A collection of work and activities from recent years to today
Present activities
2021
• 11/11 kl 19.00 Kulturens Hus, Luleå
Luleå University of Technology celebrates 50 years with an anniversary concert. The audience can listen to the premiere of a work by Jan Sandström, specially written for the university’s 50th anniversary.
• In October European Gramophone commissions Sandström’s third trombone concerto. The world premiere will be with the Gothenburg S.O. in 2022-23.
• In October 15th Stockholm Chamber Brass world premieres Sandström’s Brass Quintet A Winter in Mallorca.
• In September 16th The Swedish Radio Choir during the Baltic Festival world premieres Sandström’s choir piece Den stora gåtan, lyrics by Tomas Tranströmer.
• On September 1st the opera Nighthawks is world premiered in Piteå. The opera – a contemporary madrigal comedy – is, like the Drottningholm opera The Rococo Machiney in 2016, a collaboration together with the librettist Tuvalisa Rangström.
2020
2019
2018
• In September the arrangement Suv dehte for Katarina Barruk and Erik Westbergs Vocal Ensemble is recorded.
• In February Sandström’s second work in his mission as composer in residence at NorrlandsOperan, the orchestra piece Solamente Tú is world premiered and performed in Umeå, Stockholm, Gothenburg and Vara.
2017
• Sandström’s first work in his mission as composer in residence at NorrlandsOperan, the Violin Concerto with Elina Vähälä as soloist is world premiered in Umeå and in Stockholm.
• In February Sandström is nominated for Life time achievment at HARPA Nordic Film Composers Award in Berlin.
• In January Sandström won firts prize for Best Original Score in Sweden’s most prominent Film Award ”Guldbaggen” (The Swedish Academy Award) for the film The Garbage Helicopter.
2016
• June 7th the opera The Rococo Machinery is premiered at The Palace Theatre at Drottningholm due to its 250th anniversary.
2015
• October 11th the film The Garbage Helicopter is world premiered at London Film Festival.
• Echoes of Eternity, the commission by the 2000 year old Roman city Cáceres continues its world tour, in May performed in New Zeeland and in Tokyo.
2014
• Sandström is asked to compose an opera for the 250-year anniversary of Drottningholmsoperan in Stockholm 2016.
• The film score to the road movie The Garbage Helicopter is recorded in Umeå by NorrlandsOperans Symphony Orchestra and conductor Petter Sundkvist.
• November 17th Norwegian Arctic Philharmonic Orchestra under conductor Christian Lindberg world premieres Sandströms piece Kongen kommer. The piece is commissioned for the 200-year anniversary of the Norwegian constitution 2014.
• In April Sandström is asked to compose a piece for WDR Rundfunkchor in Cologne. The piece will be part of an upcoming concert for peace.
• In March 26th Fair Opera – The Musical for Umeå European Capital of Culture 2014 has its world premiere.
2013
• Swedish Radio Choir with conductor Peter Dijkstra will at three concerts season 13-14 pay attention on Sandström. Several works will be performed and to the first concert November 16th, Sandström in September includes a commission for the choir; Calculat Deus, with text by August Strindberg.
• December 19th Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra will world premiere Es ist ein Ros in Sandström’s own setting for Philharmonic Brass
• In autumn 2013 Maidstone Wind Symphony, Eynsford Concert Band and Lambeth Wind Orchestra have come together with the NCBS to commission Jan Sandström to arrange his ‘Es ist ein Ros entsprungen’ for concert band.
• October 20th premieres the new work Do What is Fair for Young Cathedral Voices, a festival with participants from all over Europe, held in Uppsala Cathedral. The piece is written for all participating choirs and four organs.
• In May Sandström completes Fair Opera – The Musical for Umeå European Capital of Culture 2014.
• In beginning of February the piece Acqua Alta is recorded and global premiered by conductor Erik Westberg and the renaissance ensemble Serikon.
2012
• In October the new mass for the 20th anniversary of Uppsala Music Classes is premiered in Uppsala.
• Autumn 2012 the opera-musical Elisa starts a new tour of performances in the north of Sweden.
• In summer 2012 Sandström starts composing a new opera-musical. The piece with title Fair Opera is commissioned for town Umeå for the European Capital of Culture 2014. Read more.
