Craig Armstrong
A Royal Academy of Music graduate, Craig Armstrong passed through the ranks of Glasgow’s band culture (a band member of Hipsway, Texas and The Big Dish) to become one of the world’s most sought-after and respected composers and arrangers in the contemporary field: Madonna, U2, Björk and Massive Attack are among the acts to have benefited from his talents, but he is also a skilled and experienced writer for theatre and film. Amongst his many credits are the scores for the Baz Luhrmann hits, Romeo + Juliet (for which he received the Anthony Asquith BAFTA Award and an Ivor Novello for Best Original Score) and Moulin Rouge (for which he received a Golden Globe Award and the American Film Institute Award).
Winona is Craig Armstrong’s latest project; an experimental electro collaboration with Scott Fraser. The first album was released through Absolute Records and they are working on their second album now.
Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps (2010), Neds (2010), The Incredible Hulk (2008), The Day After Peace (2008), Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2007), World Trade Center (2006), The Perfect Catch(2005), Must Love Dogs (2005), Fever Pitch (2005), Ray (2004 – GRAMMY Best Score), The Clearing (2004), Wimbledon (2004), Love Actually (2003), Close Encounters with Keith Barry(2003), Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life (2003), Benjamim (2003), The Quiet American (2002 – Ivor Novello winner), The Magdalene Sisters (2002), Al Cuore (2002), Kiss of the Dragon (2001), Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001), Moulin Rouge! (2001 – Golden Globe winner, American Film Institute winner), La Montagna Cava (2000), Complicity (2000), Long Haul (2000),One Day In September (1999), Mauvaises Fréquentations (1999), The Bone Collector (1999 ASCAP winner), Best Laid Plans (1999), Cruel Intentions (1999), Plunkett & Macleane (1999),Alice et Martin (1998), The Negotiator (1998), Orphans (1997), Romeo + Juliet (1996 BAFTA winner, Ivor Novello winner), London Bridge (1996), Fridge (1995)
What I love about [Craig’s] work is the way in which it’s like a movie in itself, but without any pictures.’
ADVERTISING
Craig’s work for advertising includes the stunning Chanel No. 5 Claire de Lune commercial directed by Baz Luhrmann and starring Nicole Kidman and the Guiness Tornado campaign.
Ludovico Einaudi
Ludovico Einaudi studied piano and composition first at the Conservatory in Milan and subsequently with the celebrated composer Luciano Berio. His composing career began with several chamber and orchestral compositions, which were performed at important international venues. In the 1980s, he began to search for a freer and more personal musical language, exploring this in a successful series of dance and multimedia works, and later on the piano with his own ensemble.
The ambient and contemplative music he writes today is a fusion of eclectic styles, drawn from his studies in the minimalist avant-garde combined with the influence of pop music. His records are best-sellers and he plays live concerts to sell-out audiences all over the world. Einaudi’s distinctive style has ensured that his impact on the film industry over the last decade has been significant, with internationally-acclaimed film scores to Shane Meadows’s This Is England, Michele Sordillo’s Acquario, Giuseppe Piccioni’s Fuori del Mondo and Luce dei mei Occhi and Roberto Andò’sSotto Falso Nome have confirmed his fast-growing reputation.
FILM AND TV
The End is My Beginning (2010), This is England ’86 (2010), Welcome to Detroit (2010),Reflection (2010), Crisis (2010), I’m Still Here (2010), Il Mare Si e Fermato (2009), Butterfly Tattoo (2008), Breath (2007), Starfish Tango (2006), This Is England (2006), Sotto Falso Nome(2004), Doctor Zhivago (2002), L’anima in Luce (2001), Alexandreia (2001), Luce dei mei Occhi(2001), Le Parole di mio Padre (2001), Un Delitto Impossibile (2001), La Vita Altrui (2000),Giorni Dispari (2000), Luigi Einaudi: Diario Dall’Esilio Svizzero (2000), Fuori dal Mondo(1999), Aprile (1998), Treno Di Panna (1998), Acquario (1996), Da Qualche Parte In Citta (1994),Treno di Panna (1988)
ADVERTISING
Einaudi’s music has been used in high profile advertising campaigns including Earth Prelude No. 1 in E minor for American Airlines, Rose in Sony Alpha (2008), Primavera in Sony Blu-Ray(2007), Nuvole Bianche in Baci (2005) and Le Onde for John Lewis (2004).
