Foto by Daniel Carlsson
Pernillle Louise Sejlund (born in 1979) started her musical carrier in Radio Denmark’s Girls Choir. This was in many ways where she had her musical upbringing and where she became acquainted with musical genres covering everything from renaissance music – via contemporary composition music – to pop and jazz.
In addition to singing Pernille has always composed music and enjoyed experimenting with music when playing the piano. At the age of 19 she was awarded 1st prize in a composition competition and at the age of 22 she repeated her achievement when she once again won 1st prize.
That triggered something in her and she started to devote herself much more intensely to composing music which in 2011 gave her a Master in composition from The Royal Academy of Music, Copenhagen.
In 2014 she received the prestigious Sonning Music Scholarship.
Same year she was festival composer of the year at Rudersdal Sommerkoncerter.
Widely recognized for her engaging and highly imaginative compositional voice, Pernille Louise Sejlund continues to push musical boundaries while staying playful, open and versatile.
Pernille Louise Sejlund uses the term ‘avantgarde light’ as well as minimalism to describe her creative output which embraces works for concert hall, film, theatre and dance, as well as music written for herself as a performer. She welcomes a collaborative and accessible approach to music-making that challenges traditional paradigms of composer/performer relationships and audience interaction.
Her works encompass a sense of presence and intimacy, often with meditative elements, and evoke vivid imagery of an almost cinematic nature, whether that is weightless soap bubbles floating in space (Bubbles, 2010), a slumbering whale murmuring at the bottom of the ocean (Moby Dick, 2007) or the dark silence of Earth’s core (Calling Earth, 2016).
Concerned by the realities of global warming, Sejlund has created bold musical responses to climate change since the 2009 UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, including her current climate lecture concert series ‘Time for Reflection’ with climate expert Jesper Theilgaard. A ping-pong concert between spoken words by Jesper and music/songs by Pernille in a set-up for singers, harp, flute and electronics.
In 2014 she composed more music and recorded it and released her first album called “Time for Reflection”.
The thread running through Pernille’s work is a sense of nearness and intimacy. Words, feelings, moods and atmosphere often form the starting point and basis of her music.
She has written commissioned music for different kinds of ensembles – from solo to large orchestra, choir and vocal groups – such as Michala Petri, The Danish National Girls’ Choir, Athelas Sinfonietta Copenhagen and Copenhagen Phil. Besides that she composes electronic music and film music.
Pernille also makes musical arrangements for bands and artists as well as co-writings – latest with Danish producer Obi Klein and Korean rapper E SENS.
As a singer she has her main focus on her duo with the talented pianist and composer Rune Thorsteinsson.
She is also one of three singers in an annual Christmas show with the talented pianist and composer Esben Just and his trio.