Download K Leyman Bio - Katarina Leyman

www.katarinaleyman.com
The Swedish composer Katarina Leyman (1963), originally from the Island Orust on the west
coast of Sweden, now lives and works in Stockholm. She studied composition at the Royal
College of Music in Stockholm 2002-2005. During the years 1989-1995 she studied in Boston,
USA where she took a Master's degree in composition at New England Conservatory of Music
1995 and dual Bachelor degrees in composition and film music composition at Berklee College
of Music 1993.
Apart from music, art has always been important to her and for a period of years Katarina
studied painting and sculpture at different art schools in Stockholm. Color and texture, shape
and movement are often starting points, and form-building elements in her music with the
attempt to transfer the various dimensions to music. Ideas for compositions can come from
various natural phenomena such as fish moving in shoals, DNA chains, water molecules,
volcanic activity and clouds. An early inspiration and way in to the modern and abstract art
expression, was her father, the sculptor Fred Leyman’s airy and rhythmic, often monumental
compositions of stainless steel, iron and wood.
Katarina often works in close collaboration with various musicians and composes predominantly
orchestral and chamber music. Her music is frequently performed in Europe and the United
States, and has been presented at music festivals such as the Baltic Sea Festival 2010 in
Stockholm, Sweden; ISCM World New Music days Zagreb 2011, Croatia; and Nordic Music
Days Reykjavik 2011, Iceland.
From July 2012 to June 2015 Katarina is appointed Composer in Residence for the Norrlandsopera
symphony orchestra (NO). The assignment includes composing three large-scale and one shorter
orchestral work. The first commission Transient Skies an orchestral piece in four movements, was
premiered September 2012 by the Norrlandsopera symphony orchestra and Joana Carneiro;
Transient Skies was nominated for The Swedish Music Publishers Association Award 2013 in the
orchestra category.
King of Clouds, the first part of Transient Skies won the second prize in the ”All Russian
Composers Competition named after Andrey Petrov”, in St. Petersburg, Grand Hall September
19th 2014.
The Clarinet Concerto: Verdure, the most recent commission by NO, was premiered by
Stefan Harg and the Norrlandsopera symphony orchestra under Damian Iorio November 27th
2014. The concert was broadcasted live by the Swedish Radio P2.
Other orchestral works are: Roller Coaster: Super 8 premiered in January 2014 by NO and
Rumon Gamba, commissioned by the Norrlandsopera for Beethoven & Beyond, Umeå European Capital of Culture 2014; Solar Flares, commissioned by SR Berwaldhallen for the
Baltic Sea Festival 2010, premiered by the Helsinki Philharmonic orchestra and Esa-Pekka
Salonen; Streams premiered in June 2006 at the Stockholm Concert Hall by the Royal
Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra under Michael Bartosch.
Examples of chamber music are a Weave of Threads for piano trio (2014) commissioned by
the Phoenix Concerts NYC; Fata Morgana for brass quintet (2014) commissioned by Musik
Gävleborg for the Brass festival Signal Gävle 2014; Abandoned Places for chamber ensemble
(2013) commissioned by KammarensembleN, Stockholm; the String quartet no.2, Friction
(2013) commissioned by the Swedish Radio P2; Swarms for 7 musicians (2011),
commissioned by Birgitta Tollan, representing Sweden in the international music competition
Rostrum 2012; Färger (Colors) (2008) commissioned by the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic
Wind Quintet; Vattenklanger for soprano, clarinet and piano 2010;
and several duos and solo pieces such as Crepúscolo for soprano and piano (2015) text
Alfonsina Storni, Embroideries, 5 pieces for piano solo (2015) and Tre Faser for bassett
clarinet (2008)…
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EDUCATION
Composition, Royal College of Music in Stockholm, 2002–2005, studies for Pär Lindgren
Teacher's certificate in Music Theory, Royal College of Music in Stockholm, 2000–2002
Master of Art in Composition, Academic Honors
New England Conservatory of Music, Boston, MA, USA, 1993-1995
Composition for Arthur Berger, John Heiss, Robert Cogan, Malcolm Peyton
Wind Ensemble Conducting for Frank Battisti
Orchestra Conducting for Richard Hoenich
Dual Bachelor Degree's in Composition and Film Scoring, Summa Cum Laude
Berklee College of Music, Boston, MA, USA, 1989-1993
Composition for John Bavicchi, Tom MacGah, Dennis LeClaire, Scott Fessler
Orchestra Conducting for David Callahan, George Monseur
Piano, jazz/classical for Neil Olmstead, Ray Santisi, Jeff Covell, Ed Bedner
Ensemble, Jazz/Fusion, for Bruno Råberg, Roy Okutani, Herman Johnson,
David Hollander...
