Pernille Louise Sejlund

Pernille Louise Sejlund

(1979-)

Widely recognised for her engaging and highly imaginative compositional voice, Pernille Louise Sejlund continues to push musical boundaries while staying playful, open and versatile. 

Pernille Louise Sejlund uses the term ‘avantgarde light’ as well as minimalism to describe her creative output which embraces works for concert hall, film, theatre and dance, as well as music written for herself as a performer. She welcomes a collaborative and accessible approach to music-making that challenges traditional paradigms of composer/performer relationships and audience interaction.

Her works encompass a sense of presence and intimacy, often with meditative elements, and evoke vivid imagery of an almost cinematic nature, whether that is weightless soap bubbles floating in space (Bubbles, 2010), a slumbering whale murmuring at the bottom of the ocean (Moby Dick, 2007) or the dark silence of Earth’s core (Calling Earth, 2016).

Concerned by the realities of global warming, Sejlund has created bold musical responses to climate change since the 2009 UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, including her current climate lecture concert series ‘Time for Reflection’ with climate expert Jesper Theilgaard. As a singer, she performs regularly with pianist and composer Rune Thorsteinsson.

Recent commissioners include Copenhagen Phil, Athelas Sinfonietta Copenhagen, Danish Chamber Players, FIGURA Ensemble, Ensemble Nordlys, Messiaen Quartet Copenhagen, Michala Petri, The Danish National Girls’ Choir and Danish Piano Duo/Tanja Zapolski and Rikke Sandberg.

Pernille Louise Sejlund studied composition at The Royal Danish Academy of Music with teachers including Bent Sørensen, Niels Rosing-Schow and Juliana Hodkinson, as well as Karsten Fundal, Hans Abrahamsen and Hans Peter Stubbe Teglbjærg. She has received numerous grants, awards and residencies for her work as a composer since the beginning of her career, including the Léonie Sonning Talent Prize in 2014 and The Carl Prize in 2010, and her compositions have been selected for UNM in Norway, Sweden, Finland and Denmark between 2008 and 2011.

Download press photo by Daniel Carlsson.

Available Works

  1. ...og hvad man drømte om...

    2019 • Pernille Louise Sejlund

    Solo

    11:30 minutes

    Solo cello, live and pre-recorded electronics

  2. Moby Dick - The Great White Whale

    2006 • Pernille Louise Sejlund

    2-6 Instruments

    7 minutes

    Two accordions

  3. Bubbles

    2010 • Pernille Louise Sejlund

    Orchestra

    8 minutes

    3(pic).3(eh).3(bcl).3(cb)/4.2.2.1/timp.2perc./hrp/12.10.8.6.5




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News

  1. Edition·S at KLANG 2023

    general

    Edition·S at KLANG 2023

  2. Danish premiere of Pernille Louise Sejlund’s Stringing the Beads

    general

    Danish premiere of Pernille Louise Sejlund’s Stringing the Beads

  3. Pernille Louise Sejlund World Premieres

    general

    Pernille Louise Sejlund World Premieres

  1. Pernille Louise Sejlund composer-in-residence

    general

    Pernille Louise Sejlund composer-in-residence

  2. Work Grants from the Danish Arts Foundation

    general

    Work Grants from the Danish Arts Foundation

  3. Significant work grants for Edition·S composers

    nominations / awards

    Significant work grants for Edition·S composers

  4. Edition·S will publish works by Pernille Louise Sejlund

    general

    Edition·S will publish works by Pernille Louise Sejlund

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Calendar

  1. September 2021
  2. 22

    September

    Pernille Louise Sejlund: Bubbles

    time19:30

    location Symfonisk Sal, Musikhuset Aarhus, Denmark

    performed by Aarhus Symfoniorkester conducted by Nathanaël Iselin

  1. June 2022
  2. 3

    June

    Pernille Louise Sejlund: Moby Dick

    time19:00

    location Bergen Festspillene, Bergen, Norway

    performed by Bjarke Mogensen

  1. August 2022
  2. 19

    August

    Pernille Louise Sejlund: ...og hvad man drømte om...

    time21:00

    location Svanekegaarden, Svaneke, Denmark

    performed by Toke Møldrup