Recordings and rehearsals for this production were all made with mindfulness at separate times earlier this autumn following the then current local regulations regarding Covid-19.

The final is FINALLY here!

Earlier during this autumn we have been working hard to create a digital final of Linköpings Studentsångare Composition Award 2020. In this final, that you can find above, we share the wonderful music of our finalists and announce the winner of the competition. The video will of course stay up on this page so you can watch it whenever you please. If you’re interested in the inception of the award or to read more about our finalists, you are very welcome to scroll down on this page and find out more!

Click here to learn more about the inception of the Award and here to read about the finalists and winner of 2016.

Linköpings Studentsångare Composition Award 2020, the second installment of the Award, has attracted a large number of female composers. There were 26 submitted scores, from 14 different countries throughout the world, of which three have been chosen as finalists by the jury of the competition. Many thanks to all the imaginative and talented composers involved in the competition! 

The represented countries were: Finland, Estonia, Belarus, Great Britain, Germany, Italy, France, Spain, Montenegro, South Africa, New Zealand, Brazil and Sweden.

The finalists

Linnea Landström was born and raised in Luleå, the north of Sweden, where her musical journey began. After studies in jazz music, choral conducting and composition at Sjöviks Folkhögskola (Dalarna), she moved to Örebro to study the Bachelor's Programme in Composition at The School of Music, Theatre and Art at Örebro University, where she graduated in June 2020. In her education she has had the opportunity to work with ensembles like Stenhammar Quartet and Norrbotten Big Band. The choral music is close to her heart and she am both a chorist and jazz vocalist. 

María del Pilar Miralles Castillo is a 22-years-old composer from Spain. She completed her Bachelor’s Degree in Composition in 2019 at the Royal Higher Conservatory of Music “Victoria Eugenia” of Granada (Spain), and she is currently studying a Master’s Degree in Electroacoustic Composition at the Higher Center of Musical Education “Katarina Gurska” of Madrid. She has also attended composition masterclasses with Brice Pauset or Guillaume Connesson among others. She has participated in diverse national and international composition contests, winning the second prize of the Junior category at the International Antonín Dvorák Composition Competition 2019 (IADCC) in Prague, the first prize of the “María Teresa Prieto” International Composition Contest for Women Composers in October 2019, or the second prize of the “SGAE Young Composers Award” in Spain, in November 2019. Finally, she is also finalist of the Composition Competition “Île de créations” 2020 in Paris, and she has been selected by the Baltimore Philharmonia Orchestra (BPO) at its call for scores of 2020.

Ingunn Ligaarden is a pianist, organist and composer living in Sweden. She started playing the piano when she was two years old, a few years later the violin and eventually the organ. After graduating from the Royal College of Music in Stockholm she has been working as a concert musician and accompanist, collaborating with numerous choirs and soloists in Sweden, opera singers as well as pop artists. She has also participated in CD recordings and recordings for radio and TV. Ingunn has composed music for several of Sweden’s professional ensembles and orchestras within both jazz and classical music. Since 2010 she works as self employed pianist, organist and composer and since 2017 as publisher, Sheet Music Plus, US. 2016, 2017 and 2019 Anders Frostenson foundation scholarship for lyricists. In 2017 She qualified for the quarter final of Concurso de Composiciòn para Piano Fidelio, Madrid. Her musical education includes; 2010–2013 Music Composition and Arranging, Örebro University, 2010 Degree of Bachelor in Music, Royal College of Music, Stockholm and also 2004 Medical Degree, University of Gothenburg. 

About The Award

Linköpings Studentsångare Composition Award 2020 is an international competition issued by Linköpings Studentsångare exclusively for female composers of male voice choir music. The winner of the competition will receive the Linköpings Studentsångare Composition Award along with the grand prize of 50 000 SEK (approx. € 4 700 or US$ 5 400). The Composition Award 2020 is made possible thanks to a grant from Märta Christina och Magnus Vahlquists Stiftelse.

The goal of the award is to serve as an incentive and inspiration for modern composers to write new and innovative music for male voice choir. Our aim is to make composers curious about and explore our beloved artform, thereby injecting new life into the distinguished tradition of male voice choir music. The award of 2020 will, just as the first installment of 2016, be exclusively available to female composers, to celebrate and highlight the role of women in the composition of music for male voice choir. We believe that art thrives on connectivity and diversity, and we hope that this award will favour the exchange between composers and performers.

Jury

Hans Lundgren, chairman, is the former director musices (Head of Music Activities) at Linköping University. He has studied conducting with Professor Eric Ericson and holds a Master’s degree from the Royal College of Music in Stockholm. Hans Lundgren is an experienced conductor, singer and composer. He retired from the position at the university in 2014. He is currently a freelance conductor, teacher, music writer and reviewer. He is conductor and music director for the newly formed Linköping Women’s Choir.

Christina Hörnell superseded Hans Lundgren in 2014 and is the present director musices at Linköping University and accordingly conductor of Linköpings Studentsångare and Linköping University Chamber Choir. She has studied at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm and holds Master’s degrees in Church Music and Conducting. Christina Hörnell was former for two decades Choirmaster at the Royal Opera in Stockholm and for four years at the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra. She has also been conductor of the Stockholm Academic Choir and the choir at the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm. She is a skilled organist, pianist, singer and conductor. In 2014 Christina Hörnell was awarded H. M. The King's Medal for her achievements at the Royal Opera.

Karin Arwén Oldgren worked as senior university lecturer in choral conducting at the School of Music at Örebro University 2008-2011 and 2013-2019. She has studied at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm and holds Master’s degrees in Church Music and Conducting. From 1998 to 2008 she was the conductor of the Stockholm Academic Male Chorus and is now church musician at Engelbrekt congregation and conductor of Hjorthagen Chamber Choir and Hjortagen vocal ensemble, Stockholm. Karin was rewarding theaward Choir conductor of the year 2019 from The Swedish Choral Conductors' Association (FSK).

Ulrika Emanuelsson is a Swedish composer, conductor and singer educated at Malmö Academy of Music at Lund University. She has a double degree, in Eurythmics and Singing as well as a Master in Composition. She has won several awards for her choral compositions both in Sweden and abroad. Ulrika has been the artistic leader of Carolinae Female Choir since 2003 and have won several gold medals at the International Choir Competitions. She is currently also conductor of the girls choir Koritsia and this year teaching the 3rd-year ensembles at the Lars-Erik Larsson-gymnasium in Lund. She is a board member of the Swedish Composers organisation as well as the Swedish Choir Conductors organisation.

Bo Ejeby is a prominent music editor, specialised in choral music, at his own publishing company Bo Ejeby Förlag, where he publishes sheet music and books on music. He is an educated music teacher and is also an experienced chorister in some of the best choirs in Göteborg. He has committed himself to publish music of our time.

Prizes

The winner of the competition will receive the award and a prize amounting to 50 000 SEK (approx. € 4 700 or $ 5 400). The winner along with runner-ups will have the chance of being published by Bo Ejeby Förlag, a publisher of sheet music based in Sweden.