FROM-SWEDEN: Roger Gifford, The Chairman´s introduction
"The primary aim of From-Sweden 2004/05 was to bring Swedish classical music to an inquisitive but culturally ‘’already-occupied’’ UK public and to explore the musical common ground that lies between Britain and Sweden.
Swedish music is not as well represented in London as we would like it to be! A country that leads the world in so many areas of business and culture – literature, theatre, film and all sorts of modern music – what happened to its classical repertoire? That’s what From Sweden is all about. Roman, Alfven, Larsson, Berwald, Rangström, Pettersson and Stenhammar … the list is long and it´s good!”
The Inspiration for From-Sweden: Mats Lidström, Artistic Director
“The inspiration for From-Sweden was the 350th anniversary of a treaty between Sweden and England-but the project itself is all about sowing seeds of future artistic relations between the two countries. New commissions, meetings between musicians from both nations, brought together in the hope that sparks might fly and creative relationship flourish. Education projects and experimental events – we try it all out to see if some will take root. From Sweden is also about discovery. Much of this music will not have been heard before in London – and it all deserves its place. We invite you to join us to discover it too.”
Facts From-Sweden
From Sweden was born out of two friends´ passion (Roger Gifford, chairman and Mats Lidström, artistic director) for the music of Sweden and Britain, and was supported by Svenska Institutet and Rikskonserter. Originally the plan was to arrange 12 concerts of classical music in top London venues. In the event, From Sweden offered (in the Autumn/Winter 2004/05):
34 concerts in top London venues, of music ranging from folk, traditional, jazz, orchestral, chamber and choral music, music theatre, organ recitals, nyckelharpa…in short, a programme stretching over four centuries right up to the present.
2 new commissions
UK premieres for most of the Swedish talent was heard
London debut for many Swedish musicians
Education projects including Christian Lindberg, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Mark Anthony Turnage, Wigmore Hall
Broadcast of 6 concerts on BBC Radio 3
Over 50 broadcast interviews and features on national radio
A composers´ collegium bringing together 10 composers, publishers, promoters, BBC, agents, internet managers
Website www.from-sweden.com featuring promotional material on the project, composers, musicians, links, specially commissioned articles and programme notes, photographs and more. In short an impressive resource for Swedish music, which was visited long after the project ended by people looking for information on Sweden´s music.
FROM SWEDEN PRODUCTIONS
In 2007, Swedish opera- and theatre producer Sofie Haag moved to London where she two years later founded From Sweden Productions, an independent international production company and artist management with the aim to support and promote Swedish performing arts abroad.
From Sweden Productions is happy to announce that From-Sweden has returned - this year in the form of a Swedish/British Christmas Concert at Wigmore Hall: Christmas From Sweden
For press queries and more information please contact us on: 079 7210 4125
