The Nordic-Baltic Concert Season 2009-2010

The Nordic-Baltic Concert Season 2009-2010 is prepared in collaboration by eight countries – Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Norway, Iceland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia – the well-established series of joint radio concerts is entering its 15th year this autumn.

The aim of the Nordic-Baltic Concert Season is to introduce the contemporary music and musicians of the participating countries to a wider audience at home and abroad, via the medium of radio.
The program for the forthcoming season comprises beloved classics, such as Sibelius and Nielsen, and renowned masters of the present age – Arvo Pärt and Osvaldas Balakauskas – as well as new works by younger composers: Lene Grenager (Norway), Anders Hillborg (Sweden), Haukur Tomasson (Iceland) and Veli-Matti Puumala (Finland). As regards the performers, several up-and-coming young stars – the Art Vio String Quartet from Lithuania, Latvian pianist Vestard Shimkus, e.g. – appear alongside well-known artists. Joshua Weilerstein, the 2009 winner of the prestigious Malko Competition, conducts the concert performed in, and broadcast from, Denmark on 1 October

The Nordic-Baltic Cooperation includes also a separate series of summer concerts, the annual meetings of music program directors and the workshops for radio presenters.
The musical collaboration of the Nordic and Baltic countries was initiated in the early 1990s by Antero Karttunen (Finland), Steen Frederiksen (Denmark) and the long-time Coordinator of the Nordic-Baltic Cooperation, Sven Ake Landström (Sweden). Since 2009, the Nordic-Baltic Cooperation is coordinated by Tiia Teder (Estonia).

Hans Peter Larsen R.I.P. (1946 – 2009)

It is with great sadness that the Nordic-Baltic Cooperation has received the message that Hans Peter Larsen, Commissioning Editor of Music with the Danish Broadcasting Company, passed away on Saturday, 4 July 2009, at the age of 62.

Hans Peter Larsen started working for the Danish Broadcasting Company (Danmarks Radio, DR) as a freelance presenter in 1978. In 1983 he was permanently employed in DR’s Music Department. Since 1999 he was in charge of the classical music programme of DR. He was appointed Commissioning Editor of Music in 2002.
Hans Peter was respected as a knowledgeable and inquiring professional, loved and admired as a kind and caring colleague, appreciated as a passionate connoisseur of music.
It was Hans Peter’s firm belief that music gained a great deal of its universal power from diversity – which made him speak up for and actively support a number of most different styles and genres, be it Gregorian Chant or jazz, folk or World Music, or modern composition. Not forgetting, by any means, the classical music of Nordic and Baltic countries – the sounds especially close to Hans Peter’s heart.
He had much faith in the cooperation and music exchange between the Nordic and Baltic states, to the furthering of which he made a significant contribution over the decades. For his unfailing dedication, we are extremely grateful.
Hans Peter Larsen’s unexpected demise came all too early. He will be remembered as a generous man, a witty and poetic soul, a devoted music lover, a very good and loyal friend.

He will be greatly missed.

Jakob Marstrand, DR