Stefan Solyom, conductor
Norrköping Symphony Orchestra

Recorded live October 12th 2017 at De Geer Hall, Norrköping, Sweden.

Polar Vortex or polar vortices cause dramatic weather events, such as 50 degrees below zero in the US a few years ago, volcanic or meteor outbursts, extreme heat, cold or storms. It is a tonal journey in three sets of weather conditions around the world and are not intended as program music, but that it is "music with inner images."

The first movement "Frozen City" is described as a city in total frostbite and a lot of snow around it where the sun shines brightly through the window. Now and then we hear the winds that pass by.

The second movement "Northern Lights" has an aurora-like shimmer of the orchestral part using harmonic loops in a meditative state. The heat rises, lava flows up over the landscape in the score it says clearly "like a lava activity" and all the ice begins to melt.

The third movement "Volcanic Eruption" (Finale) is a ritual dance with passion and pagan rites. One hears riffs from percussion that thunders on in the score "Like a pagan dance!". Some elements from previous movements show up, the whole thing spins further and leading to a disco-like finale with trumpets in the lead.

Polar Vortex Symphony

I am a pianist and composer in Maine; USA

My album "The Bleak Midwinter" was released October 2016. "A Distant Arcade" was released July 2022.

Thank you for listening!

Benjamin Staern (b. 1978) started his musical experience with studies in cello, piano and percussion in his youth. Studies in musicology at Lund University and subsequently studied composition at the Malmö Academy of Music during 1998-2005 with Rolf Martinsson, Hans Gefors and Luca Francesconi, and made an early breakthrough, while still a student at the Malmö Academy of Music, with the symphonic work The Threat of War (1999). 

From this point on, Staern has developed a deeply personal style with an output including orchestral and chamber works, solo pieces and electroacoustic music. An interesting aspect of his work as a composer is his unusual ability to associate tones and timbres with different colours and tints. This is a variant of a phenomenon called synaesthesia which is fundamental in his perception and the creation of his music, and which is reflected in his sound world as well as in many of his work titles (Yellow Skies, Colour Wandering etc.) 

Today Staern receives commissions on a regular basis. Looking into the near future, he is commissioned to write a major work for Malmö Symphony Orchestra and song cycle for alto Anna Larsson and Helsingborg Symphony Orchestra. From September 2010 he is composer-in-residence with New European Ensemble for them he composed works from this collaboration such as Tranströmersånger (selected poems from the Sad Gondola - collection by Nobel-prize author and poet Tomas Tranströmer) and Bells and Waves (Chamber Symphony), winner of the SMFF Award 2011 in the category ”most important work in chamber music/smaller ensemble”.

Works by Benjamin Staern is today performed not only by all the major Swedish orchestras but also internationally by orchestras such as the MDR Sinfonieorchester, Tokyo Symphony Orchestra, Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, Iceland Symphony Orchestra, Staatsorchester Rheinische Philharmonie and the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. Staern has collaborated with ensembles including New European Ensemble, Sonanza Chamber Ensemble, Ensemble Aspekte and Stockholm Chamber Brass. Soloists include Håkan Hardenberger, Anna Larsson, Johannes Möller, Karin Dornbusch, Carina Vinke, Gitta-Maria Sjöberg, Philippe Cassard and conductors Michael Christie, Daniel Raiskin, Christian Karlsen, Mats Rondin, Mika Eichenholz and Stefan Solyom.

I'm young composer from Russia and Saint-Petersburg/
I'm composing orchestral ambient, dream pop orchestral score/
My favourite composer are Russian Prokoviev, Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninov and French Faure,Saint-Saens and German Mahler,Wagner,Brahms/
From today's composers i prefer john williams, russell shaw, neal acree,glenn stafford,derek duke,russell brower,john goldsmith,james newton howard and misha mishenko/

When I write music, I try to go on a journey to feel emotions, whatever they may be.  To me, music is a celebration of life; for all the pain and suffering we may endure, it is a gift to be alive. 

I hope music can take you on journeys of your own to places where you may want to be.  Thank you for listening.

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If anyone is interested in performing any of my works, please let me know.  I have scores available for some pieces and would gladly create the score for other works.

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www.edvardegilsson.com

Eðvarð Egilsson is a composer hailing from Reykjavík, Iceland. He graduated with a B.A. degree in Classical Composition from the Iceland University of the Arts. His musical focus is a combination of classical and experimental electronic music, juxtaposing complex musical narratives with everything from soft-forming musical waves to hard knocking beats. 

Eðvarð has scored a number of feature films, most recently “Quake” in collaboration with renowned composer Páll Ragnar Pálsson, selected for Toronto Film Festival and is currently working on a documentary, “Smoke Sauna Sisterhood” with support from Sundance Institute Documentary Fund. Eðvarð’s background in television includes collaboration with celebrated choreographer Sonya Tayeh for “So You Think You Can Dance” and “Líf Kviknar”, winner of the Edda Awards.

Eðvarð is also a founding member of the music group Steed Lord, in which he was the music producer. Formed in 2006, Edvard and Steed Lord have performed all over the world, sharing the stage with many well-known artists.

Eðvarð is driven by his passion for music production and composition. With his electronic influence deeply rooted in synthesizers and sound manipulation, Eðvarð is able to create complex musical narratives that are rife with emotion by using a variety of rhythmic cadences – from soft-forming musical waves to hard-knocking beats. Through his clear and unfettered vision, Eðvarð produces precise musical scores that are progressive, relevant, and exceptional.

I am a composer that is classically trained with broad interest and experience in world musics. MM New England Conservatory '86, BM University of Massachusetts at Amherst '76.

My compositions have won awards from the Massachusetts Cultural Council, New England Reed Trio International Chamber Music Composition Competition, a Bryant Fellowship from Harvard University, and a certificate from the 21st Century Music Project Competition of the the International Center for Japanese Culture in Yokohama, Japan. My works have been performed across the United States, Europe and Japan.

As a composer, I am interested in considering commissions and collaborations. Performing scores and parts are available to all my works here on SoundCloud through Universal Edition, J. W. Pepper Music, Frank Warren Music Service, or by contacting me.

I hope you enjoy listening here.

Minimal/contemporary improvising, playing piano and sax, electronics. Combining acoustic and electronic approaches. Working with poetry, theatre, soundtracks.

Hi, 

I am Ray Charles a Dutch composer and hope you enjoy my music.


Thanks for listening and support on my music.

*** Be strong, focussed and creative and make music from your heart **

Cheers
Ray

Polar Vortex Symphony

Benjamin Staern Composer