Cecilia Damström Explained

Cecilia Damström (born 28 July 1988) is a Finnish award-winning composer. She is known for expressing strong political opinions through her works for orchestra and choir.^[1]

Career

Born in Helsinki, Damström studied composition at Tampere University of Applied Sciences (2008–2014) and at Malmö Academy of Music (2014–2015 and 2017–2018) under the instruction of Hannu Pohjannoro and Luca Francesconi.^{[2] [3]}

Damström's music has been performed by the Finnish National Opera and Ballet,^[4] Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra and the Brodsky Quartet, among others

Damström has won the first prize at the International Vocal Espoo Choral Composition Competition,^[5] the International Linköpings Studentsångare Composition Award^[6] and the International Josef Dorfman Composition Competition.^[7]

List of works

Orchestra

• Extinctions (2023), sinfoniaorkesterille, 20 min^{[8] [9] [10]}
• Wasteland (2022), symphony orchestra, 20 min
• ICE (2021), symphony orchestra, 10 min^[11]
• Fretus (2021), string orchestra, 10 min
• Nixus (2020), symphony orchestra, 10 min^[12]
• Lucrum (2018), symphony orchestra, 7 min^[13]
• Tundo! (2016/2018), symphony orchestra, 10 min^[14]
• Infirmus (2015), string orchestra, 7 min^[15]
• Unborn (2012–2014), symphony orchestra, 10 min
• Paradiso (2015), wind orchestra, 4 min

Opera

• Vickan & Väinö (2019), fairytale opera, 35 min^[16]
• Djurens planet (2018), school opera, 40 min^[17]
• Dumma kungen (2016), fairytale opera, 65 min^[18]

Chamber music

• Vibrations (2021), recorder flute, violin and organ, 17 min
• Cura (2020), violin and piano, 7 min
• Helene (2020), piano and wind quartet, 20 min^[19]
• Nisus (2019), string trio, 7 min
• Aino (2018), Pierrot ensemble, 23 min^[20]
• Letters (2018), string quartet, 15 min
• Minna (2017), piano quintet, 24 min^[21]
• Celestial Beings (2018), violin and viola, 13 min
• Groove (2015), flute and accordion, 7 min
• Via Crucis (2012–2014), string quartet, 20 min

Solo works

• Renewables (2022), accordion, 14 min
• Epitaph (2018), piano, 5 min
• Shapes (2016), accordion, 16 min
• Characters (2015) 11 miniatures for piano, 6 min
• Sydänlaulu (2014), violin, 6 min
• Under Stjärnhimmelen (2014) for piano/organ/guitar, 2:30 min
• Psychedelic (2012), piano, 11 min
• Loco (2010), alto violin, 5min
• Piano Delirium (2009), piano, 3min

Vocal music

• Framtidens skugga (2019–2020), mezzo soprano and piano, 18 min
• Öar i ett hav som strömmar (2018), soprano and piano, 15 min
• Tidens ordning (2017), bass baritone and piano, 8 min
• Ordet (2015–2016) for female and male voice, cla, 2 vln, vla, vlc, cb, 13 min
• Dagbok (2011) for soprano and orchestra or piano, 10 min
• Landet som icke är (2009), sop, bar, 2 vln, vla, vlc, cb, tr, perc, 7 min

Choral music

• Hav (2020), male choir, 15 min
• Requiem for our Earth (2019), female choir with electronics and video projection, 30 min^[22]
• Angor (2015), mixed choir, 6 min
• At Teasdale’s (2016), male choir, 5 min^[23]
• Credo (2012), mixed choir, 7min
• El jardín de las morenas (2014), children choir, 7min
• Han som du älskar finns inte mer (2009), mixed choir, 7min
• Min Gud (2010), mixed choir or female choir, 11 min^[24]

Awards

• Teosto Prize, Finland, 2022^[25]
• Free State of Bavaria: International Artist-in-Residence-Programme Villa Concordia in Bamberg 2021-2022 ^{[26] [27]}
• Children opera of the year 2018^[28]
• Rosenborg-Gehrmans Award for the young composer of the year 2018^{[29] [30]}
• International Vocal Espoo Choral Composition Competition 2016^[5]
• International Linköpings Studentsångare Composition Award 2016^[6]
• International Josef Dorfman Composition Competition 2015

