Uppsala, March 8th, 2024
Allmänna Sången & Anders Wall Composition Award
The winner of Allmänna Sången & Anders Wall Composition Award 2024 has been selected. After reviewing contributions from countries all around the world, the jury has decided to give the award to Erika Hammarberg for her piece ”En sådan kväll (Such an evening)” based on a poem by Solveig von Schoultz. She will receive a prize sum of SEK 60, 000, in addition to having her piece premiered by Allmänna Sången and published by Gehrmans Musikförlag AB. The award ceremony and premiere of the winning piece is scheduled to take place at Allmänna Sången’s spring concert on May 4th, 2024.
The jury’s remarks
”The composition is highly expressive, written in a romantic manner and blends very well with the text. The piece’s central motif is repeated in various ways throughout the well structured composition.
The harmonies, including meaningful dissonances, are artfully crafted and seamlessly flow into each other, narrating the story with different atmospheres. The composer has a deep understanding of choral sound and techniques.”
The composer
Erika Hammarberg moves between jazz and classical music. Her music is characterized by linear melodies, layered rhythmic intensity and harmonies that range from triads to complex clusters. She has composed for jazz orchestra, choir, chamber orchestra and string quartet, and is musical director, pianist, arranger and composer for Elaria Orchestra. She released her debut album Ikigai in 2022.
After studying piano pedagogy, Erika embarked on a path through music theory and musical arrangement before pursuing master’s studies in composition at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm under the guidance of both jazz composers and classically oriented teachers such as Örjan Fahlström, Peter Danemo, Johan Hammerth and Ann-Sofi Söderqvist. Erika Hammarberg is an associate professor in composition at Örebro university.
Words from the winner
– Choral music has been a natural part of me as a musician and composer since childhood. As my artistic focus lies in composing for acoustic instruments, I often and gladly compose for choir.
– I want to cherish the Swedish choral tradition. I also believe that it is important for new and exciting choral music to be continuously composed and performed worldwide. Therefore, this award is a nice initiative for continued development, and I am very proud and honoured to receive it!
– Solveig von Shoultz’s poem conveys strong emotions and a clear identity. For me, the text has gradually shifted from describing resting after a long day’s work to be about death. Perhaps this transformation can be heard in the end of the piece, with the final journey sensed towards the end? I improvised the music’s form, motif and sound at the piano while reading the text. Luckily, I recorded it with my phone!
Allmänna Sången & Anders Wall Composition Award
Allmänna Sången & Anders Wall Composition Award was arranged for the first time in 2013 when Allmänna Sången celebrated fifty years as a mixed choir. In connection with the anniversary, the choir together with Anders Wall announced a competition for female composers.
The purpose of the competition is to draw attention to female composers and their work, and to stimulate the creation of new choir pieces that can enrich and develop modern day choir music. The competition is international and targets female composers irrespective of profession or nationality. All entries are reviewed by a reputable international jury comprised of distinguished composers and conductors. This year, the jury was comprised of av Nana Forte, John Høybye, Robert Sund and Maria Goundorina.
Partners
Allmänna Sången & Anders Wall Composition Award is made possible through a collaboration with Gehrmans Musikförlag AB and sponsoring from Kjell och Märta Beijers Stiftelse.
Contact
For more information about future competitions, visit www.allmannasangen.se, follow us on social media or contact the project manager, Karolina Jörgensen, at award@allmannasangen.se.