Alexander Lüken from Germany wins prestigious Eric Ericson Award

At the final concert of the Eric Ericson Award competition in the Swedish Radio Concert Hall Berwaldhallen in Stockholm, the German conductor Alexander Lüken was elected winner of the competition, by an international jury. The prize consists of engagements with ten European radio choirs and a prize sum of 100 000 Swedish kronor (10.000 Euros) awaits the winner.

Alexander Lüken, winner of the Eric Ericson Award 2024. Here with the two other finalists Heide Müller (Germany) and Marcel Ortega i Martí (Spain). Photo: Arne Hyckenberg

The Jury’s citation reads: “From all the talent we have seen this week, one conductor has emerged who has especially impressed the jury with their consistent artistry and their ability to inspire the singers in front of them. With deep and well-grounded musical understanding and knowledge, our winner is a bridge between the choir, the music, and the audience. Carrying the sound in their hands, we experienced someone who was excellently prepared and demonstrated great artistic courage, and who established a sense of mutual trust with the singers.”

Finalists of the Eric Ericson Award 2024 were also Heide Müller (Germany) and Marcel Ortega i Martí (Spain). The jury consisted of the choir conductors Justin Doyle, Erik Westberg, Friederike Woebcken, the earlier winners Krista Audere and Martina Batič, the chief conductor of the Swedish Radio Choir, Kaspars Putniņš and Sofia Niklasson, member of the Swedish Radio Choir.

The final concert is available to rewatch on Berwaldhallen Play, berwaldhallen.se/play.

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Alexander Lüken, born in Germany, earned a bachelor’s degree in music in 2016 from Hochschule für Musik und Tanz Köln and later pursued a master’s degree in conducting from Hochschule für Musik Franz Liszt Weimar. He frequently works with ensembles like ChorWerk Ruhr, the Wuppertal Symphony Orchestra and the Cologne Radio Choir, where he is assistant conductor.

The Eric Ericson Award is an international competition for young choir conductors, organized by Sveriges Radio, The Royal Swedish Academy of Music with support from Märta Christina och Magnus Vahlquists Stiftelse, The Barbro Osher Pro Suecia Foundation, Rosenborg Gehrmans Stiftelse and the European Radio and TV union (EBU). The total prize money amounts to SEK 150,000 and the winner will also have the opportunity to work with 10 prominent radio choirs within the EBU in upcoming concert seasons. Altogether, this makes the Eric Ericson Award the most prestigious competition for choir conductors in the world.

Eric Ericson served as chief conductor of the Swedish Radio Choir for more than 30 years, from 1951 to 1982, making incalculable contributions to choral singing and choral music in Sweden and around the world. By performing works by contemporary composers in his lifetime, many written specifically for him and the Swedish Radio Choir, he opened up an entirely new dimension to how a choir can sound and be led. Throughout those years, he also taught choral conducting atc the Royal College of Music in Stockholm, where he nurtured several generations of young conductors.

For more information, please contact

Karl Thorson
Press- & PR-ansvarig / Press & PR Manager
Berwaldhallen | Sveriges Radios Symfoniorkester | Radiokören
karl.thorson@sverigesradio.se
08-784 18 30 | 070-431 18 93

Sveriges Radios konserthus Berwaldhallen
SE-105 10 Stockholm, Sweden
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berwaldhallen.se