Notes and References

1. News: Tiikkaja, Samuli . Säveltäjän tavoite: saada ajattelemaan . Helsingin Sanomat . 20 May 2022 . B 4 . Finnish .
2. Web site: Arkiverade kopian. https://web.archive.org/web/20160225024452/http://www.ceciliadamstrom.com/cecilia/Home.html. 2016-02-25. 2016-06-15.
3. Web site: ceciliadamstrom. 2021-03-24. SoundCloud. en.
4. Web site: Paul. March 15, 2019. Suomen ensimmäinen ruotsinkielinen koululaisooppera kertoo ihmisten, eläinten ja luonnon suhteesta. live. 2021-03-24. Amfion. fi. https://web.archive.org/web/20191216230138/http://www.amfion.fi/suomen-ensimmainen-ruotsinkielinen-koululaisooppera-kertoo-ihmisten-elainten-ja-luonnon-suhteesta/ . 2019-12-16 .
5. Web site: Arkiverade kopian. https://web.archive.org/web/20170422000741/http://vocalespoo.fi/event/kansainvalinen-kuorosavellyskilpailu/. 2017-04-22. 2016-06-15.
6. Web site: Arkiverade kopian. https://web.archive.org/web/20160810234804/http://lkss.se/2016/05/vinnaren-av-linkopings-studentsangare-composition-award-2016/. 2016-08-10. 2016-06-15.
7. Web site: Internationale Sommerakademie – Composition. 2021-03-24. ISAM.
8. Web site: Chloé Dufresne & Alexander Malofejev. yle.fi.
9. Web site: Teosto-palkitun säveltäjä Cecilia Damströmin uusi Extinctions-teos kantaesitetään loppuunmyydyssä Radion Sinfoniaorkesterin konsertissa tammikuun lopussa | Kulttuuritoimisto Palovaara & Ruusila Oy. www.sttinfo.fi.
10. Web site: Extinctions. Music. Finland. core.musicfinland.fi.
11. Web site: Nixus. Cecilia Damström. en-US.
    Web site: Nixus. Cecilia Damström. en-US.
12. Web site: Nixus. 2021-03-24. Cecilia Damström. en-US.
13. Web site: Lucrum. 2021-03-24. Cecilia Damström. en-US.
14. Web site: Tundo!. 2021-03-24. Cecilia Damström. en-US.
15. Web site: Infirmus. 2021-03-24. Cecilia Damström. en-US.
16. Web site: Vickan & Väinö Bilingual Children Opera. 2021-03-24. Cecilia Damström. en-US.
17. Web site: Djurens Planet – A School Opera. 2021-03-24. Cecilia Damström. en-US.
18. Web site: Dumma Kungen – A Fairytale Opera for Children. 2021-03-24. Cecilia Damström. en-US.
19. Web site: Helene – Piano Quintet Nr.3. 2021-03-24. Cecilia Damström. en-US.
20. Web site: Aino – Piano Quintet Nr. 2. 2021-03-24. Cecilia Damström. en-US.
21. Web site: Minna – Piano Quintet No. 1. 2021-03-24. Cecilia Damström. en-US.
22. Web site: Requiem for Our Earth. 2021-03-24. Cecilia Damström. en-US.
23. Web site: At Teasdale's. 2021-03-24. Bo Ejeby Förlag. sv-SE.
24. Web site: Min Gud. 2021-03-24. SoundCloud. en.
25. Forsbacka, Jonas: Cecilia Damström tilldelas Teostopriset för musikstycke om klimatkrisen. Hufvudstadsbladet 19.5.2022.
26. Web site: Arbeitsstipendien für 15 Künstlerinnen und Künstler im Internationalen Künstlerhaus Villa Concordia in Bamberg.
27. Web site: International Artist-in-Residence-Programme Villa Concordia, Bamberg.
28. Web site: Dumma Kungen och Höstsonaten fick pris på operabranschens Aino-gala. 2021-03-24. svenska.yle.fi. sv-FI.
29. Web site: admin. Tonsättarpris till Damström iMusiken. 2021-03-24. sv-SE.
30. Web site: 40 000 kronor – till tonsättaren Cecilia Damström / säveltäjälle Cecilia Damström. 2021-03-24. Mynewsdesk. en.