• In May Sandström also completes choral work Landskap med solar commissioned by Uppsala Academy Chamber Choir. Text by Nobel Prize winner Tomas Tranströmer.
• In May Sandström completes Acqua Alta for Serikon Ensemble. The piece will be recorded in February 2013, and is part of the Acqua Alta Project.
• April 27th organ piece Romanska bågar (Roman Arcs) is premiered in Västerås Cathedral. The piece, built around Tranströmer’s famous poem is performed by Johan Hammarström and recited by Jessica Zandén.
• March 25th choirs of Maria Magdalena and Sofia under Mats Nilsson premieres new choral piece Mary’s Song of Praise. • In January Sandström completes a new mass for the 20th anniversary of Uppsala Music Classes. The piece for mezzo, baritone, choir and orchestra will be premiered October 20th in Uppsala.
2011
• Lindberg’s recording with Iceland SO of music by Sandström continues to receive marvellous reviews all over the world. Robert Carl writes in the American Fanfare Magazine: ”You can tell I’m impressed. Sandström has personal imagination that puts his stamp on whatever he decides to be the subject of a piece. He’s a composer in the Straussian (i.e., Richard) tradition, and that’s one of the primal streams in composition that needs nourishment by composers with the degree of spirit and savvy he seems to have. Fantastic performances throughout. Lindberg obviously has lived with this music and has a deep understanding of it.”
• September 21th the opera-musical Elisa has its world premiére at Estrad Norr in Östersund. As with Good Night Madame, this is a collaboration with Kjell Peder Johanson who is also the librettist and director.
• In August, Sandström’s piece Fjärran is premiéred at the Baltic Sea Festival in Stockholm. The piece is written to the memory of Dag Hammarskjöld, and is performed by Elin Rombo.
• In spring Echoes of Eternity, the commission by the 2000 year old Roman city Cáceres continues its world tour, in January 14th the Irish première, with solo trombonist of RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, Jason Sinclair at Christian Lindberg’s side. In March 18th at its Tenerife premiere with solo trombonist of Tenerife Symphony Orchestra Dede Decker at Lindbergs side.
2010
• December 19th american choir Chanticleer, San Francisco performs the world premiére of their Sandström commission And The Word Became Flesh. Chanticleer has also recorded the piece. Read more.
• In December Sandström completes the piece Áhkku for prize winner female choir Arctic Light and North Botnia Youth Symphony Orchestra. As with the opera in progress the piece is a collaboraion with lyrics writer Kjell Peder Johanson.
• In September Sandström starts composing his fifth opera, a chamber opera for Estrad Norr, Östersund. As with his last chamber opera Good Night Madame, Kjell Peder Johanson is the cooperator.
• September 5th Linköping Cathedral Chamber Choir world premieres their Sandström commission Vidi Aquam. celebrating the cathedral’s new glass paintings. • In August Sandström completes two pieces for choir, built on joiks by Johan Märak, commissioned by Swedish Radio/Berwaldhallen for the Swedish Radio Choir.
• May 14th Echoes of Eternity, the commission by the 2000 year old Roman city Cáceres receives standing ovations at its Dutch première, with solo trombonist of Concertgebouw Orchestra, Jörgen van Rijen at Christian Lindberg’s side.
• March 20th is the world première of the choral piece Bring Heaven to Earth, commissioned to celebrate Massachusetts choir Musica Sacra’s 50th anniversary. Read more. • In January NEA EDITION publishes new choral pieces by Sandström.
2009
• Like 2007 Sandström’s choir piece Es ist ein Ros entsprungen is performed and broadcasted live from Kings College Chapel in Cambridge, UK during the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols. It was first broadcast in 1928 and is now broadcast to millions of people around the world.
• December 19th the choir Allmänna sången is presenting its fare well commission, Sandström’s O Magnum Mysterium, to the conductor Cecilia Rydinger Alin at their Christmas Gala in Uppsala. The new piece as well as Sandstrom’s older piece Gloria is well received. Read more.
• Dec. 4th Sandström will be present at the Tenerife premiere of Motorbike Odyssey, performed by Christian Lindberg and Tenerife Symphony Orchestra under Lü Jia. Read more.
