennom Prisme (cello, organ, orchestra) by Olav Anton Thommessen, Norway
• 1991 Nils-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, Denmark Jazz bass player, artist prize
• 1992 Symfoni nr 1 by Anders Eliasson, Sweden
• 1993 Mellersta Österbottens Kammarorkester, Finland, artist prize
• 1994 Det Sjungande Trädet (opera) by Erik Bergman, Finland
• 1995 Eric Ericson, Sweden, choir conductor, artist prize
• 1996 Sterbende Gärten concerto for violin and orchestra by Bent Sørensen, Denmark
• 1997 Björk (Guðmundsdóttir), Iceland, singer, artist prize
• 1998: Concert for clarinet and orchestra by Rolf Wallin, Norway
• 1999 Leif Segerstam, Finland, conductor, artist prize
• 2000 Lonh for soprano and electronics by Kaija Saariaho, Finland
• 2001 Palle Mikkelborg, trumpet player, Denmark
• 2002 Symphony no. 1 - Oceanic Days by Sunleif Rasmussen, Faroe Islands
• 2003 Mari Boine, singer, Norway
• 2004 Gudrun's 4th song by Haukur Tómasson, Iceland
• 2005 Ensemble Cikada, Norway
• 2006 ...fetters... by Natasha Barrett, Norway
• 2007 The Eric Ericson Chamber Choir from Stockholm
• 2008 Miki Alone by Danish composer Peter Bruun^[5]
• 2009 Kari Kriikku, clarinettist, Finland^[6]
• 2010 Lasse Thoresen, composer, Norway^[7]
• 2011 Mats Gustafsson, saxophonist, Sweden^[8]

References

1. ^ "The Nordic Council prizes". Nordic Council of Ministers: Facts on Nordic Co-operation. http://www.norden.org/en/nordic-council/the-nordic-council-prizes. 
2. ^ "Objectives". nomus. 2004. http://www.nomus.org/artikkel.php?typeid=27. Retrieved 2006-04-30. 
3. ^ "The Nordic Council Music Prize". nomus. 2004. http://www.nomus.org/artikkel.php?typeid=12. Retrieved 2006-04-30. 
4. ^ Jesper Schou-Knudsen (2007). "Previous prize winners and nominations". norden - Official co-operation in the Nordic region. http://www.norden.org/en/nordic-council/the-nordic-council-prizes/literature-prize/previous-prize-winners-and-nominees/archive-for-previous-nominations-and-prize-winners/?searchterm=Previous%20prize%20winners%20and%20nominations. Retrieved 2006-04-30. 
5. ^ "Danish music drama wins the Nordic Council's Music Prize 2008". Norden - Official co-operation in the Nordic region. 2008-10-01. http://www.norden.org/en/news-and-events/news/danish-music-drama-wins-the-nordic-councils-music-prize-2008/?searchterm=Danish%20music%20drama%20wins%20the%20Nordic%20Council%27s%20Music%20Prize%202008. Retrieved 2008-11-16. 
6. ^ "Kari Kriikku wins the Nordic Council Music Prize 2009". Norden - Nordic Culture Point. 2009-06-03. http://www.kknord.org/4::lang-/nordic-culture-point/news/21-nyheter-fra-norden/261-kari-kriikku-far-nordiska-radets-musikpris-2009. Retrieved 2009-07-17. ^{[dead link]}
7. ^ "Lasse Thoresen wins the Nordic Council Music Prize 2010". Norden.org - Nordic Council. 2010-06-01. http://www.norden.org/en/news-and-events/news/music-prize-to-norwegian-composer-lasse-thoresen. 
8. ^ "Mats Gustafsson wins the Nordic Council Music Prize 2011". Nordic Council. 2011-06-01. http://www.musikpris.org/Default.aspx?ID=44&Action=1&NewsId=39&PID=60. 

External links

• "Statutes for the Nordic Council Music Prize". Norden – The Nordic Council. 2008-01-01. http://www.norden.org/en/nordic-council/the-nordic-council-prizes/music-prize/statutes-for-the-nordic-council-music-prize. Retrieved 2009-07-18.