Danish ensembles are set to captivate American classical music audiences this spring with a series of exciting performances featuring some of Denmark and Iceland’s most acclaimed composers.
Leading the charge is Ensemble MidtVest, who perform Bent Sørensen’s newest work Fuggitivo on March 20, 2023 at Carnegie Hall, marking the work’s first-ever US performance.
Sørensen, one of Denmark’s most celebrated contemporary composers and winner of the 2018 Grawemeyer Award, has been praised for his ability to create hauntingly beautiful soundscapes, and Fuggitivo promises to be no exception. The piece, which was commissioned by Ensemble MidtVest, explores themes of volatility and escape and is a sure highlight of the spring season.
Later this spring at Carnegie Hall, Rudersdal Chamber Players perform Poul Ruders’ Piano Quartet on April 1. Ruders is one of Denmark’s most influential living composers and well-known for his opera The Handmaid’s Tale. Ruders’ music is recognized for musical versatility and lyricism, and his piano quartet promises to be a thrilling addition to the American classical music scene.
On March 28, 2023, Rudersdal Chamber Players' Carnegie Hall appearance was postponed until fall of 2023.
The Danish String Quartet tours the United States with Rituals, a new work by distinguished Icelandic composer Anna Thorvaldsdottir, commissioned specifically for the ensemble. The tour commences after the world premiere of Rituals on March 19 in Copenhagen. Thorvaldsdottir, who has won numerous awards for her innovative compositions, is known for her use of harmonic language and her music’s closeness with nature. The Danish String Quartet is renowned for its mastery of historical as well contemporary repertoire, and her new work is a highlight of its upcoming tour.
Finally, the great Danish vocal ensemble Ars Nova Copenhagen says farewell to Paul Hillier, its Chief Conductor of twenty years, with a concert at the Library of Congress on March 20. The program is titled My End is My Beginning and features works by Pelle Gudmundsen-Holmgreen and Per Nørgård, two of Denmark’s most influential composers of the past century. The tour promises a poignant tribute to Hillier’s incredible legacy with the ensemble, as well as a celebration of some of Denmark’s most iconic musical voices.
These upcoming concerts are a testament to the current vitality of Denmark’s classical music scene, and American audiences can look forward to a spring filled with some of the most exciting and innovative Scandinavian music being made today.
For more information, please contact your local Wise Music Promotion Team. See Contact Us.