Philip Glass
Philip Glass’s eclectic musical career has been informed by a dizzying array of inspirations. Born in Baltimore where he worked in his father’s radio repair shop and listened to every type of music from Schubert to Elvis, Glass went to Paris to study with the legendary Nadia Boulanger and discovered a world of music beyond the West when transcribing the works of Ravi Shankar. He has collaborated with everyone from Doris Lessing to Leonard Cohen,David Bowie and Brian Eno to Paul Simon and has written more than 20 operas and innumerable concert works. Koyaanisqatsi (1982), considered the most radical and influential mating of sound and vision since Fantasia, marked the beginning of a glittering career in composing for film. From Martin Scorsese to Stephen Daldry, Glass has worked with some of the greatest directors of our time and his film music has garnered awards and critical acclaim at every turn.
‘The most powerful composer of our time… what Glass is doing is changing the face of music for our time and all time.’ Daily Telegraph
‘The best-known composer of art music in America, if not the world.’ Los Angeles Times
FILM AND TV
They Were There (2011), O Apostolo (2010), Nosso Lar (2010), Kepler (2010), Mr Nice (2010),Les regrets (2009), Transcendent Man (2009), What are you Looking For? (2008), Objects and Memory (2008), Les animaux amoureux (2007), Repeat (2007), No Reservations (2007),Cassandra’s Dream (2007), Notes on a Scandal (2006 – Academy nomination), The Illusionist(2006), Neverwas (2005), Undertow (2004), Taking Lives (2004), Secret Window (2004), The Hours (2002 – BAFTA winner, Academy nomination, Golden Globe nomination, Grammy nomination), Naqoyqatsi (2002), The Truman Show (1998 – Golden Globe winner, ASCAP winner),Kundun (1997 – Academy nomination, Golden Globe nomination), The Secret Agent (1996),Candyman (1992), Anima Mundi (1992), The Thin Blue Line (1988), Powaqqatsi (1988),Hamburger Hill (1987), Mishima (1985 – Cannes winner), Koyaanisqatsi (1982) amongst countless others
ADVERTISING
Eurostar chose an adaptation of Heroes by Philip Glass for the advertising campaign for the new St Pancras terminal. Pruit Igoe from Koyaanisqatsi was chosen by BMW’s “It’s Only a Car” commercial. Japura River from Aguas da Amazonia featured in the advertising campaign forOrange.
Alberto Iglesias
Spain’s most acclaimed composer, Alberto Iglesias’s early musical training included the piano, guitar and composition as well as electronic music studies. His considerable experience in film composition began in the 1980s with Spanish directors such Pedro Almodóvar, Julio Médem, Iciar Bollainand Carlos Saura. With Almodóvar he has produced some of the most beautiful and memorable collaborations of music and film. He has also worked with directors Oliver Stone, Fernando Meirelles, John Malkovitchand Marc Forster. His film accolades include Academy award nominations for The Constant Gardener and The Kite Runner.
