Karin Rehnqvist

Sweden, b. 1957 in Stockholm.

Music teacher in 1980. Composition at Royal College of Music in Stockholm.

Significant early work: Davids nimm (1983), presented 85.

Karin Rehnqvist’s music shows a cross-fertilization between art music and folk music. The archaic song technique “kulning”, used by herding girls, can be heard in Puksånger – lockrop (Timpanum Songs – Herding Calls, 1989), and Solsången (Sun Song, 1994).

Rehnqvist often thinks in vocal terms and her music is characterised by a kind of motivic and rhythmic “breathing”, even in instrumental works, e.g. Kast (Sudden Changes, 1986-87) and, Lamento – Rytmen av en röst (Lamento –Vibrations of a voice, 1993).

Between 1976 and 1991 she was the leader of a choir. This has coloured works like Vishetens lov (In Praise of Wisdom, 1996) and Anrop–Inrop–Utrop (Cries and Calls, 1997).

1999-2003 she was composer in residence with Scottish Chamber Orchestra and Svenska Kammarorkestern. For them she composed Arktis Arktis!, inspired by a polar expedition. Ljus av ljus (Light of Light), for children’s choir and symphony orchestra, was presented 2004.

In 1996 Rehnqvist received the Läkerol Arts Award and the Spelmannen prize, in 1997 the Christ Johnson Prize for Solsången, in 2001 the Kurt Atterberg Prize and in 2003 Litteris et artibus.

karin.rehnqvist@telia.com

http://www.karin-rehnqvist.se