Press

Finnish-Estonian Winner of the NORDEM EAR-ly 2022/23 Competition

Press release 2023-06-02

EARly2022 finalists
EAR-ly 2022/23.

On Friday June 2nd 2023 the finals of EAR-ly 2022/23 took place in Stockholm, Sweden. This was the seventh edition of the Nordic-Baltic competition for young early music ensembles and soloists, hosted by NORDEM (Nordic Early Music Network).
The first prize was unanimously awarded to the Finnish ensemble Æstus.

The jury consisted of Albert Edelman (Belgium), Kate Hearne (Ireland), Mariangola Martello (Italy) and Aina Kalcniema (Latvia/NORDEM).

The public prize was awarded to the Swedish ensemble Ab Aquilon.

Watch the concert from 2nd June in Stockholm again here:
https://www.facebook.com/nordem.earlymusicfederation/videos/219100257560315


A Young Generation Goes for Early Music: EAR-ly 2022/2023 Competition Finalists

Press release

NORDEM, the Nordic Early Music network, is excited to have received entries of such a high calibre this year for the seventh NORDEM EAR-ly competition for young musicians, and is proud to present a new generation of young Nordic professional musicians who are genuinely interested in revitalising the performance of the baroque, renaissance and medieval repertoires. The overall aim of the EAR-ly competition is to encourage the formation of new early music ensembles and to stimulate an interest in Early Music among young musicians throughout the Nordic and Baltic countries.

Judging for the first round of the EAR-ly 2023 competition has now taken place, and we are pleased to announce that the shortlist comprises of the following ensembles:

Ab Aquilon, Sweden
Aestus, Finland/Estonia
Duodeco, Lithuania

The EAR-ly Jury this year will be:
Albert Edelman, Belgium - President
Aina Kalcniema, Latvia - representing NORDEM
Kate Hearne, Ireland
Mariangola Martello, Italy

The final round of the competition, open to the members of the public, will take place in Stockholm on 2 June 2023, hosted by XXII Stockholm Early Music Festival and Performing Premodernity.


Jonatan Bougt - Winner of EAR-ly 2020

Press release 2021-06-21

Jonatan Bougt, EAR-ly 2020 winner with Aina Kalnciema and Peter Pontvik
EAR-ly 2020. From left to right: Aina Kalnciema, Riga Bach Festival; Peter Pontvik, Chair NORDEM; Jonatan Bougt (Sweden), winner of EAR-ly 2020.


Congratulations to JONATAN BOUGT, theorbo player from SWEDEN, who today was awarded the first prize of EAR-ly 2020, the SIXTH NORDEM NORDIC BALTIC COMPETITION FOR YOUNG EARLY MUSIC ENSEMBLES AND SOLOISTS in Riga, Latvia!!

After a stunning competition concert on 20th June, where we had the chance to hear music by Roman, Bach, Couperin, Müthel, De Visée and more, interpreted by some of the Nordic and Baltic region’s most talented young musicians—Jonatan Bougt (Sweden), theorbo; Augustina Vizbaraitė (Lithuania),baroque violin; Maija Kļaviņa (Latvia), baroque flute; and Gertruda Jerjomenko (Latvia),harpsichord—NORDEM is excited to announce that the winner of EAR-ly 2020 is Jonatan Bougt from Sweden, for his fantastic performance on the theorbo!

Our star-studded Jury—Paolo Pandolfo, Mats Lilhannus, Lisa Beznosiuk, and Catalina Vicens—complimented Jonatan on his graceful playing, his elegant and natural style, and his understanding of style and musical rhetoric, with a stage presence which leads the listener to the music. Congratulations, Jonatan!

A special thanks to our board member, Aina, for hosting and organising the EARly 2020 compeittion in Riga, especially in these complicated Covid times!

Watch the concert from 20th June in Riga again here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lq85HPAj8_I

 

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New dates for EAR-ly Competition Final - 20 June 2021

Press Release 2020-11-30

EAR-ly 2020

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, this year's EAR-ly competition has been postponed, with the final round of the competition now set to take place in Riga on 20 June 2021, hosted by NORDEM and The International Bach Chamber Music Festival, in conjunction with the next NORDEM Members' meeting. The final concert, open to members of the public, will take place on Sunday 20 June at 1 pm.


A Young Generation Goes for Early Music: EAR-ly 2020 Competition Finalists!

Press Release 2020-06-17

EAR-ly 2020
Left to right: Augustina Vizbaraitė; Gertruda Jerjomenko; Jonatan Bougt; Maija Kļaviņa

NORDEM, the Nordic Early Music network, is excited to have received entries of such a high calibre this year for the sixth NORDEM EAR-ly competition for young musicians, and is proud to present a new generation of young Nordic professional musicians who are genuinely interested in revitalising the performance of the baroque, renaissance and medieval repertoires. The overall aim of the EAR-ly competition is to encourage the formation of new early music ensembles and to stimulate an interest in Early Music among young musicians throughout the Nordic and Baltic countries.

