Jan Erik Mikalsen (born 6 May 1979 in Kristiansund, Norway) is a Norwegian composer of

contemporary music Contemporary classical music is classical music composed close to the present day. At the beginning of the 21st century, it commonly referred to the post-1945 modern forms of post-tonal music after the death of Anton Webern, and included seria ...

, living in

Oslo Oslo ( , , or ; sma, Oslove) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population of ...

Biography

Mikalsen studied at the

Grieg Academy The Grieg Academy ( no, Griegakademiet) is a disputed historical term used to refer to the higher education music programs in Bergen, Norway (birthplace of composer Edvard Grieg), as well as various collaborations across music institutions in Bergen ...

Bergen Bergen (), historically Bjørgvin, is a city and municipality in Vestland county on the west coast of Norway. , its population is roughly 285,900. Bergen is the second-largest city in Norway. The municipality covers and is on the peninsula ...

and the

Royal Danish Academy of Music The Royal Danish Academy of Music, or Royal Danish Conservatory of Music ( da, Det Kongelige Danske Musikkonservatorium), in Copenhagen is the oldest professional institution of musical education in Denmark as well as the largest, with approxima ...

in Copenhagen, and is a member of the

Norwegian Society of Composers The Norwegian Society of Composers ( no, Norsk Komponistforening) was founded in 1917. The Society's main objectives are to promote its members' music and secure their rights. As of today the Society counts 185 members who meet regularly for discu ...

. He has composed a number of works performed and commissioned by orchestras like

Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra The Oslo Philharmonic (Oslo-Filharmonien) is a Norwegian symphony orchestra based in Oslo, Norway. The orchestra traces its roots to the Philharmonic Society founded in 1847 and the Christiania Musical Association co-founded by Edvard Grieg in 187 ...

Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra The is recognized as the oldest symphony orchestra in Japan. It was founded in 1911 and debuted at the original Matsuzakaya store in Nagoya as the . It relocated to Tokyo in 1938. As of 2005, it has 166 members. The orchestra plays frequently ...

Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra The Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra is a Norwegian orchestra based in Bergen. Its principal concert venue is the Grieg Hall. History Established in 1765 under the name ''Det Musicalske Selskab'' (The Musical Society), it later changed its name ...

Stavanger Symphony Orchestra The Stavanger Symphony Orchestra ( no, Stavanger Symfoniorkester, SSO) is a symphony orchestra based in Stavanger, Norway. The SSO principal venue is the Stavanger Concert Hall (Stavanger konserthus), performing in the Fartein Valen concert hall ...

, Norrköping Symphony Orchestra, Kringkastingsorkesteret,

Oslo Sinfonietta Oslo Sinfonietta is a Norwegian contemporary classical orchestra. It was founded by composer Asbjørn Schaatun in 1986. The current artistic director is Christian Eggen. Oslo Sinfonietta grew out of contemporary music circles at the Norwegian ...

, Bodø Sinfonietta,

Thomas Bloch Thomas Bloch (born 1962 in Colmar, France) is a classical musician specializing in the rare instruments ondes Martenot, glass harmonica, and Cristal Baschet. Receiving a First Prize for ondes Martenot at the Paris Conservatoire National Su ...

, Reykjavik Chamber Orchestra, Quartet Artis Wien, Stavanger Samtidsensemble, Orchestre de Flutes Francais, Manger Musikklag, Ingrid Torvund, Tori Wrånes and Bård Ask. He has participated in festivals such as Présences Festival,

Pablo Casals Festival The Pablo Casals Festival is a music festival in the French Pyrenees created by the cellist and conductor Pablo Casals in 1950. History Casals opposed the Francoist regime in Spain which lasted until after his death. As an exile, Prades in the ...

Ultima Oslo Contemporary Music Festival ULTIMA Oslo Contemporary Music Festival is a Norwegian music festival for contemporary music. Background Ultima is Scandinavia's largest contemporary music festival, and since 1991 it has been a key arena for contemporary music and related art ...

, Casa Da Musica, Performa 13, Young Nordic Music and Nordic Music Days. Mikalsen also won the award from the Kavlifondet, and the

's Nordic / Baltic Composers Workshop 2004-2005 with the work ''Ghouls & Moons'' premiered by the same orchestra under the main series, on October 20, 2005. His collaboration with visual artist Bård Ash during 2013 and 2014 has resulted in a number of works, including ''Notio Viri Placet'' shown in Bergen, London, Paris and Oslo. In January 2010 Björn Nyman and Kringkastingsorkesteret premiered the work ''Clarinet Concerto'' at stage 2, in The Norwegian Opera and Ballet in Oslo. In 2014 the commissioned work ''Music for solo flute and sinfonietta'' was premiered by Elisabeth Kristensen Eide and Bodø Sinfonietta. January 20, 2012, the work ''Parts II for Orchestra'' was premiered by the

, as one of four works in the finals of Toru Takemitsu Composition Award competition (referee

Salvatore Sciarrino Salvatore Sciarrino (born 4 April 1947) is an Italian composer of contemporary classical music. Described as "the best-known and most performed Italian composer" of the present day, his works include ''Quaderno di strada'' (2003) and ''La porta d ...

