“A gripping instrumental work inspired by old Christian spiritual texts has earned the University of Louisville’s 2014 Grawemeyer Award for music composition,” writes Darla Carter in Monday’s (12/2) Courier-Journal (Louisville, Kentucky). “Djuro Zivkovic, 37, of Sweden spent nearly four months writing the chamber orchestra piece—’On the Guarding of the Heart’—that won the $100,000 prize.” Grawemeyer Award director Marc Satterwhite said the piece was chosen from 132 entries and “is beautifully written.… ‘It just kind of grabs you from the beginning,’ taking you on an emotional journey, he said.… The piece was first performed in Belgrade, Serbia, in November 2011 by the Austrian ensemble Klangforum Wien…. Zivkovic, who was born in Belgrade, hopes that it eventually will be performed in the United States.… Zivkovic, who teaches at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm but is on paternity leave, said he will use the award money to further his composing.… U of L presents four Grawemeyer Awards each year, for outstanding works in music composition, ideas improving world order, psychology and education.” Prior winners of the music award, given annually, include Michael Van der Aa (2013), Esa-Pekka Salonen (2012), and Louis Andriessen (2011).
Posted December 4, 2013