‘One of my greatest joys is to watch a composer spread his wings, and create the most affecting moments in film. Alberto Iglesias score for the Kite Runner is a continuous movement within the story telling, never overlapping itself. Nothing is ever ended or dismissed, and nothing is ever begun and finished. His score is like a wheel created by senses, where the senses are set whirling into the infinity of space. It is timeless, spaceless and moving.’ Marc Forster
FILM AND TV
Mina (2012), Blancanieves (2012), Carnage (2012), Le Moine (2011), The Skin I Live in (2011),Jose e Pilar (2010), Even the Rain (2010), Broken Embraces (2009), Musik und Meer (2008),Los Abrazos rotos (2008), Che Parts 1 & 2 (2008), The Kite Runner (2007 – Academy nomination, BAFTA nomination, Golden Globe nomination, Satellite Award winner), Volver (2006 – CEC winner, Spanish Music Award winner, Goya winner, Spanish Music Award winner, European Film Award winner), The Constant Gardener (2005 – Academy nomination, BAFTA nomination, World Soundtrack winner, Satellite Award nomination, Cannes winner), Bad Education (2004 – CEC nomination, Spanish Music Award nomination, World Soundtrack Award nomination, European Film Award nomination), Take My Eyes (2003 – CEC winner, Spanish Music Award nomination, European Film Award nomination), Terror In Moscow (2003), Comandante (2003), Talk To Her (2002 – CEC winner, Goya winner), The Dancer Upstairs (2002 – ROTA Soundtrack Award), Sex and Lucia(2001 – Goya winner), All About My Mother (1999 – Goya winner, Spanish Music Award winner, CEC nomination), La part de l’ombre (1999), Lovers of the Arctic Circle (1998 – Goya winner),Live Flesh (1997), La Femme de Chambre du Titanic (1997), Live Flesh (1997), Pasajes (1996),Tierra (1996 – Goya winner), Earth (1996), The Flower of my Secret (1995), Una Casa en Las Afueras (1995), La Mujer de tu vida 2: La mujer gafe (1994), Dispara! (1993), La Ardilla Roja(1993 – Goya winner), Vacas (1992 – Goya winner), La vida lacteal (1992), El sueño de Tánger(1991), Autumn Rain (1989), Lluvia de otoño (1988), Martín (1988), Balada da Praia dos Cães(1987), Las seis en punta (1987), Bilbao Blues (1986), Adiós pequeña (1986), Iniciativa privada(1986), Memoria universal (1986), Luces de bohemia (1985), Fuego eterno (1985), La muerte de Mikel (1984), La conquista de Albania (1984), Guipuzkoa Donostia: Costa Guipuzcoana (1983),Ikusmena (1980), Pasaje (1980)
ADVERTISING
Alberto’s work in advertising has included Peugeot 207, Kelloggs and Balay.
Gabriel Yared
Although he benefited from a classical education with the great masters, including Dutilleux and Maurice Ohanna, Gabriel Yared remains at heart a fervent self-taught musician, open to all kinds of music. At the end of the 1960s he worked every night in the jazz clubs of Rio de Janeiro for 18 months, and met several Brazilian musicians who had a profound impact upon his music – Ivan Lins, Jorge Bem, Milton Nascimento, Egberto Gismonti, and many others.
During the 1970s Yared collaborated as a songwriter and orchestrator with, among others, Johnny Hallyday, Sylvie Vartan and the Costa Brothers. He has also written music for dance and says: “I have a love of composing for dance choreography. More so than for cinema, this medium satisfies my needs to compose for the illusion, the imagination. While cinema communicates its message essentially though image and dialogue, ballet on the other hand draws its inspiration from music. Choreography is born from it, music is often the source of dance and movement.”
Since 1980 Yared has devoted most of his time to composing original scores for film, and has worked on over seventy movies to date, including the French classic Betty Blue, The Talented Mr. Ripley, Sylvia,Cold Mountain and The English Patient directed by Anthony Minghella which received an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Grammy.
FILM AND TV
Belle du Seigneur (2012), Americana (2011), In the Land of Blood and Honey (2011), Des enfants dans les arbres (2009), The Actress’ Ball (2009), Amelia(2009), The Hedgehog (2009), Coco Chanel and Igor Stravinsky (2009), Adam Resurrected (2008), The No.1 Ladies Detective Agency (2008), A Room With A View (2007), Manolete (2007), 1408 (2007), Breaking and Entering (2006), Azur et Asmar (2006) César nomination, The Lives of Others (2006), Underexposure (2005),L’Avion (2005), Shall We Dance (2004), Cold Mountain (2003) Academy nomination, BAFTA winner, Golden Globe nomination, Golden Satellite nomination,Sylvia (2003), Marins Perdus (2003), Bon Voyage (2003) César nomination, The One and Only (2002), Possession (2002), L’Idole (2002), Not Afraid, Not Afraid(2001), Autumn in New York (2000), The Talented Mr Ripley (1999) Academy nomination, BAFTA nomination, Golden Globe nomination, City of Angels (1998)ASCAP winner, GRAMMY nomination, Golden Satellite nomination, The English Patient (1996) Academy winner, Golden Globe winner, GRAMMY winner, Golden Satellite winner, BAFTA winner, Golden Globe nomination, L’Amant (1993) César winner, Camille Claudel (1988) César winner, Agent Trouble (1987) César nomination, Betty Blue (1986) César nomination amongst countless others.
