Jesper Nordin
His music, with traces of Swedish folk, rock and improvised music, is performed and broadcast worldwide. Jesper Nordin is also active as a researcher and software developer, and founder of Reactional Music.
Born
6 July 1971, Stockholm
Studied
Royal College of Music, Stockholm, with Pär Lindgren, Bent Sørensen and William Brunson
IRCAM, Paris, with Philippe Leroux
Visiting Scholar, Stanford University / CCRMA, with Brian Ferneyhough
Position
Composer in Residence, P2 Sveriges Radio (2004-2006)
Founder, Gestrument (2007) & Reactional Music (from 2020)
Published
Edition Peters (since 2008)
Jesper Nordin’s music is starting to make a mark on the international music scene with its characteristic sound world and powerful emotional impact. Carrying traces of traditional Swedish folk music, rock music and improvised music, it is performed and broadcast throughout the world.
He studied at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm with Pär Lindgren, Bent Sørensen and William Brunson, then at IRCAM in Paris with Philippe Leroux, and was later invited as a Visiting Scholar to Stanford University for studies with Brian Ferneyhough and research at the CCRMA Studio. From 2004 to 2006 he was Composer in Residence at P2, Swedish Radio’s serious music channel. His work at electroacoustic studios around the world has since made electronics a major part of his musical language, both as a composer and as a performer.
He has received commissions from major ensembles and institutions across Europe, including IRCAM, the French Ministry of Culture, the Mairie de Paris, and several arts councils and radio stations in Europe and North America. His music has been played at numerous ISCM festivals as well as ManiFeste, the Wittener Tage für Neue Kammermusik, Musiques en Scène, Ultima, the Tokyo Summer Music Festival, Montréal New Music and Archipel, among others.
Selected Works
Orchestral
Silhouettes and Shadows 2024
for saxophone, visual soloist and orchestra – Valentine Michaud & Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, cond. Daniel Harding; Swedish Publishers’ Orchestra Prize
Convergence 2023
for violin and orchestra – Pekka Kuusisto & San Francisco Symphony, cond. Esa-Pekka Salonen
Ärr 2014
for Royal Stockholm Philharmonic & Baldur Brönnimann – First Prize, Brandenburg Biennale 2016
Åkallan 2013
for Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra & Kent Nagano
Emerging From Currents and Waves 2018
for Martin Fröst, Esa-Pekka Salonen & Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra
Vicinities 2011
for bassoon and orchestra – Frederik Ekdahl & Swedish Radio Orchestra, cond. Daniel Harding
Ensemble
Sculpting the Air (Gestural Exformation) 2012
for solo conductor, ensemble & live electronics – commissioned by IRCAM for TM+; later performed by Ensemble Intercontemporain
Visual Exformation 2016
for string quartet, electronics & interactive light sculpture – commissioned by Grame for Quatuor Diotima
Pendants 2009
for Ensemble l’Itinéraire
Electroacoustic
calm like a bomb 2000
for violin and electronics – still widely performed internationally
Reactional Music
Alongside composing, Nordin works as a researcher and software developer. He founded Gestrument, an app based on his own musical technique, which grew into Reactional Music, a company bridging video games and music industries. The technology has been used in commercially released video games, as well as by conductors and musicians performing on virtual orchestras in real time.
Performed by
selected orchestras
San Francisco Symphony | Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France | Philharmonia Orchestra | Frankfurt Radio Symphony | BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra | Basel Symphony Orchestra | Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra | Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra | St Paul Chamber Orchestra | Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra | Royal Stockholm Philharmonic
Conductors & soloists
Esa-Pekka Salonen / Kent Nagano / Daniel Harding / François-Xavier Roth / Martin Fröst / Pekka Kuusisto / Malin Broman
Career & recognition
Prix Ton Bruynèl — for calm like a bomb – 2001
PRIZE
Recommendation, UNESCO Rostrum International Radio Competition – 2005
RECOGNITION
Grand Christ Johnson Prize, Royal Swedish Academy of Music — Sweden’s most prestigious composition prize – 2010
PRIZE
Saltö Foundation Award — for Pendants – 2014
PRIZE
Carin Malmlöf-Forssling Prize, Royal Swedish Academy of Music – 2020
PRIZE
Swedish Publishers’ Orchestra Prize — for Silhouettes and Shadows – 2024
PRIZE