January Mikalsen

Education

Mikalsen studied at the Grieg Academy in Bergen and the Royal Danish Academy of Music in Copenhagen, and is a member of the Norwegian Society of Composers.

Career

He has composed a number of works performed and commissioned by orchestras like Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra, Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, Stavanger Symphony Orchestra, Norrköping Symphony Orchestra, Kringkastingsorkesteret, Oslo Sinfonietta, Bodø Sinfonietta, Thomas Bloch, Reykjavik Chamber Orchestra, Quartet Artis Wien, Stavanger Samtidsensemble, Orchestre de Flutes Francais, Manger Musikklag, Ingrid Torvund, Tori Wrånes and Bård Ask. He has participated in festivals such as Présences Festival, Pablo Casals Festival, ULTIMA Oslo Contemporary Music Festival, Casa Da Musica, Performa 13, Young Nordic Music and Nordic Music Days. His collaboration with visual artist Bård Ash during 2013 and 2014 has resulted in a number of works, including Notio Viri Placet shown in Bergen, London, Paris and Oslo.

In January 2010 Björn Nyman and Kringkastingsorkesteret premiered the work Clarinet Concerto at stage 2, in The Norwegian Opera and Ballet in Oslo.

In 2014 the commissioned work Music for solo flute and sinfonietta was premiered by Elisabeth Kristensen Eide and Bodø Sinfonietta. January 20, 2012, the work Parts II for Orchestra was premiered by the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, as one of four works in the finals of Toru Takemitsu Composition Award competition (referee Salvatore Sciarrino).

The work Wagner Prelude was commissioned by Queen Sonja International Music Competition in 2013 and premiered in the main hall in Den Norske Opera the opera orchestra during the final concert. In autumn 2014 Kringkastingsorkesteret premiered the commissioned work Songs for Orchestra.

The BIT20 Ensemble commissioned the work Too much of a good thing which was premiered in autumn 2014 a new commissioned work for solo piano and sinfonietta in Bergen.

The work was again performed under Huddersfield Festival in England that year. Mikalsen was awarded Intro composer for the period 2014-2016.

Achievements

• 2011: Parts II for Orchestra received a 3rd place at the Toru Takemitsu Composition Award in Tokyo judged by Salvatore Sciarrino 2012: Winner of the Edvardprisen for the work Parts II for Orchestra premiered by Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra 2015: Winner of the 62nd International Rostrum of Composers (IRC) in the general category for the composition Songs Foreign Orchestra.