Summary in English
The Erik Westberg Vocal Ensemble
The Erik Westberg Vocal Ensemble was formed in 1993 and consists of 16 singers. The members of the ensemble work as soloists, church musicians and music teachers and come from Sweden and Finland. The Ensemble has comissioned and performed for the first time about 30 works by among others Gunnar Eriksson, Anders Nilsson, Jan Sandström, Sven-David Sandström and Arvo Pärt.
About 15 tours to Europe, Asia, South America and the USA have been made. The Vocal Ensemble was engaged in the project “Choral Singing for Peace and Justice” with a tour to Tonga and Samoa at the turn of the millennium. With the support of Rikskonserter [‘the Swedish National Concert Institute’] the choir participated as the Swedish representation choir in the Nordic-Baltic Choir Festival in 2002, in Klaipéda, Lithuania. In 2005 the Ensemble made a tour to the International Choir Festival in Toronto, Canada and a tour to south-east Europe with Norrbotten Big Band.
In 1996 the Ensemble’s first CD “Musica Sacra” was released by the record company Opus 3. The second CD “Across the Bridge of Hope” was released in 2002 and “A Star is Shining” in 2004. Together with the University College of Music’s Chamber Choir the Ensemble has recorded all a cappella works by Wilhelm Peterson-Berger that have been released by the record company NAXOS. In addition three CDs by the Ensemble, Pater Cælsis – Terra Mater – Vox Humana, have been released by the trademark Studio Acusticum. The record was received with very good reviews.
Erik Westberg
Erik Westberg was born in 1956 in Stockholm. He studied choral conducting for Professor Eric Ericson at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm. Between 1976 and 1987 he studied music teaching, choir pedagogy, ensemble leadership and conducting there.
Erik Westberg has been the leader of among others the YMCA choir in Stockholm and the Oslo Philharmonic Choir. He has also been guest conductor of the Swedish Radio Choir. Internationally Erik Westberg has been engaged as guest conductor for Pro Coro Canada, Coro Nacional de España and Coro Sinfônica do Estado de São Paulo, Brazil. He has also been “Artist-In-Residence” at Wollongong University, Australia. He was the founder of the project Choral Singing for Peace and Justice. During the millennium celebrations 8,000 choristers in 56 countries were involved in this project, which was seen and heard by the world’s greatest television audience ever.
As the first choral conductor Erik Westberg received the Conductor Award of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music in 1992. He received the Johannes Norrby Medal in 1993 and the Culture Prize of the Year from the newspaper Norrländska Socialdemokraten in 1997. He was chosen as the Choral Conductor of the Year by KÖRSAM [‘the Federation of Swedish Choir Associations’] in 1999 and received the Culture Prize of the Year from the Municipality of Piteå in 2002. In 2006 Erik Westberg was presented with His Majesty the King’s Medal of the Eighth Size in the ribbon of the Order of the Seraphim “For important efforts in Swedish Musical Life”. He received the STINT [‘the Swedish Foundation for International Cooperation in Research and Higher Education’] award “Excellence in Teaching” and worked at Wesleyan University, Connecticut, USA, in the autumn of 2009. Since 2008 he is a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music.
Since 2003 Erik Westberg has been Professor of Choral Conducting and Choral Singing at the Luleå University, College of Music in Piteå.
REVIEWS CD: Pater Cælsis – Terra Mater – Vox Humana
The Erik Westberg Vocal Ensemble have splashed out on a triple CD, released in collaboration with the new Studio Acusticum in Piteå. Erik Westberg has for a longtime been one of Sweden's foremost choral conductors, and what he and the vocal ensemble here present is on a high level, even internationally.
For those who have the slightest interest in choral music this is a must have.
SYDSVENSKAN Nov 2010
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An album with three well-filled CDs consisting of relatively newly composed choral music – does it sound like a challenge? Yes, but oh, what dividends! Erik Westberg and his well-rehearsed vocal ensemble is simply the best in the world. Absolutely superb, and their choice of music is a masterpiece. This is masterful, the CDs haven't a single weak point, only the highest quality.
HiFi & Musik March 2011
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It is a pleasure to hear good Swedish choirs perform music in a clear way free from vibrato . It is therefore wonderful to hear the Erik Westberg Vocal Ensemble, keeping their vocals up to such a high standard that they can spread it around the world. This is a really good choir with many talented singers. The sound is sharp, it is crystal clear and the singing is pitch perfect. The interpretations are elaborate.
If you have the slightest interest in choirs, this CD is a must have in your collection.
OPUS Apr/May 2011