Kristian Blak (born 1947) is a Danish

composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and def ...

, musician, and record executive based in the

Faroe Islands The Faroe Islands ( ) (alt. the Faroes) are an archipelago in the North Atlantic Ocean and an autonomous territory of the Danish Realm, Kingdom of Denmark. Located between Iceland, Norway, and the United Kingdom, the islands have a populat ...

Early life

Kristian Blak was born in

Jutland Jutland (; , ''Jyske Halvø'' or ''Cimbriske Halvø''; , ''Kimbrische Halbinsel'' or ''Jütische Halbinsel'') is a peninsula of Northern Europe that forms the continental portion of Denmark and part of northern Germany (Schleswig-Holstein). It ...

, Denmark, in 1947. He moved to the Faroe Islands in 1974, where he has written most of his musical works.

Career

Blak is the founder of the Nordic musical ensemble Yggdrasil (named after the world tree known as Yggdrasil). He has worked with sounds from Faroese nature in several compositions. These include concerts in caves and other natural "concert halls" in the Faroe Islands. He has composed solo instrumental works, chamber music, choral works and symphonic music, for example the ballad ''Harra Pætur og Elinborg''. In 2010 Queen Margrethe of Denmark visited the Faroe Islands, and one of the events she visited was a grotto concert in Klæmintsgjógv (Gorge of Klæmint) by Blak and other musicians. The cave is high, and the sea in the cave is around deep. There are some places inside the cave where the musicians can stand with their instruments and give a concert to the audience in boats. Blak is the chief executive officer of Tutl, which is the leading record label in the Faroe Islands.

Recognition and awards

*2002:

Faroese Literature Prize The Faroese Literature Prize, also known as the Mentanarvirðisløn M. A. Jacobsens (M. A. Jacobsen's Cultural Award), is a prize for Faroese literature that was begun by the Tórshavnar kommuna (Tórshavn City Council) in 1958. Its winners inclu ...

, for his work with music in the Faroe Islands *2011 Heiðursgáva Landsins (Prize of Honour from the Faroese Ministry of Culture) – DKK 75 000

Musical works

* 2001 ''PINIARTUT'' with ''Tellu Virkkala'', ''Rasmus Lyberth'' and ''Ville Kangas'' * 1999 ''24 PRÉLUDES'' * 1998 ''KLÆMINT'' * 1997 ''SHALDER GEO'' * 1991 ''RAVNATING'' * 1990 ''FIRRA'' * 1989 ''ADDEQ'' * 1988 ''ANTIFONALE'' * 1987 ''FJAND'' with Svend Bjerg * 1984 ''KINGOLØG'' * 1983 ''SJÓMANSRÍMUR'' * 1979 ''SNJÓUGLAN''

Albums

Solo albums

* 2005 ''Úr Holminum'', 8 tracks, Tutl * 2005 Snjóuglan, 10 Tracks, Tutl * 1999 ''Klæmint'' Tutl * 1992 ''Harra Pætur og Elinborg'' * 1991 ''Ravnating'', 8 tracks, Tutl

Yggdrasil

* 2004 ''LIVE AT RUDOLSTADT'' * 2002 ''YGGDRASIL'' * 1984/1995/2000 ''CONCERTO GROTTO'' & ''DRANGAR'' * 1988 ''BRØYTINGAR'' Koncept: Ole Wich * 1983/85 ''THE FOUR TOWERS'' & ''HEYGAR OG DREYGAR'' * 1982 ''RAVNATING'' * 1981 ''DEN YDERSTE Ø''

Spælimenninir

* 2003 ''Malargrót'' * 1996 ''Flóð Og Fjøra'' * 1986 ''Hinvegin'' * 1984 ''Rekaviður'' * 1980 ''Burturav''

Spælimenninir í Hoydølum

''Spælimenninir í Hoydølum'' is the name of a former musical ensemble, they took name after a place name in Tórshavn called Hoydalar, the High School is located there. * 1984 ''Á ferð'' * 1987 ''Umaftur'' * 1977 ''Spælimenninir í Hoydølum''

Music for children

* 2003 ''Sóljudansir'' * 1997 ''Øll hava veingir'' * 1985 ''Syng bara við'' * 1983 ''Nósi'' * 1977 ''Nu ska' vi u å sejle'' við Kræklingum og øðrum.

Honour

*2024 - ''Best Initiative Prize'' for arranging the music festival Summartónar of over 1600 concerts over the last 30 years. *2020 - ''Special award'' at the

Faroese Music Awards Faroese Music Awards (short form: FMA, in Faroese language, Faroese: Føroysku Tónlistavirðislønirnar) is a Faroe Islands, Faroese music prize award ceremony, which was established in 2014, after the former Faroese music prize Planet Awards wa ...

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Blak, Kristian Living people 1947 births Danish emigrants Danish composers Male composers Faroese composers Immigrants to the Faroe Islands Faroese Literature Prize recipients