Søren Hyldgaard
Søren Hyldgaard has quickly become one of Europe’s most sought after screen composers since his feature film debut with Eye of the Eagle in 1997. He has gone on to compose music for many films, including Oscar-nominated short When Life Departs and behind-the-scenes documentary Dogville Confessions chronicling the production of Lars Von Trier’s Dogville starring Nicole Kidman. In 2003, Hyldgaard penned the score for German animated film The Jester Till and wrote the title song for the UK version sung by comedian/actor Lee Evans.
TV credits include The Chaplin Puzzle (1992) and The Spider, airing in Denmark in 2000, same year as Hyldgaard won the prestigious Robert Award for his dainty score for romantic comedy The One and Only. In 2001, he received an esteemed artistic acknowledgement award for his achievements in film music from the San Diego Film Commission. His inevitable Hollywood breakthrough came a few years later with his score for accomplished neo-western Red.
With a palette that spans from serene new age to full-bodied symphonic scoring, Hyldgaard is widely celebrated for his melodic tone and catchy themes. He is certified platinum for his classic new age album Flying Dreams and seems just as comfortable juggling the nuts-and-bolt challenges of composing the seminal epic film score as he is writing for the concert hall.
‘As a composer you tend to be labelled and placed in a certain box where you are supposed to belong – be it pop, rock, classical or new age. I want to be labelled as someone you cannot stick a label on!’ – Søren Hyldgaard
2011. Der er noget i luften (something in the air)2010. Min Søsters Børn Vælter Nordjylland 2009. Storm 2009. Den Fremmede 2009. Superbror 2008. Ses 2008. Red 2008. Les Ämes Meurtries (The Battered Spirits) 2005. Nynne 2005. American Short 2004. Fakiren fra Bilbao (The Fakir) 2004. Forsvar (Defense) 2003. Till Eulenspiegel (The Adventures of the Jester Till) 2003. Dogville Confessions 2003. Midsommer 2002. Bertram & Co. 2002. Ulvepigen Tinke (Little Big Girl) 2002. One Hell of a Christmas (The Claw) 2001. Olsen-Banden Junior 2001. Pyrus på Pletten 2001. Help! I’m a Fish 2000. Edderkoppen 1999. Den Eneste Ene (The One and Only) 1999. The Other Side 1998. Tommy and the Wildcat (Poika Ja Ilves) 1998. Nattens Engel (Angel of the Night) 1997. Mørkets Øy (Isle of Darkness) 1997. When Life Departs (Når Livet Går Sin Vej) 1997. Ørnens Øje (Eye of the Eagle) 1993. Den Sidste Færge (The Last Ferry)
AWARDS
2001. The San Diego Film Commission’s Artistic Acknowledgement Award 2000. Robert Award (for Den Eneste Ene) 1987. Danish National Radio’s Composer Award
Karten Fundal
Emerging as one of the principal composers of his generation, Karsten Fundal’s unmistakable talent has sparked a rapidly growing interest in his music, leading to several commissions for new works in recent years. Also striking a major chord with the film industry, the Robert Award-winning composer can put his name to some of the biggest Danish blockbusters of the new millennium, including epic drama Flame & Citron (2008).
A graduate of The Royal Danish Academy of Music, Fundal learned from the best, studying composition under Hans Abrahamsen, Ib Nørholm, Karl Aage Rasmussen and Per Nørgård. His major works include violin concerto Floating Lines – Broken Mirrors (1995-1996) and Entropia (1997-2001) for soloists, choir and large orchestra, which he wrote for the Danish National Symphony Orchestra.
Certainly not confined to the world of classical music, Fundal’s recent endeavours include orchestral arrangements for pop heavyweights Efterklang, Under Byen and Choir of Young Believers, lifting their catchy melodic flares to new symphonic heights - all the while penning scores for film and television successes such as Blekingegade (2009) and Julie (2011).
