Bo Holten
b. 1948
Danish
Summary
Bo Holten is extrovert both as conductor and composer. At a time when experimental composition strategies and a new material consciousness pervade the new music, Bo Holten stubbornly insists on the tonal and the musical practice and creates from these a music of major importance and great integrity.
As composer, Bo Holten has expressed himself successfully across the genre spectrum, however, he seems particularly interested in opera and vocal music. His operas, including The Royal Physician’s Visit (2008) and Gesualdo - Shadows (2014) are some of the most acclaimed and performed Danish operas of recent times.
Critical Acclaim
...Composer/conductor Bo Holten is a significant figure in contemporary choral music. With his founding of the vocal ensemble Ars Nova in 1979, he brought both renaissance and modern music to the attention of new audiences, while with his own music he showed how you can create vital new sounds without resorting to the latest avant-garde music or clever compositional gimmick - Classics Today... [Bo Holten] entertains with simple dramaturgy and grabs the audience with clean melodic lines - Henrik Friis, Politiken
...Bo Holten is one the hardest-working composers and conductors in Danish music culture – to me it seems almost incomprehensible that he is self-taught in both areas – Peter Dürrfeld, Kristeligt Dagblad
Biography
After Studies in Musicology at the university of Copenhagen and bassoon at the Royal Academy of Music Bo Holten worked some years as music teacher and as critic at various newspapers in Copenhagen. He established the vocal group Ars Nova in 1979 with whom he since then made app 450 concerts; the works performed include almost 120 world premieres. Bo Holten and Ars Nova have recorded 15 CDs with both contemporary and early music.
Apart from conducting Ars Nova Bo Holten has conducted most Danish professional symphony orchestras in both own and other composers' works and he was appointed Guest conductor of the BBC Singers of London in 1991. Recently Bo Holten and Ars Nova have parted and Holten has established a new outstanding vocal group, Musica Ficta, who already have proved to be a dominant factor in Danish musical life.
Bo Holten has composed more than 100 works of which 2 symphonies, 5 solo concertos, several works for chorus and orchestra, 2 operas and 2 musicals deserve a mention. Furthermore a number of works for chamber ensemble, 3 song cycles and some pieces for percussion ensemble. Besides music to several films, TV-series, jingles etc. The works for chorus with or without instruments have a dominant position in his production.
As composer and musician Bo Holten is thoroughly extrovert and it is important to him that the music is understandable and has an influence on people, and according to him musical composition is always an activity which is part of concrete musical practice.
Bo Holten was a member of the State's Music Council 1979-83 and chairman of the music committee of the State's Arts Council 1990-93 and has received several distinguished awards including the Herman Sandby Prize 1980, Rostrum of Composers, Paris 1982, Danish Composers Association's Anniversary Grant 1983, The Art Council's Production Reward 1984 and the Mogens Wöldike Prize 1984.
Apart from conducting Ars Nova Bo Holten has conducted most Danish professional symphony orchestras in both own and other composers' works and he was appointed Guest conductor of the BBC Singers of London in 1991. Recently Bo Holten and Ars Nova have parted and Holten has established a new outstanding vocal group, Musica Ficta, who already have proved to be a dominant factor in Danish musical life.
Bo Holten has composed more than 100 works of which 2 symphonies, 5 solo concertos, several works for chorus and orchestra, 2 operas and 2 musicals deserve a mention. Furthermore a number of works for chamber ensemble, 3 song cycles and some pieces for percussion ensemble. Besides music to several films, TV-series, jingles etc. The works for chorus with or without instruments have a dominant position in his production.
As composer and musician Bo Holten is thoroughly extrovert and it is important to him that the music is understandable and has an influence on people, and according to him musical composition is always an activity which is part of concrete musical practice.
Bo Holten was a member of the State's Music Council 1979-83 and chairman of the music committee of the State's Arts Council 1990-93 and has received several distinguished awards including the Herman Sandby Prize 1980, Rostrum of Composers, Paris 1982, Danish Composers Association's Anniversary Grant 1983, The Art Council's Production Reward 1984 and the Mogens Wöldike Prize 1984.
News
- Bo Holten Celebrates 50 Years of Composition
- 17th January 2025
- Bo Holten Celebrates 50 Years of Composition
- Oldest orchestra in the world premieres work by Bo Holten
- 10th April 2024
- The Royal Danish Orchestra commissions work for anniversary
- A Collection of Chamber Operas
- 25th February 2020
- The following chamber operas offer a more intimate experience for captivating your audiences’ hearts and minds. Varying in size, language and content, the selections below offer repertoire for a wide range of...
