“Bára Gísladóttir is both a performing double bassist and a composer, and it is for her work as a composer that she receives the award. She is an exciting, uncompromising and very talented composer who attracts attention both in Denmark and internationally with her dark, detailed and Nordic universe,” the committee writes about its motivation to award Bára Gísladóttir the prize.
The prize consists of a travel grant of 50,000 kroner and a concert as a soloist with Copenhagen Phil. In Bára Gísladóttir's case, she is both soloist and composer when she goes on stage for the award concert with a new orchestral work, Hringla, written for Copenhagen Phil.
The composer tells about the work: "Hringla is a piece for orchestra, an amplified solo double bass and live electronics. The word “hringla” can mean rattle (both noun and verb), but is also often used when implying a certain indecision of the constant changes of something. Soundwise, the word often refers to the rattling sound of metal objects. All of these interpretations serve as the main elements of the piece."
The works of Bára Gísladóttir are characterised by a deep and self-reflective calm, at times producing an almost meditative state in the music.
A trained double bassist herself, Gísladóttir has performed many of her own works onstage. Thanks to its long strings the double bass produces a wide spectrum of overtones, making it a natural focus in several of Gísladóttir’s compositions.
The award concert will be held on February 26, 2022. Find more information about the concert here >> The work is also performed February 25 in Copenhagen. Find more information here >>
Gladsaxe Music Prize was founded in 1966. Previous recipients of the award include, among others, Gunvor Sihm (2018) Lise Davidsen (2016) Jakob Kullberg (2011) and Andreas Brantelid (2007). Find more information about Gladsaxe Music Prize here >>