FILM AND TV
2011.Undskyld jeg forstyrrer (Exuse me) 2011. Julie 2010. Hunted (Short) 2010. Into Eternity (Documentary) 2009. Blekingegade 2009. Jernanger 2008. Produktionsdagbog: Prag – Berlin – København (The Making of Flammen & Citronen) 2008. Flammen & Citronen 2007. Kunsten At Græde i Kor 2005. Om Tro (Short) 2003. Mikaël
ADVERTISING
2007. Elsparefonden
AWARDS
2007. Robert Award – Best Score (for Kunsten at græde i kor) 2005. The Dronning Ingrid Memorial Grant 2005. Carl Nielsen Award 2005. The Danish Art Council’s Three Year Grant 1995. The Dansk Komponistforening Award 1995. Hvassfonden’s Artist Grant 1994. Wilhelm Hansen’s Composer Award
FALLULAH / Maria Apetri
Having spent most of her childhood crisscrossing Eastern Europe with her dancer-choreographer parents, Danish-Rumanian singer-songwriter Fallulah has Balkan music in her blood. On her certified gold debut album The Black Cat Neighbourhood, fiery fragments of folklore gracefully permeate her catchy brand of cosmopolitan indie-pop which has been compared to Florence and the Machine and Bat for Lashes.
After releasing her first single in 2009, Danish music critics unanimously agreed that Fallulah was next to blow, which was no false prophesy. In 2010, her single Bridges was the most played song on Danish national radio station P3, which later awarded her its prestigious P3 award. In 2011, Fallulah lend her sweet yet edgy voice to popular Danish sitcom Lykke, for which she wrote the theme song.
FILM AND TV
2011. Lykke (DR) , TEEN WOLF, US (MTV)
ADVERTISING
Ford motor, Idé møbler, Acceptcard
Thomas Blachman
Jazz drummer, composer, producer and five times Danish Music Award winner Thomas Blachman is widely acknowledged for his compositional genius and genre-transcending work navigating nonchalantly on the border between the mainstream and the ultra-hip. A graduate of the Royal Danish Academy of Music with a Bachelor in Jazz Composition from Berklee College of Music, Thomas Blachman has composed several classical pieces, including chamber music and ballets, as well as a number of scores for film and television.
Making his debut in 1988 with neo-bop outfit Page One, Blachman was already experimenting with fusing elements of classical composition and jazz improvisation. Since then he has crossed swords with a myriad of styles resulting in multiple award winning recordings, including his landmark jazz/rap hybrid Blachman Thomas meets Al Agami and Remee (1994). In 1998 he launched the innovative record label ManRec which, with its mantra of renewal, became a much-coveted however short-lived exploratorium to new talent as well as established artists.
Known for his blunt and controversial cultural criticism, Blachman was the obvious choice as merciless, Cowell-esque judge in the recent Danish adaptations of the British television successes Pop Idol and The X-Factor. In between primetime television dabblings, however, Blachman has found time to rekindle his jazz roots, recording for the prestigious Verve label with trio GinmanBlachmanDahl! and touring with his new quintet The Pulse. In 2011 Blachman was awarded a Danish Film Academy Award (Robert) for his gripping score for Thomas Vinterberg’s Golden Bear nominated drama Submarino.
FILM AND TV
2010. Submarino 2009. En Historie om en Pigetrio 2007. Ibrahim 2004. Prins Henrik 1996. Skæbnetimen
AWARDS
2011. Robert – Best Score / Submarino by Thomas Vinterberg 1996. Danish Music Award – Best Songwriter / Cinemataztic by Caroline Henderson 1996. Danish Music Award – Best Danish Producer / Cinemataztic by Caroline Henderson 1995. Danish Music Award – Best Danish Rap/Dance release / Blachman Thomas meets Al Agami and Remee! : The Style and Invention Album 1995. Danish Music Award – Best Danish Jazz Album / Blachman Thomas meets Al Agami and Remee! : The Style and Invention Album 1991. Danish Music Award – Best Danish Jazz recording / Love Boat
Niels Lan Doky
Jazz pianist Niels Lan Doky’s career has literally skyrocketed since at age 15 he was taken under the wings of American jazz legends Thad Jones and Ernie Wilkins. He has performed and recorded with a who’s who of jazz, including Quincy Jones, Clark Terry, Branford Marsalis, Pat Metheny, David Sanborn and Al Jarreau, but has also worked with world famous pop stars Dave Stewart (Eurythmics) and Joss Stone. Doky’s musical versatility has seen him working with both film scores and advertising in addition to numerous recordings as either musician or producer.
