Download CV Benjamin Staern

Benjamin Staern (b. 1978)
has established himself as one of the leading younger composers in native Sweden and internationally.
Early musical experiences with studies in cello, piano and percussion in his youth. Studied musicology at Lund
University and subsequently composition at the Malmö Academy of Music during 1998-2005 with professors
Rolf Martinsson, Hans Gefors and Luca Francesconi. Made an early breakthrough, while still a student with the
symphonic work The Threat of War. From this point on, Staern has developed a deeply personal style with an
output including orchestral and chamber works, solo pieces and electroacoustic music. An interesting aspect of
his work as a composer is his unusual ability to associate tones and timbres with different colours and tints. This
is a variant of a phenomenon called synaesthesia which is fundamental in his perception and the creation that
reflectes his sound world as well as in many of his work titles (Yellow Skies, Colour Wandering etc.)
Following the success as ”composer in profile” of Båstad Chamber Music Festival 2016 the family opera Snow
Queen based on a fairytale by H.C Andersen and commissioned by Malmö Opera were premiered to sold-out
performances. He was composer-in-residence with New European Ensemble 2010-14 and composed works such
as Tranströmersånger (selected poems from the Sad Gondola - collection by Nobel-prize author and poet Tomas
Tranströmer) and Bells and Waves (Chamber Symphony), winner of the SMFF Award 2011 in the category ”most
important work in chamber music/smaller ensemble” and a multimedia work SAIYAH for large ensemble,
electronics and scenografic light sculpture at Norrlandsoperan for the MADE-festival in Umeå during Cultural
Capital of the Year 2014. Worried Souls (Clarinet Concerto) was awarded the Large Christ Johnson Prize (Stora
Christ Johnson-priset) from the Royal Swedish Music Academy (Kungliga Musikaliska Akademien) by the hands
of His Majesty King Carl Gustaf XVI at the annual ceremony on November 26th 2012 at Musikaliska, Stockholm.
Works by Benjamin Staern is today performed not only by all the major Swedish orchestras but also
internationally by orchestras such as the MDR Sinfonieorchester, Tokyo Symphony Orchestra, Deutsche
Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, Iceland Symphony Orchestra, Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, Staatsorchester
Rheinische Philharmonie and the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. Staern has collaborated with ensembles
including New European Ensemble, Sonanza Chamber Ensemble, Ensemble Aspekte and Stockholm Chamber
Brass. Soloists include Håkan Hardenberger, Anna Larsson, Johannes Möller, Karin Dornbusch, Carina Vinke,
Gitta-Maria Sjöberg, Philippe Cassard and conductors Michael Christie, Daniel Raiskin, Marc Soustrot, Tobias
Ringborg, Leif Segerstam, Christian Karlsen, Mats Rondin, Jan Risberg, Michael Francis, Mika Eichenholz and
Stefan Solyom.
Staern's music is published by Gehrmans Musikförlag AB, Stockholm.
© April 2017 - Please kindly destroy previous material older than three months.