About Eric Ericson
One of the greatest conductors of all time
The first Swede to be Awarded the Polar Music Prize
Eric Ericson was born in 1918 and passed away in February 2013 after a long and eventful life dedicated to singing. He devoted his entire career to choral singing. His work gave his choirs high status both in Sweden and internationally, he helped elevate musical genres and composers, and he played a significant role in establishing choral singing as a serious, high-quality form of music-making. In 1979, he was appointed professor of choral conducting at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm, where he is said to have taught thousands of choir leaders over the years.
Ericson was the first Swede to be awarded the prestigious Polar Music Prize. In 2009, Skeppsholmskyrkan was renamed Eric Ericson Hall, becoming a center for Swedish choral music with the Eric Ericson International Choral Centre at the forefront. He is considered one of the world’s greatest choral conductors of all time. After his passing, Marcus Boldemann of Dagens Nyheter wrote:
“The interpretations had the clarity of crystal, combined with a precision that, upon closer inspection, teemed with life and culminated in the famous, slender, Ericsonian expressiveness.
– Marcus Boldemann, Dagens Nyheter
Early life and musical upbringing
Eric Ericson grew up in a free church home in Visby. His father, Gustaf, was a pastor in the Methodist Church. Through his music teacher at school, Eric joined the cathedral boys' choir and, at the age of twelve, already led a junior choir. After studying in Stockholm and Basel, he founded the Chamber Choir in 1945, which was later renamed the Eric Ericson Chamber Choir, the group that eventually became his main instrument for developing optimal a cappella singing.
From chamber musik to international success
Parallel to the Chamber Choir, Ericson was the conductor and musical director of the Radio Choir from 1951 to 1982 and of Orphei Drängar from 1951 to 1991. He was also the cantor at St. Jacob's Church in Stockholm from 1949 to 1974 and conducted The Real Group on the album 'Stämning' from 2002. He has guest-conducted many significant choirs in other countries, including the Netherlands Chamber Choir, Groupe Vocal de France, BBC Singers, and the Vienna State Opera Choir. He received numerous awards, including the Polar Music Prize in 1997, the prestigious Danish Sonning Prize in 1991, and the Nordic Council Music Prize in 1995.
Awards and honors
Ericson was appointed honorary doctor at Uppsala University in 1983 and at the University of Alberta in Canada in 1996. He was also a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music and honorary chairman of the International Federation for Choral Music. In 1998, when Ericson turned 80, a music professorship was created in his name at Uppsala University
The Importance and Legacy of Choral Singing
Millions of people around the world sing in choirs. Listening to choral singing can be a magnificent musical experience, as well as contributing one’s own voice in a choir. Choral singing can break down barriers between people and has a positive impact on the body, soul, and cooperation skills. Sweden is a leading choral nation with an estimated over half a million practitioners, and we can thank, among others, Eric Ericson for this.