These are the finalists for the Eric Ericson Award – the world's premier choir conductor competition

Out of more than 90 applicants, eight young conductors have progressed to the prestigious Eric Ericson Award competition, which takes place at Berwaldhallen, Swedish Radio's concert hall, in October. After one month of work, the Selection Committee has selected an international starting field with participants from Germany, Latvia, England, France and Russia.
 

- It’s wonderful to see such a big interest, so many wanting to participate in the Eric Ericson Award. The Selection Committee has now chosen eight finalists for the competition. As you will see, there is a strong international flavour in the group of eight. We are proud that the competition, after a long hiatus, maintains its position with more than 90 applicants from 31 countries. Conductor Eric Ericson dedicated much of his life to helping young people develop their music. With this competition, his legacy lives on, says Staffan Becker, General Manager at Berwaldhallen.

Semi-finals and finals will take place at Sveriges Radio's Berwaldhallen concert hall on 21-24 October.
The finalists for the Eric Ericson Award 2021 are:

Krista Audere, Latvia
Krista Audere is a Latvian choir conductor based in Amsterdam. She is regularly engaged as a rehearsal director and conductor at Cappella Amsterdam, Nederlands Kamerkoor and the Netherland’s Radio Choir. In addition to studies at the Conservatory in Riga, Krista Audere has studied choral conducting in Amsterdam and Stuttgart. As a singer, she has collaborated with the Latvian Radio Choir and Cappella Amsterdam.

Julia Selina Blank, Germany
Julia Selina Blank is a German choir conductor based in Oslo, Norway. She is regularly engaged as a guest conductor with the Slovenian Philharmonic Choir and the Bergen Cathedral Choir in Norway, as well as visiting choir master of the Norwegian Soloist Choir, Bavarian Radio's Choir, MDR in Leipzig and the Radio Choir in Stockholm. Julia Selina Blank has studied choir conducting in Munich, Stockholm and Oslo.

Harry Bradford, UK
Harry Bradford is a British choir conductor based in London. He is the co-founder and director of the professional vocal ensemble Recordare. He has visited, for example, Le Choeur de L'Orchestre de Paris and the Royal Academy of Music Chamber Choir. He heads the Thames Philharmonic Choir, the North Herts Guild of Singers and the Stanmore Choral Society. Harry Bradford has studied at the Royal Academy of Music in London.

Jurgis Cabulis, Latvia
Jurgis Cabulis is a Latvian choir conductor based in Riga. He leads the choir conductor training, is the conductor of the chamber choir at Riga Cathedral School and is also assistant conductor of Riga's professional chamber choir Ave Sol. He has founded and is the artistic director of Carnikava's mixed choir Vēja balss. He regularly collaborates with Latvian professional choirs, as well as the National Forum of Music in Wroclaw. Jurgis Cabulis has studied choral conducting at the Latvian Academy of Music.

Guillemette Daboval, France
Guillemette Daboval is a French choir conductor based in Lyon. She regularly works with professional as well as amateur choirs and vocal ensembles. In 2017, she started the vocal ensemble Ensemble Esquisses. Guillemette Duboval has studied choral conducting at the National Conservatory of Music and Dance in Lyon. She also holds a degree in music science and music therapy from the University of Montpellier.

Pierre-Louis de Laporte, France
Pierre-Louis de Laporte is a French choir conductor based in Lyon. Since 2017, he has been assistant conductor of the National Youth Choir and the French Radio Choir. He regularly leads the Baroque Ensemble Concert Spirituel. Pierre-Louis de Laporte studied at the National Conservatory of Music and Dance in Lyon.

Daniil Lashin, Russia
Daniil Lashin is a Russian choir conductor and singer based in St. Petersburg. He is the conductor of the mixed choir at the Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatory, choirmaster of the youth choir Lyra and a member of several professional choirs in St. Petersburg. Daniil Lashin studied at the Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatory in St. Petersburg.

Johanna Soller, Germany
Johanna Soller is a German choir conductor and church musician based in Munich. She has been a guest conductor of MDR Radio Choir Leipzig, Nederlandse Bach Vereniging and the Bach Choir in Munich. She has also worked with, for example, Freiburg's Baroque orchestra, the Hofkapelle in Munich and the Zürcher Singakademie. In 2019, she was appointed musical director of the Munich Chamber Opera. Johanna Soller has studied choir conducting, harpsichord and organ in Munich.

The Eric Ericson Award is an international competition for young choir conductors, that will be held in October 2021 by the Swedish Radio in collaboration with the Royal Musical Academy and the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). The competition takes place in the Swedish Radio's concert hall Berwaldhallen, and the total prize amount is SEK 150,000. During the upcoming concert seasons, the winner will lead concerts with 10 prominent radio choirs within the EBU. All in all, it makes the Eric Ericson Award the most prestigious competition for choir conductors in the world, which was evident in the great international interest in the application. 

For more information, visit ericericsonaward.se
For press questions and contact with the finalists, please contact
Kajsa Hallhagen
Project Manager Berwaldhallen
E-mail: kajsa.hallhagen@sverigesradio.se