• November 27-28 Sandstrom’s new piece Ecos de Eternidad, a double trombone concerto for Ricardo Casero and Christian Lindberg is global premiered in Cáceres 27th and Badajoz 28th. The piece is commissioned by The Extremadura Orchestra for Cácere’s Capitol of Culture 2016. Read more.
• Lux Aeterna, a commission for the vocal group Bolin quartet is world premiered October 31th at The Chapel of the Holy Cross in Stockholm.
• June 13 the cantata Skapelsemorgon, with text by Bo Setterlind has its world premiere at the House of Arts in Lulea by Katarina Giotas, Olle Persson, Erik Westberg Vocal Ensemble and North Botnia Chamber Orchestra under Petter Sundkvist. The piece is commissioned by the Masonic Lodge of Luleå to celebrate its 100th birth day.
• On April 30 a CD is released on H.M. The King’s initiative. The CD-ROM, which is conducted by Gustaf Sjökvist contains Swedish music in three pieces: God in disguise by Lars-Erik Larsson, with text by Hjalmar Gullberg, Concert piece for piano and orchestra by the Ludvig Norman, and Prayer to the Sun by Jan Sandström, with text by Karin Boye. Read more.
• In March Sandström starts composing a work for Eric Ericson Chamber Choir and Kroumata, Stockholm. Lyrics by Eva-Stina Byggmästar.
• March 19 the Flute Concerto is world premiered in Falun by Magnus Båge and Dalasinfoniettan under Bjarte Engeset. The second performance is held in Örebro April 29th by the Swedish Chamber Orchestra. Read review.
• In March Sandström completes Ecos de Eternidad, a double trombone concerto for Ricardo Casero and Christian Lindberg. The piece is commissioned by The Extremadura Orchestra of Spain. Mr. Lindberg will be both conducting and playing.
2008
• For Swedish music – With the times. At the request of H.M. The King, a concert of Swedish music is arranged to take place in the Hall of State on Tuesday 25 November. The concert includes God in disguise op. 24 by Lars-Erik Larsson, text by Hjalmar Gullberg, and H. M.’s birthday present cantata Prayer to the Sun for chorus, soloists and orchestra, by Jan Sandström, text by Karin Boye. The music is performed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Court Singers Hillevi Martinpelto and Karl-Magnus Fredriksson, opera singer Jeanette Köhn, and Gustaf Sjökvist’s Chamber Choir. Read more. • Nov. 1st Sandström’s Requiem, with lyrics by Christine Falkenland is world premiered at Hedvig Eleonora Church, Stockholm. Soloists are Karolina Blixt, mezzosopran and Michael Weinius, tenor. S:t Matteus Symphony Orchestra together with the choirs of Hedvig Eleonora and S:t Matteus are conducted by Sonny Jansson. The following day the piece has its second performance at S:t Matteus Church, Stockholm. • Oct. 18th Sandström’s Vid en strand, på en ö, i ett hav with lyrics by Kjell Peder Johanson, has its global premiere by the Erik Westberg Vocal Ensemble and accordeonist Timo Kinnunen at Studio Acusticum, Piteå.
• In August Sandström completes his Flute Concerto for Magnus Båge. The concerto is a commission by Dalasinfoniettan, joined by the Swedish Chamber Orchestra and the Symphony orchestra of NorrlandsOperan and will be world premiered in March 2009.
• In May Christian Lindberg records four of Sandström’s orchestral works for BIS during his his return visit conducting the Iceland Symphony Orchestra. The pieces are Indri, Era, Suite from A Manor Saga and Ocean Child.
2007
• On Christmas Eve Sandström’s widespread choir piece Es ist ein Ros entsprungen is broadcasedt live from Kings College Chapel in Cambridge, UK during the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols. The service, where The Kings College Choir sings carols old and new and leads the congregation in traditional Christmas hymns, for many people all over the world marks the beginning of Christmas. Director of Music was Stephen Cleobury.