). The same composition won the

Edvardprisen The Edvard Prize is a Norwegian music award in given by TONO, copyright organization for musicians and composers. The award, which was first awarded in 1998, is awarded annually and can only be awarded to members of the organization. The goal is ...

in 2012. The work ''Wagner Prelude'' was commissioned by Queen Sonja International Music Competition in 2013 and premiered in the main hall in Den Norske Opera by the opera orchestra during the final concert. In autumn 2014 Kringkastingsorkesteret premiered the commissioned work ''Songs for Orchestra''. The BIT20 Ensemble commissioned the work ''Too much of a good thing'' which was premiered in autumn 2014 a new commissioned work for solo piano and sinfonietta in Bergen. The work was again performed under the

Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival The Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival (also known by the acronym HCMF, stylised since 2006 as the lowercase hcmf//) is a new music festival held annually in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England. Since its foundation in 1978, it has feature ...

in England that year. Mikalsen was awarded Intro composer for the period 2014-2016. The composition ''Songs for Orchestra'' won the 2015

International Rostrum of Composers The International Rostrum of Composers (IRC) is an annual forum organized by the International Music Council that offers broadcasting representatives the opportunity to exchange and publicize pieces of contemporary classical music. It is funded by c ...

(IRC), organized by the

International Music Council The International Music Council (IMC) was created in 1949 as UNESCO's advisory body on matters of music. It is based at UNESCO's headquarters in Paris, France, where it functions as an independent international non-governmental organization. Its p ...

, and it will be broadcast in some 30 countries around the world. September 2017 saw the

premiering Mikalsen's latest orchestral work, ''Just for You for Piano Solo and Orchestra'', featuring Ellen Ugelvik as piano soloist and conductor Lars-Erik Ter Jung.

Honors

2011 File:2011 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: a protester partaking in Occupy Wall Street heralds the beginning of the Occupy movement; protests against Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, who was killed that October; a young man celebrates ...

: ''Parts II for Orchestra'' received a 3rd place at the Toru Takemitsu Composition Award in Tokyo judged by

2012 File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gath ...

: Winner of the

for the work ''Parts II for Orchestra'' premiered by

2015 File:2015 Events Collage new.png, From top left, clockwise: Civil service in remembrance of November 2015 Paris attacks; Germanwings Flight 9525 was purposely crashed into the French Alps; the rubble of residences in Kathmandu following the April ...

: Winner of the 62nd

(IRC) in the general category for the composition ''Songs For Orchestra''

Production

Selected works

Orchestral works

* ''Just for You'' for Piano Solo and Orchestra (2017) * ''Songr Parts II for Orchestra'' (2017) * ''Songr for Orchestra'' (2014) * ''Parts II for Orchestra'' (2012) * ''Clarinet Concerto'' (2010) * ''Parts for Orchestra'' (2009) * ''Wagner Prelude'' (2013) * ''Ghouls & Moons'' (2005) * ''Garbage Sun'' (2003). * ''Saws of Pygar'' (2006)

Works for sinfonietta

* ''Too much of a good thing is wonderful '' (2014) * ''Concerto for Ondes Martenot and Sinfonietta'' (2008)

Chamber music

* ''Sonette'' (2015) * ''Lied'' (2012) * ''Songs'' (2012) * ''Weeps & Ghosts'' (2006) * ''Night songs'' (2007) * ''La Disparition des Fantômes'' (2007)

Duo works

* ''Play Fun'' (2008) * ''Folk Tunes'' (2007)

Solo works

* ''Sonate for piano'' (2012) * ''Pieces for Violin'' (2010) * ''More Play Fun'' (2008) * ''Angel Stories'' (2005)

Works for video and exhibitions

* ''Magic Blood Machine'' (2012) * ''Monument: Hymn for Giant Bowl for marching band '' (2009) * ''Ni Estas Movado'' (2006)

Discography (in selection)

2006 File:2006 Events Collage V1.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2006 Winter Olympics open in Turin; Twitter is founded and launched by Jack Dorsey; The Nintendo Wii is released; Montenegro votes to declare independence from Serbia; The 2006 FIFA ...

: ''Lights Out'', with the

Norwegian Radio Orchestra The Norwegian Radio Orchestra (Norwegian, ''Kringkastingsorkestret'', abbreviated as KORK) is a radio orchestra affiliated with the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (''Norsk rikskringkasting AS'', or NRK). Its principal base is the ''Store Studi ...

2010 File:2010 Events Collage New.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2010 Chile earthquake was one of the strongest recorded in history; The 2010 eruptions of Eyjafjallajökull, Eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland disrupts air travel in Europe; A ...

: ''Black Spaces'', with pianist Kristian Lindberg the piece "Angels Stories" *

: ''Nine solos for nine violinists'', Guro Kleven Hagen *

2017 File:2017 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The War Against ISIS at the Battle of Mosul (2016-2017); aftermath of the Manchester Arena bombing; The Solar eclipse of August 21, 2017 ("Great American Eclipse"); North Korea tests a se ...

: ''Saan'', with Oslo-Filharmonien/ Kringkastingsorkestret/POING, nominated for the contemporary

Spellemannprisen Spellemannprisen, often referred to as the Norwegian Grammy Awards in English, is a Norwegian music award presented to Norwegian musicians. The award was established by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), an organiza ...

References

External links

*
List of works
supplied by the

National Library of Norway The National Library of Norway ( no, Nasjonalbiblioteket) was established in 1989. Its principal task is "to preserve the past for the future". The library is located both in Oslo and in Mo i Rana. The building in Oslo was restored and reopened i ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mikalsen, Jan Erik Norwegian contemporary classical composers 21st-century classical composers 21st-century Norwegian composers Grieg Academy alumni Royal Danish Academy of Music alumni International Rostrum of Composers prize-winners Musicians from Kristiansund 1979 births Living people Norwegian expatriates in Denmark Norwegian male classical composers 21st-century Norwegian male musicians