- Summer Listening: Oboe Concertos
- 9th August 2019
- Oboes and English horns can sing, placate, and pierce through orchestral textures like no other wind instrument. The following concertos demonstrate the full breadth of their magic, from the worldliness of John...
- No Neutral Position — Suffrage, Opera, and Women's History
- 8th March 2018
- Oh, if I could but live another century and see the fruition of all the work for women! There is so much yet to be done. Susan B. Anthony, 1902 Ladies, there is no neutral position for us to assume. Gertrude...
- World Premiere | Bo Holten ”Schlagt sie tot!” 1. act
- 11th May 2017
- World Premiere | Bo Holten ”Schlagt sie tot!” 1. act | Luther, The Reformation and our time. ”Schlagt sie tot!” is an opera that focuses more on the historical person, Luther, than on the theological...
Performances
20th June 2025
- PERFORMERS
- DR Vokalensemblet
- CONDUCTOR
- Phillip Faber
- LOCATION
- Trinitatis, Copenhagen, Denmark
21st June 2025
- PERFORMERS
- DR Vokalensemblet
- CONDUCTOR
- Phillip Faber
- LOCATION
- Trinitatis, Copenhagen, Denmark
5th February 2026
- SOLOISTS
- Jesper Busk, trombone
- PERFORMERS
- Sønderjylland Symphony Orchestra
- CONDUCTOR
- Christian Øland
- LOCATION
- Alsion, Sønderborg, Germany
6th February 2026
- Concerto LiricoCountry Premiere
- SOLOISTS
- Jesper Busk, trombone
- PERFORMERS
- Sønderjylland Symphony Orchestra
- CONDUCTOR
- Christian Øland
- LOCATION
- Deutsches Haus, Flensburg, Germany
Features
- A Collection of Chamber Operas
- Add some drama to your programs with our collection of captivating chamber operas.
- Six New Operas Premiered in 2019
- Take a look at a selection of six new operas from the last year.
Photos
Discography
- LabelDacapo
- Catalogue Number8.226706-07
- ConductorPatrik Ringborg
- EnsembleMalmö Opera Orchestra / Malmö Opera Choir
- Released27th August 2021
- Works
- LabelDanacord
- Catalogue NumberDACOCD 880
- EnsembleHelge Slaatto / Piano / violin & Anne Mette Stæhr
- ReleasedJanuary 2021
- Works
- LabelDacapo
- Catalogue Number6.220701
- ConductorBo Holten
- EnsembleOdense Symfoniorkester / Musica Ficta
- SoloistPalle Knudsen, BARITONE; Gert Henning-Jensen ,TENOR; Christine Nonbo Andersen, SOPRANO; Morten Østergaard, BASSOON; Max Artved, OBOE;
- Released23rd October 2020
- Works
- LabelDacapo
- Catalogue Number2.110428
- EnsembleConcerto Copenhagen / Vocal Ensemble Musica Ficta
- SoloistGert Henning-Jensen; Hanna Kappelin; Ann-Christin Wesser Ingels; Guido Paevatalu; Tor Lind; Rasmus Kure Thomsen; Anders Jakobsson
- ReleasedAugust 2018
- Works
- LabelKontrapunkt
- Catalogue Number32016
- ConductorBo Holten
- EnsembleArs Nova
- Released1990
- Works
- LabelDanacord
- Catalogue NumberDACOCD 588
- ConductorBo Holten
- EnsembleOdense Symphony Orchestra
- SoloistHenriette Bonde-Hansen (soprano)
- LabelDacapo
- Catalogue Number8.224214
- ConductorBo Holten
- EnsembleBBC Singers
- Works
- LabelDanacord
- Catalogue NumberDACOCD 588
- ConductorBo Holten
- EnsembleOdense Symphony Orchestra
- SoloistBjarne Hansen (violin)
- LabelCaprice
- Catalogue NumberCAP 21461
- EnsembleEric Ericson Chamber Choir
- Works
- LabelExlibris
- Catalogue NumberEXLCD 30054
- ConductorBo Holten
- EnsembleSouthern Jutland Symphony Orchestra / Ars Nova
- SoloistBente Vist (soprano), Johan Reuter (baritone)
- Works
Schlagt sie tot!
Nordic Songs and Romances
Bo Holten - The Emperor's New Clothes
Gesualdo Shadows - a modern baroque opera
New Music for Choir
Carl Nielsen - Bo Holten
The Marriage of Heaven and Hell
Carl Nielsen - Bo Holten
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