With his relentless creativity and unparalleled productivity Niels Lan Doky is undoubtedly the quintessential jazz artist of the new era. A graduate of Berklee College of Music, Doky has recorded for prestigious labels such as Blue Note, Columbia, Verve and Milestone and gains constant recognition for his elegant, sensual and serene compositions, which he calls snapshots of moods and feelings.
His unique ability to capture a moment’s essence has not gone unnoticed; Doky has performed for many prominent world figures, including Pope Jean-Paul II and Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, receiving the title Knight of the Order of Dannebrog from the latter on her birthday in 2010. That same year he was commissioned by the UN to compose, record and perform the innovative suite The Story Of Earth and Water on the occasion of the International Year of Biodiversity.
Published writer, film director and voting member of the US Grammy Awards Jazz committee, Doky’s talents exceed the purely musical. In 2010, he returned to his native Denmark, after living nearly 30 years in New York and Paris, to reopen legendary Copenhagen jazz club Montmartre, which served as European hub for modern jazz in the 60s and 70s. Lately, however, Doky has made it a priority touring with his trio, with which he released Human Behaviour in 2011.
FILM AND TV
2011. Manolete (track Passionate Bliss featured on soundtrack) 2008. Dreaming With Open Eyes 2005. Between a smile and a tear 1994. Årstider i Kongehuset
ADVERTISING
2011. Tulip, 2010 B&O, Arla/MD Foods 2007. Samsung
AWARDS
2010. Knight of the Order of Dannebrog 2008. Ben Webster Award 2005. Gold Disc – ”Seal of Approval” award forScandinavian Reminiscence. 2003. Gold Disc – ”Seal of Approval” award for Spain. 2002. Gold Disc – ”Seal of Approval” award for Casa Dolce Casa. 2001. Royal award 1999. Fermaten Live Award /Best Jazz Concert of the Year 1998. Inclusion in the “International Book of Honor” published by The American Biographical Insititute, Inc. 1997.Årets Bob/ Keyboardist of the Year (Midi Magazine) 1996. Kraks Blå Bog 1993. Simon Spies Musikpris 1988. Carlsberg Hof Legat 1987. Holstebro Musikpris 1984. Count Basie Award 1983. The Boston Jazz Society Achievement Award 1983. The Oscar Peterson Jazz Master Award
LARS H.U.G
Since first appearing on the Danish music scene in the late 1970s, the artistically unpredictable yet multiple Danish Music Award winning Lars H.U.G. has time after time taken his audience by surprise. His steady stream of releases bears testimony to his remarkable talent and versatility, ranging from new wave and art rock to full-fledged pop and jazz. His latest album Save Me From This Rock’n'Roll (2003) showcased his manifest qualities as traditional singer-songwriter.
Lars H.U.G.’s musical adventure began with the formation of now legendary Kliché in 1977. Initially flirting with a punk-rock aesthetic, the group later developed in a more refined direction combining elements of the sleepy synth-tinged sheen of Roxy Music, the bright robotic sensibility of Kraftwerk and the alluring stage charisma of David Bowie. Widely celebrated for its innovatory soundscapes, equivocal lyrics and distinct coolness, Kliché’s debut Supertanker has gained cult status on the Danish music scene.
Already an accomplished musician, singer, composer and producer, the former student of the Jutland Art Academy has lately made a name for himself in the world of visual arts. Visual expression has always been integral to H.U.G.’s musical endeavours, whether in the form of music videos, scenography, lighting or his many self designed album covers. In recent years his compositional gifts has caught the attention of Danish filmmaker Jørgen Leth and shock artist Marco Evaristti, the latter commissioning H.U.G. in 2008 to write music for his spectacular The Last Fashion show inspired by US death row inmates.
