|
The Laureates | Prize Ceremony | About the Prize | Press Services | Events | Newsletter | Contact | Home
|
|
| ||||
|
| | ||
| ||||
|
|
|
||
|
|  |
||
|
Press Release # 4/2003 B. B. KING & GYÖRGY LIGETI WINNERS OF THE POLAR MUSIC PRIZE FOR 2004 The winners of the Polar Music Prize, The Royal Swedish Academy of Music Award, for 2004 were unveiled on Wednesday the 15th of October 2003 at The Royal Swedish Academy of Music in Stockholm. The Chairman of the Board and Award Committee, Mr. Åke Holmquist, read the Award Committee’s citations. Extract from the B. B. King Citation "The Polar Music Prize for 2004 is being awarded to the American composer, singer and performer Riley B King for his significant contributions to the blues. King’s total dedication to his music, a rich recording history and tireless touring lasting more than half a century have made him one of the most prominent figures within the blues. Through his achievements in spreading the blues throughout the world, he has, as a leading proponent of his music, proved of fundamental importance to the development of modern popular music." Extract from the György Ligeti Citation "The Polar Music Prize for 2004 is being awarded to the Hungarian-born composer György Ligeti for stretching the boundaries of the musically conceivable, from mind- expanding sounds to new astounding processes, in a thoroughly personal style that embodies both inquisitiveness and imagination." During the announcement at the Academy, a short film with live performances of B. B. King was shown and pianist Mr. Fredrik Ullén played Ligeti’s "Etudes no. 13, L´escalier du diable". The prizewinners will receive the prize from His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden at a gala ceremony in Stockholm to be followed by a celebratory banquet at Grand Hôtel on Monday the 24th of May. Her Majesty Queen Silvia and Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Victoria will be amongst the many other dignitaries attending. As from 2004, the prizegiving ceremony will be held at the Stockholm Concert Hall, which is also where the Nobel Prize ceremony takes place. The event, which is broadcast on national television (TV4), attracts international media, members of the international music business, celebrities, artists, musicians, government ministers, politicians and other leading members of society and industry. On Saturday the 22nd of May, B. B. King will, together with the eight members of his band, perform at the Stockholm Concert Hall. It is the intention to continue with the successful collaboration with the Stockholm Cultural Centre (Kulturhuset) in organising a "Polar Music Prize Week" of activities culminating in the prizegiving. This project has now been enhanced with the participation of NGO for assisting in the development and economic growth of Greater Stockholm, "Sydväxt". The Polar Music Prize was founded in 1989 by the late Stig Anderson who was one of the true greats in the music industry. As the publisher, lyricist and manager of ABBA, he played a key role in their enormous success. Stig Anderson made a generous donation to The Royal Swedish Academy of Music with the aim of creating what was to become known as the Polar Music Prize. This is also why the prize is administered within the Academy. It is an international music prize and awarded to individuals, groups or institutions in recognition of exceptional achievements in the creation and advancement of music. The prize breaks down musical boundaries by bringing together people from all the different worlds of music. It is completely independent of commercial interests, thereby guaranteeing its integrity. Sir Paul McCartney, Dizzy Gillespie, Witold Lutoslawski, Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Quincy Jones, Mstislav Rostropovitch, Sir Elton John, Joni Mitchell, Pierre Boulez, Bruce Springsteen, Eric Ericson, Ray Charles, Ravi Shankar, Iannis Xenakis, Stevie Wonder, Bob Dylan, Isaac Stern, Burt Bacharach, Robert Moog, Karlheinz Stockhausen, Sofia Gubaidulina, Miriam Makeba and Keith Jarrett are the individuals who have been bestowed with the prize since its inception in 1992. In 1992, the Baltic States were also awarded the prize to encourage them in their work for protection of copyright. The prize is now in its thirteenth year and is awarded in the amount of one million Swedish Crowns (approximately equivalent to US$ 125.000 or € 110.000) to each prizewinner. An announcement video together with the prizewinner citations in their entirety and publicity photos are available for downloading here on our web site www.polarmusicprize.com. |
 |
|
Polar Music Prize, PO Box 27327, SE-102 54 STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN | Phone: +46 8 629 53 38 | E-mail: info@polarmusicprize.com | |
|
Copyright © 1992-2008 Polar Music Prize. All rights reserved. The music on this web site has been made available with the due permission of STIM/NCB. Updated: 05/14/2008 | E-mail: webmaster@polarmusicprize.com | |