Film Scoring: composition techniques and styles, film esthetics and psychology, recording &
studio techniques, computer and synthesis, film history, music editing
Jazz improvisation, composition and arranging
Sculpture and painting, Painter’s school Idun Lovén, Stockholm 1987-1989
Painting, TBV Art School, Stockholm, 1985–1987
Social anthropology, Stockholm Universitiy1987
Two-year preparatory music school, Fridhems Folkhögskola, Svalöv 1983-1985
Piano for Karin Boesen 1982-1983, Gunnar Holmberg and Mats Runge 1972-1983
Bassoon studies 1981-1985 (elementary)
COURSES
EAM studies at the electro-acoustic music studio in Stockholm (EMS) 1999
Multimedia production for musicians, Royal College of Music, Stockholm/AF Kultur Media -98
Course in computer science and music programs, Royal College of Music in
Stockholm/AF Kultur Media, spring 1998
SOCIETIES:
FST (Society of Swedish Composers), STIM, Samtida musik, EMS, URUK, KVAST,
MusikteoriForum Öst,
TEACHER AND LECTURER (most recent appointments)
Freelance teacher 1982 to present: composition, piano, music theory and ear training
Composition workshops and lectures 2010 Pre-concert talks at the Stockholm Concert Hall, 2011-2012
Lecturer at the Musicology department, Stockholm University, 2006–2011:
Music theory and ear training
Teacher at the Nordiska Musikgymnasiet, 2002–2011: Music theory and ear training,
arranging and composition
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LIST OF WORKS (selected):
ORCHESTRA
• Clarinet Concerto: Verdure (2014) for symphony orchestra, commissioned by the
Norrlandsopera symphony orchestra
• Roller Coaster: Super 8 (2013) for symphony orchestra, commissioned by the
Norrlandsopera symphony orchestra
• Transient Skies (2012) for symphony orchestra in four movements, commissioned by the
Norrlandsopera symphony orchestra
• Solar Flares (2010) for symphony orchestra commissioned by the Swedish Radio P2
Berwaldhallen for the Baltic Sea Festival 2010
• Streams (2006) for symphony orchestra, for the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra
• Skulptörens öga (2005) for chamber orchestra
Skulptörens öga v.3 (2011), chamber orchestra, for the Nordic Music Days 2011, Reykjavik
CHAMBER MUSIC:
• I skymningen, (2015) for flute, viola, harp and contrabass, commissioned by Peter Eriksson
for the Saxå Chamber Music Festival 2015,
• Crepúscolo, (2015) for soprano and piano, text by Alfonsina Storni, commissioned by
Susanna Levonen and Bernt Wilhelmsson for their tour in Argentina May 2015
• Embroideries: 5 pieces for piano solo, (2015) for Katarina Ström-Harg
• a Weave of threads, (2014) for piano trio, commissioned by the Phoenix Concerts NYC
• Fata Morgana, (2014) for brass quintet, commissioned by Musik Gävleborg for the
Brass festival Signal 2014 in Gävle
• String quartet no.2, Friction (2013) commissioned by the Swedish Radio P2.
• Abandoned Places (2013) for chamber ensemble (10 musicians), commissioned by
KammarensembleN.
• Swarms (2011) for 7 musicians, commissioned by Birgitta Tollan
• Vattenklanger (Water Sounds) (2010) for soprano, clarinet and piano
• Färger (Colors) (2008) for wind quintet, commissioned by the Royal Stockholm
Philharmonic Wind Quintet
• Brasilian Garden (2007) for bassett clarinet and piano,
• Tre Faser (2007) for bassett clarinet (also version for A clarinet)
• Förgät ej mig for baritone and guitar (2005), text by Erik Gustaf Geijer
• Jag lyssnar till vinden for baritone and guitar (2004), Text by Pär Lagerkvist
GRANTS AND AWARDS
• King of Clouds for orchestra won the second prize in the ”All Russian Composers
Competition named after Andrey Petrov” September 19th, St. Petersburg, Russia
• Transient Skies was nominated for The Swedish Music Publishers Association
Award 2013 in the orchestra category
• Swarms was representing Sweden in the international music competition Rostrum 2012.
• Swedish art council grant 1997, 1998, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2012, 2014
• Stim grant 1999, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010
• Helge Ax:son Johnsons Stiftelse grant 1991, 1993, 1994, 2000
• Anna Whitlocks minnesfond grant 1993 - 1995
• New England Conservatory Scholarship, 1993 - 1995
• Berklee College of Music Achievement Scholarship, 1992, 1993
• Gålö grant, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1993
• Finalist in the composition contest ”Creative Women”,
Örebro Kammarmusik Festspel 1998, with the composition Möten for string quartet,
premiered by Tämmelkvartetten, Örebro Konserthus, 1998
• Winner of New England Conservatory's composition contest 1994,
with the composition Trio for violin, cello and piano; performed by the New England
Conservatory Honors Piano Trio, Jordan Hall, Boston, USA, 1994
• Winner of the Soren Christensen Achievement Award in Filmscoring 1992
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Berklee College of Music, Filmscoring Department, Professional Writing Division
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