With each passing year, Anders Hillborg’s reputation grows apace. This week his music’s popularity and influence were recognised with two of Sweden’s most prestigious awards. As well as winning a Swedish Grammy for Sirens, the latest recording of his music from the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic, Hillborg was awarded the Swedish Government’s 2015 Special Prize for long-standing contributions to Swedish music exports, an award more usually reserved for Pop and Rock artists, in recognition of his extraordinary international reach.
A statement from the Swedish Government read:
'In 1995, Hillborg was awarded Composer of the Year at the Swedish Grammy Awards for his musical compositions on Eva Dahlgren's album Jag vill se min älskade komma från det vilda. But already twelve years earlier, he had composed Mouyayoum – the unique pioneering choral work that is now by far his most performed piece internationally. Before its planned premiere performance in 1985, the work was at first considered to be "both impossible and unsingable", but thirty years later it is a cherished work performed frequently as a matter of course by choirs around the world. There are around ten different recordings available and, with its tones, moods and compelling power, it is an excellent example of the composer's ability to captivate and take the audience on a journey into the future. Hillborg is not only one of Sweden's most prominent composers, he is also among the foremost and most distinguished names in international art music. His broad palette spans orchestral, choral and chamber music as well as film and popular music. He works on a global basis and music capitals such as Los Angeles, Berlin and Stockholm are currently only three of the hubs around which Anders Hillborg's musical universe revolves.'