Mädchenchor «Arctic Light», Sweden
Founded in 2004, Arctic Light serves as a choral nursery for young female singers from all over Norrbotten and Swedish Lapland. Its distinctively Nordic sound coupled with a wide-ranging repertoire and performances that appeal to all the senses soon made it a rising star on the Scandinavian choir scene, and in 2010 it was named Sweden’s Choir of the Year. Tours of Sweden, Europe and Asia and four albums have also helped spread its fame. The choir was the brainchild of Susanna Lindmark, an internationally acclaimed, award-winning composer whose works are sung by choirs all over the world. As Arctic Light’s artistic director, she fosters vocal interaction, scenic interpretations and improvisation. Drawing on the classical tradition, folk music from distant lands and even non-musical art forms such as impro and the visual arts, she has given the choir its own unique profile and opened up new avenues for choral singing as a form of artistic expression.