< Archive / About ZARAH >
Born 6th of July 1954 in Stockholm. Played in a band called ¨Östan Sol, Västan Måne¨ (East of Sun, West of Moon). Studied music at Birkagården Public High School in Stockholm 1973-75. Worked as a musician and composer/arranger at different theatre companies. Studied composition at the Royal Music College in Stockholm 1979-83 for prof. Gunnar Bucht, Arne Mellnäs, Brian Ferneyhough and others.
From 1983 working fulltime as composer. During 1988-93 also as a teacher in orchestration at the Royal Music College. Since 1993 again working fulltime as composer.
Made the début as a composer with the first of the ¨Trois pièces pour grand orchestre¨ in Copenhagen during the UNM-festival 1981.
Has recieved commissions for soloists, ensembles and orchestras both in Sweden as from abroad.
The music has received prizes in competitions and also been awarded otherwise, f.i. with the grand Christ Johnson-award in 2000 for ¨Concerto grosso I¨.
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in Stockholm performed many of his orchestral works and chamber music during the Tonsättarweekenden (Composer´s weekend) in 2008.
Requiem was first performed in 2010 by the Uppsala Chamber Orchestra, Jacobs Chamber and Clara's Motet Choir and was awarded in 2011 by the Stockholm Music Society, and received the prize for the year's finest works, in the category of works for large ensemble and music drama, by the Association of Swedish Music Publishers the same year.
The creative output alongside orchestral and chamber music, including also operas: ¨Klassresan¨ to own libretto, was performed for the inauguration of the University College of Opera Stage Theatre in Stockholm in 2003.
Opera Zarah (libretto Claes Fellbom) had its world premiere at the Folk Opera in September 2007 and was seen by more than 25,000 during the 52 performances during the fall.
Kira - in the house where I live, in collaboration with Charlotte Engelkes and Sophie Holgersson, premiered in October 2013 in Västerås Concert Hall.
The season 2016-17, Composer-in-residence at Västerås Sinfonietta.
The Cello Concerto (2019) received the Swedish Music Publishers award of the year 2020-2021.
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