Live Rehearsal: Sofia Vokalensemble and Bengt Ollén
Live Rehearsal: Sofia Vokalensemble and Bengt Ollén
Join in on the first of a series of Live Rehearsals, where inspiring leaders and their ensembles open up their rehearsals for you to take part, listen and learn. In our first Live Rehearsal we will be joining Sofia Vokalensemble and their conductor Bengt Ollén, from Stockholm Sweden.
After the rehearsal there will be a live discussion where you may also ask questions to Mr. Bengt Ollén directly. Take this opportunity to learn and get inspired!
More information about zoom-link etc. will follow.
In 1995, Sofia Vokalensemble was founded in Stockholm, Sweden by Bengt Ollén, who continues to be their committed artistic director. Performances are characterized by a warm, lyrical Swedish choral sound and a stage presence that has taken the ensemble far in international competitions, tours and concerts.
Music by Bach, Poulenc, Pärt and Schnittke are frequently featured. The choir has also premiered original work by Jaakko Mäntyjärvi, Fredrik Sixten, Jacob Mühlrad, Sven-David Sandström, Matthew Peterson and Karin Rehnqvist, to name a few. Sofia Vokalensemble is characterized by their great love for music, their pursuit of excellence and their close interaction with their conductor – always with a lot of heart, regardless if the occasion is a regular rehearsal, training camp, travelling to a venue or behind the scenes before a competition. And, of course, on stage together.
Bengt Ollén is the founder and musical director of Sofia Vokalensemble. Since 1995 he has led the ensemble with great passion and undying enthusiasm. His leadership has helped shape Sofia Vokalensemble into a distinctive choir brimming with positive energy.
Bengt Ollén studied under Gösta Ohlin and Gunnar Eriksson at the Academy of Music and Drama in Gothenburg. Since 1981 he has founded several successful choirs and further honed his skills. Ollén is in demand as an adjudicator in competitions, a conductor at festivals, workshops and concerts, both nationally and internationally and also as a teacher of conducting. Between the years 1994 and 2018, he was a teacher of choral singing at the well-known secondary school Stockholms Musikgymnasium. In 2021 Bengt Ollén was awarded "Choir leader of the year" by the Swedish Choral Conductors Society (Föreningen Sveriges Körledare). His choral ensembles have been highly successful at competitions around the world.
Constantly strengthening the choir’s group dynamics has been one of Bengt Ollén’s hallmarks. To this end, he uses creative improvisation techniques that produce exciting concert pieces and melody interpretations. He never ceases to encourage communication between the singers, both musically and outside rehearsals. Ollén firmly believes that making good music is a group effort.
The performances of Sofia Vokalensemble under Bengt Ollén’s musical direction are characterised by a Swedish choral sound, stage presence and a joy of singing that has proven successful in international competitions and concerts all over the world.
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Organizer of Live Rehearsal: Sofia Vokalensemble and Bengt Ollén
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Bengt Ollén
Bengt Ollén is the founder and musical director of Sofia Vokalensemble. Since 1995 he has led the ensemble with great passion and undying enthusiasm. His leadership has helped shape Sofia Vokalensemble into a distinctive choir brimming with positive energy. Bengt Ollén studied under Gösta Ohlin and Gunnar Eriksson at the Academy of Music and Drama in Gothenburg. Since 1981 he has founded several successful choirs and further honed his skills. Ollén is in demand as an adjudicator in competitions, a conductor at festivals, workshops and concerts, both nationally and internationally and also as a teacher of conducting. Between the years 1994 and 2018, he was a teacher of choral singing at the well-known secondary school Stockholms Musikgymnasium. In 2021 Bengt Ollén was awarded "Choir leader of the year" by the Swedish Choral Conductors Society (Föreningen Sveriges Körledare). His choral ensembles have been highly successful at competitions around the world. Constantly strengthening the choir’s group dynamics has been one of Bengt Ollén’s hallmarks. To this end, he uses creative improvisation techniques that produce exciting concert pieces and melody interpretations. He never ceases to encourage communication between the singers, both musically and outside rehearsals. Ollén firmly believes that making good music is a group effort. The performances of Sofia Vokalensemble under Bengt Ollén’s musical direction are characterised by a Swedish choral sound, stage presence and a joy of singing that has proven successful in international competitions and concerts all over the world.
Sofia Ågren (moderator)
Since directing her first choir in 2006, Sofia Ågren has become an increasingly influential figure in Swedish choral music in her capacities as conductor, commissioner of new works, and choral pedagogue. Sofia has served as conductor of choirs and instructor at the renowned Stockholms MusikGymnasium since 2016, and recently started her own professional Vokalensemble Ensemble Å. Frequently in demand as a conductor and répétiteur, Sofia has worked with ensembles including Uppsala Vokalensemble (artistic leader 2011-2022), the Swedish Radio Choir, Gustaf Sjökvist’s Chamber Choir, S:t Jacob’s Chamber Choir, A Scalpella (artistic leader 2007-2016) and, during her time at Adolf Fredriks Musikklasser, the Adolf Fredrik’s Girls’ Choir and the Royal Opera Children’s Chorus. She has lectured to students at Conservatorio di Milano, Hilton College of South Africa, Music Academy of Ljubljana, and the Eric Ericson International Choral Centre. Sofia is educated a choral and orchestral conductor at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm. She also has a master of arts in education (choral conducting and methodology, and music theory) and studied music at both Stockholm and Uppsala University. To learn more about Sofia, please visit www.sofiaagren.se or follow her on Facebook: www.facebook.com/conductorsofiaagren
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