FILM AND TV
2005 – Jørgen Leth’s Aarhus
AWARDS
2004. Bent Fabric Prisen 2003. Awarded the Danish Art Council’s Lifelong Artists’ Grant 1997. Danish Music Award – Best album (KISS & HUG from a Happy Boy) 1997. Danish Music Award – Best Singer 1997. Danish Music Award – Best Pop Release 1993. Danish Music Award – Best Album 1993. Danish Music Award – Best Singer 1993. Danish Music Award – Best Pop Release 1993. Danish Music Award – Best Cover 1993. Awarded the Danish Art Council’s Three-Year Working Scholarship 1990. IFPI-Award – The Press’ Award
Lawand Shakur Othman alias Turkman Souljah
Turntablist, composer, pianist and producer Lawand Shakur Othman aka Turkman Souljah is a highly respected name on the international DJ scene. Since finding his first turntable in a dumpster, he is multiple winner of both the Danish and Scandinavian DMC DJ championships and is considered among the top ten turntablists in the world.
In 2004 Lawand came across a record of Beethoven’s piano sonatas which marked the beginning of a musical love affair, which has spread to include Mozart, Liszt, Rachmaninov etc. Lawand’s passion and respect for the classical masters is evident in his own compositions, which hover neatly in the tension field between classical and popular music.
Time and again Lawand tears down the walls between the two traditionally separate musical worlds, effortlessly combining classical sensibilities and raw hip-hop aesthetics. In 2011 he worked with Odense Symphony Orchestra rearranging classical works by Beethoven, Mozart and Carl Nielsen, shuttling back and forth between the grand piano and the turntables, which came to emerge as equally valid instruments.
As swift with the sampler as he is behind the decks, Lawand uses fragments of old recordings to create new and haunting soundscapes meticulously layered with analogue synth lines and crackling drum loops. Much in demand for his unique talent and rampant creativity, he has worked with a who’s who of Danish hip-hop, including recording and touring with internationally renown hit-hoppers Outlandish.
AWARDS
5 X Nordic DMC champion 2004. Danish DMC Champion 2004. Echler International DJ Battle Champion 2003. Danish DMC Champion 2003. Echler International DJ Battle Champion 2002. Danish DMC Champion 2002. Echler International DJ Battle Champion 2002. Turntable Technics Champion
Sebastian
Once touted as the greatest compositional talent of his generation, singer, guitarist and composer Knud Christensen aka Sebastian is responsible for some of the most momentous hits, beloved children’s songs and successful musicals in Danish history. As prolific as he is original, Sebastian’s more than 20 albums has sold over 2 million copies and yielded a string of indisputable classics leaving an indelible mark on the Danish music industry, earning him the prestigious IFPI Honorary Award in 2004.
At first taking his inspiration from Bob Dylan, Sebastian’s variation of the American songwriter’s politically acute, poetic rather than propagandist lyrics has developed into a warm and highly personal vernacular expression. Sebastian’s trademark surreal, humorous yet melancholic lyrics permeate his entire career from the early protest songs to his pop smashes and all the way through his top earning musicals.
As a composer Sebastian’s artistic expression is immensely rich, although lately it is a rare occasion when he interrupts his work writing scores for musicals, film and television to record a solo album. 2011 marks such an occasion, as the legend gears up to release his first studio album in over 20 years, which he promises will pick up where his immortal albums from the 80’s left off.
FILM AND TV
2005. Trubadurens Aften – (DR) 2001. Klinkevals 2000. Juliane Jensen 1999. Klinkevals 1999. Sebastian 49 år (DR) 1998. Vip & Victor 1995. Sebastian 25 års jubileumsprogram (DR) 1993. Cyrano på Gladsaxe (DR) 1992. Gøngehøvdingen 1991. Tilblivelsen af Ronja Røverdatter (TV2) 1989. Et eventyr – Dyndkongens datter - Udrag af koncert på Det Kgl. Teater (DR) 1987. Nana (titelsang) 1986. Sebastian Band - Live på Kronborg (DR) 1985. Det kendte ansigt (DR) 1984. Hodja fra Pjort 1984. Øbberbøv (titelsang) 1983. De uanstændige 1983. Sebastian: Farvel til Bandet - Live i Falkonercentret (DR) 1982. Sebastian band – Live i Falkonercentret (DR) 1981. Sebastian & Lis - Sebastian Band live i TV studie (DR) 1980. Krigernes børn 1978. Du er ikke alene 1976. Måske ku’ vi 1973. Rapportpigen
AWARDS
2008 – Steppeulv award – the Pioneer Award 2007 – Knight of the Order of Dannebrog 2004 – IFPI’s Honorary Award 1992 – Danish Music Award – Best Childrens’ Album for Ronja Røverdatter.