• In December Sandström complets his Requiem, commissioned by The Church of Sweden Choral Association. The piece will be premiered on All Saint’s Day 2008. • In October recording company Swedish Society releases an album much longed-for; From Darkness to Light, written by Sandström 1991, The piece is composed around the poetic tribute by Folke Isaksson to Albertus Pictor’s magnificent altarpiece at the mediaeval church at Gammelstad. The poems, at the premiere read by the author Isaksson himself, are on this recording declaimed by Sven Wollter. Singer is the same as the premiere in 1992; Peter Mattei, as well as conductor and orchestra; Petter Sundkvist and the North Bothnia Chamber Orchestra. Well reputed music magazine OPUS writes that the CD is ” probably the most important and most personal CD of the decade” and ”in time will be found in every home”.
• 20-22 October the newly set version of the second trombone concerto Don Quixote, now for trombone and choir, has its world premiere. The piece, Coros del la Mancha, is dedicated to Christian Lindberg and the Erik Westberg Vocal Ensemble. Sundsvall Oct. 20, Luleå Oct. 21 and Piteå Oct. 22.
• Trondheim Symphony Orchestra’s commission for Ole Edward Antonsen, Sandström’s third trumpet concerto, has its global premiére October 11th in Trondheim under Eivind Aadland.
• Christian Lindberg plays Motorbike and L Mozart with a newly founded Spanish orchestra 3-6 October 2007. Lindberg and Sandström is invited to open this newly created, highly interesting The Extremadura Orchestra’s season. Lindberg brings his favourite combination to this orchestra: Leopold Mozart Concerto from 1756 followed by the Lindberg/Sandström mega hit A Motorbike Odyssey.
• Sandström’s cantata for Carl von Linné’s birthday is premiéred May 23 2007 in Aula Magna, Uppsala. The cantata, Cantus Adoratorum, commissioned by Uppsala University is performed by the Academy Chamber Choir of Uppsala and the Royal Academic Orchestra under Stefan Parkman.
• The 8th of May at Cologne Triennial Lindberg again gets standing ovations for A Motorbike Odyssey with the Cologne Philharmonic conducted by Markus Stenz. Christian Lindberg performs three performances of A Motorbike Odyssey. The audience are at its feet, and the critics are praising Lindberg.
• Motorbike fever exists in Budapest and in Cologne in beginning of May. The Motorbike Odyssey still continue its triumphal procession after 18 years. May 5th the piece is premiered in Budapest April 5th by Christian Lindberg and Hungarian S O under Andras Ligety. Standing ovations meet Mr. Lindberg’s performance. Lindberg and Sandström has yet another unlimited success with the 642nd performance of A Motorbike Odyssey. In Budapest Lindberg and Sandström also receives a special prize from the Scandinavian-Hungarian cultural office. After the concert, it took Mr Lindberg 45 minutes (this was his first concert in Hungary!) to shake the hands of all the fans waiting at the stage door. • Sandström’s new piece for Orphei Drängar, Vuojnha Biegga, is world premiéred in Uppsala, Sweden April 21st.
2006
• Sandström’s new opera, Good Night Madame! has its world premiére September 21th. The opera – about the Swedish national poet Carl Michael Bellman – a collaboration between Sandström and Kjell Peder Johanson was commissioned by the Piteå Chamber Opera. The tour through nine towns is very well received by critics and public. Watch slide show from photographer Anders Alm’s site. Sandström’s opera before this one K. Description of a Struggle at the Gothenburg Opera last fall was also well received.
• The new orchestra piece Tango de los Hönsens is world premiered September 22nd at the Usedomer Festival in Germany. The piece, commissioned by the festival, is performed by the Nordic Chamber Orchestra under the conductor Christian Lindberg. • Christian Lindberg is playing Sandström Motorbike Concerto at the Last Night of the Proms including live on TV BBC2. • Sandström was asked by the Royal Swedish Academy of Music to compose a birthday present cantata to H.M. The King’s 60th birthday concert takes place at the Hall of State the 30th of April 2006. The piece Prayer to the Sun, with lyrics by Karin Boye, is premiered by Anne Sofie von Otter, Karl-Magnus Fredriksson, The Gustaf Sjökvist Chamber Choir and The Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra under the conductor Gustaf Sjökvist. Read more. During the parlament supé Nov. 21 the piece is once again performed, now by Hillevi Martinpelto.
Jan Sandström - The composer 