Judging for the first round of the EAR-ly 2020 competition has now taken place, and we are pleased to announce that the shortlist comprises:


Jonatan Bougt, Sweden - theorbo
Augustina Vizbaraitė, Lithuania - violin
Maija Kļaviņa, Latvia - baroque flute
Gertruda Jerjomenko, Latvia - cembalo

The NORDEM Jury this year will be:

Lisa Beznosiuk, UK
Paolo Pandolfo, Italy
Catalina Vicens, Chile/Switzerland
Mats Lillhannus, Finland (NORDEM representative)

The final round of the competition will take place in Riga on 25-27 September, hosted by NORDEM and The International Bach Chamber Music Festival, in conjunction with the next NORDEM Members' meeting. The final concert, open to members of the public, will take place on Sunday 27 September at 1 pm.


Danish winner of the NORDEM EAR-ly 2018 competition!

Press Release 2018-09-23

Clara Guldberg Ravn och Johannes Geworkian HellmanOn Saturday 22 September the finals of EAR-ly 2018 took place in Copenhagen. This was the fifth edition of the Nordic-Baltic competition for young early music ensembles and soloists, hosted by NORDEM (Nordic Early Music Network).

The first prize was unanimously awarded to the Danish recorder player Clara Guldberg Ravn for her "varied and convincing playing, the good dramatic line in her program me  and the clearly professional level of her whole  approach". The prize gives the winner three concerts at Nordic or Baltic early music festivals over the next year. Clara Guldberg Ravn was accompanied by Swedish hurdy-gurdy player Johannes Geworkian Hellman.

"I am very happy to win the prize, because competing in music is difficult. It is amazing and a great step forward in my career" said Clara Guldberg Ravn. The Audience Prize was also rewarded to Clara. 

The jury consisted of Katharina Bäuml, Berlin, Else Torp, Copenhagen and Peter Pontvik, Stockholm.

The overall aim of the EAR-ly competition is to encourage the formation of new early music ensembles as well as the development of young early music soloists, and to stimulate an interest in Early Music among young musicians throughout the Nordic and Baltic region. NORDEM is a representative network of Early Music festivals, organisations and promoters in the Nordic-Baltic area. 


                                              

NORDEM presents the EAR-ly 2018 competition finalists!

It is with great pleasure that NORDEM, the Nordic Early Music Network, announces the names of those chosen to take part in the final round of EAR-ly 2018, the fifth Nordic-Baltic competition for young early music ensembles and soloists, to be held in Copenhagen, Denmark on 21 and 22 September 2018.

The selected finalists, soloists and ensembles, are Mikus Abaronins, tenor (Latvia) Clara Guldberg Ravn, recorder (Sweden) and the Abaronin Ensemble (Latvia).

The final round of EAR-ly 2018 will take place on Saturday 22 September in Koncertkirken, Copenhagen with an open concert at 4 pm.

"NORDEM is proud to present a new generation of young Nordic professional musicians who are genuinely interested in revitalising the performance of the baroque, renaissance and medieval repertoires. EAR-ly 2018 will strengthen the place of Early Music in the musical life of the Nordic-Baltic region, and contribute to its future health" comments Peter Pontvik, Chair of NORDEM.

The overall aim of the EAR-ly competition is to encourage the formation of new early music ensembles and to stimulate an interest in Early Music among young musicians throughout the Nordic and Baltic countries. NORDEM represents Early Music festivals, organisations and promoters in the Nordic-Baltic area.​ ​
 

NORDEM presenterar finalisterna för tävlingen EAR-ly 2018!

NORDEM, det nordiska nätverket för tidig musik har härmed nöjet att meddela finalisterna i EAR-ly 2018, den femte nordisk-baltiska tävlingen för unga tidig musik-ensembler och solister, som äger rum i Köpenhamn, Danmark den 21 och 22 september 2018.

De valda solister respektive ensembler är Mikus Abaronins, tenor (Lettland) Clara Guldberg Ravn, blockflöjt (Sverige) och Abaronin Ensemble (Lettland).

Slutomgången av EAR-ly 2018 äger rum i form av en offentlig konsert, lördagen den 22 september i Koncertkirken, Köpenhamn kl 16:00.

"NORDEM är stolt över att kunna presentera en ny generation unga professionella nordiska musiker, genuint intresserade av att återuppliva barock-, renässans-, och medeltidsrepertoaren. EAR-ly 2018 kommer att stärka den tidiga musikens plats i den Nordisk-Baltiska regionen och bidra till dess framtida utveckling" kommenterar Peter Pontvik, NORDEMs ordförande.

Huvudmålet med tävlingen EAR-ly är att uppmuntra bildandet av nya tidig musik-ensembler och att stimulera till intresset för tidig musik bland unga musiker i de nordiska och baltiska länderna. NORDEM representerar festivaler, organisationer och företrädare för tidig musik i den nordisk-baltiska regionen.

 

Mikus Abaronin, Clara Guldberg Ravn, Abaronin Ensemble
Mikus Abaronins, Clara Guldberg Ravn & Abaronin Ensemble

 


YoungEM-Þing Statement

NORDEM has recently released a statement following the two-day YoungEM-Þing conference. Read the full statement here.