Frederik Thaae
Things took off quickly for Frederik Thaae after uploading his demo to a Danish music magazine website. The hyperactive musical wizard was signed on the spot and unleashed on the world in all his long-beardedness. Thaae’s music is simple, captivating and perpetually playful and his nose for durable and catchy melodies has earned him credits as producer, remixer and co-writer for a number of top-shelf Danish artists, including Choir of Young Believers, Carpark North and Aqua member Søren Rasted.
A Bachelor of Sound Engineering from the Royal Danish Music Academy, Thaae has composed a number of scores for film and television as well as advertising. Never stagnant, however, Thaee’s endless adventures in the land of music span genres as diverse as pop/dance, chamber music, metal and hip-hop. In 2009, the multifaceted wunderkind was appointed the country’s first “City Composer” by the city of Roskilde and the Danish Arts Foundation.
Frederik Thaae’s name consists of 13 letters. If thrown in the air they may scramble to suddenly form the name of Thaae’s alter ego and musical playground, A Kid Hereafter. A mishmash of unworried mutant pop resembling a cross-breed between the Beatles, Bloodhound Gang and Elvis Costello, A Kid Hereafter is undoubtedly one of the most interesting, albeit odd, musical mongrels in recent years. In 2007, Thaae teamed up with Raveonettes guitarist Manoj Ramdas to form grindcore band-within-a-band A Kid Hereafter in the Grinding Light, winning a Danish Music Award for Best Hard Rock album 2009.
FILM AND TV
2010. I Hegnet (DR2) 2009. H*A*S*H (DR2) 2008. Carsten og Gittes Filmballade by Anders Morgenthalers 2008. Det Som Ingen Ved by Søren Kragh Jacobsen 2007. De sorte Spejdere (DR/P3) 2007. Drengene fra Angora (DR2)
AWARDS
2009. Danish Music Award (Best Hard Rock) for A Kid Hereafter In The Grinding Light 2009. Independent Music Award (Best Punk Song) for Defenders of The Faith 2006. Årets Leif / Huset i Magstræde (A Kid Hereafter)
CARSTEN DAHL
Any attempt to give a concise description of jazz pianist Carsten Dahl‘s musical style would have to be quickly abandoned. The Danish Music Award-winning composer travels unimpeded from his native realm of bebop through free improvisation to classical music, making transient stops underway writing music for film and advertising. In 2003 his throbbing score for Danish drama Charlie Butterfly was nominated for a Danish Film Academy Award.
Recording for venerable labels Deutsche Grammophon, Storyville and Verve, Dahl draws unanimous praise for his graceful solo work, and indeed his formidable trio efforts with heavyweight outfit GinmanBlachmanDahl!. The self-taught pianist ranks among the best in jazz, having recorded and played alongside top Danish and international artists, including Benny Golson, Eddie Gomez, Wynton Marsalis, Ed Thigpen & Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen.
In the Keith Jarrett tradition, Dahl approaches solo performance as a way of expressing his deeply personal language. With the bebop vernacular always colouring his musical dialect, Dahl fearlessly ventures into new sonic and tonal territory, currently trying his hand at J.S. Bach‘s Goldberg Variations – a piece of music thought to be highly academic and almost unplayable until pianist Glenn Gould made it world-famous in 1955.
FILM AND TV
2002. Charlie Butterfly 2000. Slottet I Italien 1999. Jazz 99
ADVERTISING
2010. Danish Energy Association
AWARDS
2006. Django D’or Award “Master of Jazz” 2005. South African Grammy Award (for Drums Across) 2005. Danish Culture and art Foundation Prize of Honour (for Moon Water) 2004. Danish Music Award (for Solo Piano) 2002. JASA Award 2002. Wilhelm Hansen Prize of honour 2001. Danish Music Award – (for Six Hands, Three Minds, One Heart) 2000. Jazz Special Readers’ Poll Winner – Best Album 2000. Danish Jazzpar Winner 1997. Ben Webster Award 1995. Rødovre Music Prize