Composer
Musician
Composer
Musician
One of Sweden’s most distinguished opera composers
One of Sweden’s most distinguished opera composers
CV
Paula af Malmborg Ward is a Swedish composer and musician with a penchant for musical drama. Born in Stockholm in 1962. Composes music in a former coal tower in the old harbour area Nya Varvet, Gothenburg where she lives since 1992. Timing and text are key words in both opera creating, works for orchestra and choir, solo and ensemble and music for TV and radio.
With operas commissioned by The Royal Opera, Stockholm, Gothenburg Opera and Vadstena Academy, orchestral pieces commissioned/performed by Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, Royal Stockholm Philharmonic, the Swedish radio orchestra and collaborations with conductors like Gustavo Dudamel, Neeme Järvi and Kent Nagano, Paula´s musical field is of great variation in different genres.
Her chamber music is commissioned/performed by Trio Poseidon, Norrbotten Big Band, Duo Ego, Gilda Lyons, The Miller-Porfiris Duo, Bohuslän Big Band, Stockholm Saxophone Quartet, Duo Gelland, Erik Westbergs vocal ensemble and Hans Davidsson among others.
She loves to sing. And play. And conduct. And talk.
Thinks: being a musician must be the finest of professions.
Then thinks: but they must have something to play too.
Latest News
First performance of the official Jubilee fanfare for the city of Gothenburg's 400th anniversary. Jerker Johansson and I are honored and happy about this [...]
The prize, which has been awarded since 1982, is awarded to a composer with significant and innovative activities on their resume.
Wonderful Miller-Porfiris Duo´s got the groove! They premiered my commission for The Hartt School´s 100th anniversary
An inspiring day focused on wind instruments. Wind instrument have a great significance in musical life, from various amateur groups to big bands and orchestras. [...]
UPCOMING EVENTS
05/07/2021
July 5-9 I am happy to make a solo tour with a program for Speldags, the Gothenburg city's cultural administration for elder care. I [...]
31/07/2021
Uddevalla kyrka. A special, "taylor-made" commission for wonderful Chalmus music week in Ljungskile. Mixed choir, recitation, piano and ping pong balls. Base on a prosa [...]
16/10/2021
First performance of Solspel - 55 takter före skymningen (Sunplay - 55 bars before dusk) for mixed choir a cappella, with wonderful Erik Westbergs [...]
01/03/2022
A vocal symphony in times of diffusion. Choir, orchestra, organ and video art. First perfomance March 2022 Gothenburg concert hall Commissioned by Gothenburg symphony [...]
MEDIA
Video
Kärlekskriget
Ivonas aria (Shanowny pan!).
Amelia Jakobsson sopran
Musik Paula af Malmborg Ward
Libretto Mathias Clason
Urpremiär 2017 med Vattnäs konsertladas orkester under ledning av Fredrik Burstedt.Vill ni ha ett frostigt päron?
Mosters aria, Tove Dahlberg mezzosopran
Musik Paula af Malmborg Ward
Libretto Magnus Nilsson
Vadstena-Akademiens orkester under ledning av Olov Boman
Foto: Staffan GustavssonBombpartyt
Mrs M’s aria.
Birgit-Louise Frandsen sopran och GöteborgsOperans orkester under ledning av B.Tommy Andersson.
Urpremiär 1998 på GöteborgsOperan med libretto av Lars af Malmborg efter romanen Dr Fischer of Geneva or The Bomb Party.Antarktis
Paula af Malmborg Wards musik flödar i ett fantasifullt scenrum skapat av scenografen och kostymören Tomas Sjöstedt i koreografi av Lidia Wos.
Dansare från Regionteater Väst och Bohuslän Big Band
Sound Clips
Sambal Dente, extract
Gothenburg symphony orchestra (GSO)
Cond: Neeme JärviGuido la guida
3rd mvt Il gallo cortonese, sinfonia concertante – extract
Helsingborg symphony orchestra (HSO)
Cond: Bramwell ToveyOperatic extract
Gothenburg symphony orchestra (GSO)
Cond: Gustavo DudamelHittekvinnan utdrag: Psykvårds-cha-cha (The Foundling Woman extract: Mental care cha-cha)
1st prize Prix d´Italia 2006
Voices: Maria af Malmborg Linnman, alto, Susanna Levonen, mezzo soprano, Mikael Samuelsson, baritone
Swedish Radio orchestra (SRSO) – Cond: Mats RondinDjävulsknuten – (The devil´s knot)
Music for SVT´s Christmas calendar 2005, En decemberdöm (A december dream)
Mixed ensemble from Gothenburg symphony orchestra (GSO), Bohuslän Big Band and Gothenburg wind orchestra (GWO)
Piano and conductor: Paula af Malmborg Ward
Recording: Nilento Studio
LATEST WORKS
choir, orchestra, organ and video art
(2021)
choir a cappella
(2021)
organ solo
(2021)
14 porter bottles and out-of-tune-piano
(2021)
violin/viola
(2020)
mixed choir, recitation and piano
(2020)
opera in two acts
(2020)
flute, clarinet, percussion, piano, violin, viola, viloncello
(2020)
male amateur choir, professional male song group, trumpet, cello, accordion
(2018)
