Receiver of The Crown Prince Couple’s Stardust Award 2022
The Léonie Sonning Talent Prize 2021 - The Wilhelm Hansen
Foundation‘s Prize of Honor 2020
Josefine Opsahl (b. 1992) is a ‘boundary defying and remarkable Danish composer and artist’ (The Strad 2022) who integrates aesthetics across eras of music, art, performance, spaces and communities. Extending her background in Classical music into contemporary medias of expression, she melts down barriers and genres resulting in ‘a truly original and contemporary expression that is remarkable for Josefine’s young age’ (HRH Crown Prince of Denmark 2022). With an emphasis on tradition and renewal, tactility, movement and virtuosity, she has established herself, her works and performances with her main instrument, the cello, as leading forces on the international scene. She has received numerous awards for her work – latest The Crown Prince Couple’s Cultural Stardust Award 2022, the Léonie Sonning Talent Prize 2021 and Wilhelm Hansen Foundation‘ s Scholarship of Honor 2020.
Her recent major works count two operas, music for two new ballets with The Royal Ballet in Copenhagen (DK) and symphonic works. Her first opera ”DrømmeDøden” was praised as ‘a musical sensation’ by Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter (SE) and hailed to be a
‘good bet for the best chamber opera of the year’ by Kristeligt Dagblad (DK). Being a conscious, contemporary composer she composes, curates and performs equally and extends her musical worlds through collaborations with other artists, curators, festivals and spaces beyond the grid of genres and expressions. This has resulted in commissions for museums, galleries, festivals and notable occasions such as Her Majesty The Queen of Denmark’s state visit in Buenos Aires (AR) and Berlin (DE), The Metropolitan Museum of Art (US), Festival Música Estranha (BR), Helsinki Festival (FI), DEIÀ International Music Festival (ES), Intonal Festival (SE), The National Gallery of Denmark, Roskilde Festival, Thorvaldsens Museum and Golden Days Festival (DK).
Her works have been performed throughout Europa, The United States, in China, Brazil and Argentina and her album releases have received stunning reviews and awards, recently the Round Glass Music Award (US) and the Danish Radio P2’s Listeners’ Prize. Her solo debut album, ‘Atrium’ released with Dacapo Records in August 2022 received rave reviews in international newspapers and magazines stating that ‘It’s evocative hip music’ (Gramophone Magazine 2022) and‘Her music is both technically refined and emotionally charged’ - (Dagens Nyheter 2022).
Josefine Opsahl has given lectures in Shanghai, at Kungliga Musikhögskolan in Stockholm (SE), The Royal Danish Academy of Music and The Rhythmic Music Conservatory in Copenhagen, The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts and The University of Copenhagen (DK). She studied classical and contemporary cello playing at the Royal Danish Academy of Music (DK) and Northwestern University (IL, USA) and holds an Advanced Postgraduate Soloist degree within Contemporary Creative Art. Josefine has newly signed with the internationally renowned Karsten Witt Music Management (DE) and collaborates with publisher Edition Wilhelm Hansen who takes care of her works and project.
Josefine Opsahl ved tildeling af Kronprinsparrets Priser 2022:
HKH Kronprins Frederik: ‘Cellist og komponist Josefine Opsahl har som få andre i sin generation formået at skabe sin egen originale lyd.
Rodfæstet i den klassiske tradition slipper hun fantasien løs mellem den akustiske og elektroniske verden og går nye veje.
Resultatet er en legende, følelsesladet, intuitiv og dragende musikalsk oplevelse.’
Det er svært at sætte én enkelt etikette på Josefine Opsahl og hendes musik. Måske er det netop det, der gør hendes kunst så interessant. Hun skifter elegant mellem et klassisk lydunivers og et mere udfordrende elektronisk lydbillede.
Josefine Opsahl’s kunstneriske udtryk har ikke kun rødder i musikken, men udspringer også af den verden, hun ser og er i. Med sin musik vil hun gerne diskutere og udfordre de eksisterende rammer og normer.
Kromprinsparrets Kulturelle Stjernedryspris gives til Josefine Opsahl for hendes nysgerrige og grænsesøgende tilgang til musikken. Ved at vise os vejen til uudforskede musikalske universer, præsenterer hun os for den klassiske musik på nye og inspirerende måder.'