PRESSRELEASE the Laureates of the Polar Music Prize 2013 Are
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PRESSRELEASE The Laureates of the Polar Music Prize 2013 are: YOUSSOU N’DOUR & KAIJA SAARIAHO Youssou N’Dour Citation: The Polar Music Prize 2013 is awarded to Youssou N’Dour from Senegal. A West African griot is not just a singer, but a storyteller, poet, singer of praise, entertainer and verbal historian. Youssou N’Dour is maintaining the griot tradition and has shown that it can also be changed into a narrative about the entire world. With his exceptionally exuberant band Super Étoile de Dakar (Dakar star) and his musically ground breaking and political solo albums, Youssou N’Dour has worked to reduce animosities between his own religion, Islam, and other religions. His voice encompasses an entire continent's history and future, blood and love, dreams and power. Kaija Saariaho Citation: The Polar Music Prize 2013 is awarded to Kaija Saariaho from Finland. After studying at IRCAM in Paris, an institution for research and study of electro-acoustic music, Kaija Saariaho has developed into a unique composer, a metal worker's daughter who re- examines what music can be. When she was growing up, the music that inspired her came not from the radio but from the pillow; that was where she found the music she dreamt of. Kaija Saariaho combines acoustic instruments with electronics and computers. She has written chamber music, orchestral works and operas. Kaija Saariaho is a modern maestro who opens up our ears and causes their anvils and stirrups to fall in love. On Tuesday 27th of August the Laureates will receive the prize from His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden at a gala ceremony at the Stockholm Concert Hall to be followed by a celebratory banquet at Grand Hôtel. The ceremony will be broadcast live on national television (TV4). Later in the evening, a summary of the ceremony and the banquet will be broadcast. Each recipient receives a total amount of one million SEK. PO Box 55777, SE-114 83 Stockholm, Sweden. Phone: +468 629 53 00. Fax: +468 662 50 00. [email protected] | www.polarmusicprize.org The Polar Music Prize was founded in 1989 by the late Stig ”Stikkan” Anderson, a true legend in the history of Swedish popular music. Stig Anderson was the publisher, lyricist and manager of ABBA, and he played a key role in their enormous success. The name of the prize stems from Anderson’s legendary record label, Polar Music. The Polar Music Prize is an international music prize, which is awarded to individuals, groups or institutions in recognition of exceptional achievements in the creation and advancement of music. The Polar Music Prize awards two Laureates in order to celebrate music in all its various forms and to emphasize the original intention of the Polar Music Prize: To break down musical boundaries by bringing together people from all the different worlds of music. The board of the Polar Music Prize Foundation consists of representatives from the Stig Anderson family, SKAP (The Swedish Society of Popular Music Composers) and STIM (The Swedish Performing Rights Society). The task of scrutinizing nominations submitted and selecting the ultimate Laureates is empowered The Polar Music Award Committee comprising of internationally renowned artists and musicians as well as other key figures in the Swedish music industry. An announcement video together with publicity photos and this press release are available for downloading on our web site, www.polarmusicprize.org When tweeting about the Polar Music Prize, please use the official #polarmusicprize PO Box 55777, SE-114 83 Stockholm, Sweden. Phone: +468 629 53 00. Fax: +468 662 50 00. [email protected] | www.polarmusicprize.org PREVIOUS LAUREATES 2012 Yo-Yo Ma and Paul Simon 2011 Kronos Quartet and Patti Smith 2010 Ennio Morricone and Björk 2009 José Antonio Abreu & El Sistema and Peter Gabriel 2008 Renée Fleming and Pink Floyd 2007 Steve Reich and Sonny Rollins 2006 Valery Gergiev and Led Zeppelin 2005 Gilberto Gil and Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau 2004 B.B. King and György Ligeti 2003 Keith Jarrett 2002 Sofia Gubaidulina and Miriam Makeba 2001 Burt Bacharach, Robert Moog and Karlheinz Stockhausen 2000 Bob Dylan and Isaac Stern 1999 Stevie Wonder and Iannis Xenakis 1998 Ray Charles and Ravi Shankar 1997 Eric Ericson and Bruce Springsteen 1996 Pierre Boulez and Joni Mitchell 1995 Sir Elton John and Mstislav Rostropovich 1994 Nikolaus Harnoncourt and Quincy Jones 1993 Dizzy Gillespie and Witold Lutoslawski 1992 Sir Paul McCartney and The Baltic States PO Box 55777, SE-114 83 Stockholm, Sweden. Phone: +468 629 53 00. Fax: +468 662 50 00. [email protected] | www.polarmusicprize.org .