Tobias Broström describes his music as full of frenzy and power, appearing in attacks and waves. Although the rhythm is an important component in Tobias’ music – he is a percussionist himself – he is also a pronounced composer of harmonies.
Tobias Broström was born in 1978 in Helsingborg, Sweden. Following four years of percussion studies at the Malmö Academy of Music, he embarked on the pursuit of a Master’s degree in composition, studying with the Swedish composer Rolf Martinsson and the Italian composer Professor Luca Francesconi.
Known for his rhythmically powerful music, colourful orchestration and a poignant harmonic sense, Tobias Broström has swiftly established himself among the foremost Scandinavian composers of his generation.
The great successes with especially the percussion concerto Arena – Percussion Concerto No. 1 (2004) and the trumpet concerto Lucernaris (2009), has led to collaborations with orchestras including Detroit SO, BBC SO, BBC Philharmonic, Dresdner Philharmonie, Sinfonieorchester des Bayerischer Rundfunks, Komische Oper SO, Konzerthausorchester Berlin, Swedish Radio SO, Gothenburg SO, Malmö SO et al.
Tobias Broström collaborates with renowned conductors and soloists such as Håkan Hardenberger, Karen Gomyo, Anna Larsson, John Storgårds, Daniel Harding, Michael Sanderling, Santuu-Matias Rouvali, Colin Currie, Dima Slobodeniouk, Robin Ticciati, and Rumon Gamba. To date, Håkan Hardenberger has performed Broström’s Lucernaris some 20 times at major concert venues in Europe and in the US.
2019 his collaboration with Håkan Hardenberger continued with Nigredo: Dark Night of the Soul, a double concerto for two trumpets and orchestra, composed for Hardenberger and the Belgian trumpeter Jeroen Berwaerts. The work was jointly commissioned by the Malmö SO, BBC 3/BBC NOW and the Swedish Radio SO. After the world premiere in Malmö it received its UK premiere at Royal Albert Hall at the BBC Proms in July 2019.
Nigredo is the first part of a trilogy of orchestral works inspired by the world of alchemy and Jungian psychology. In September 2022 the second part, Symphony No. 1 – Albedo, was premiered by the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra under Santtu-Matias Rouvali.
29 March – 2 April 2023 Tobias Broström will be feautured composer of the Stockholm Concert Hall’s Composer Weekend Festival, including the world premiere of part three in the triology, Rubedo: The Red Chapter, with the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic conducted by Johannes Gustavsson.
Orchestras and ensembles that has performed his music:
Detroit SO, BBC SO, BBC Philharmonic, Dresdner Philharmonie, Sinfonieorchester des Bayerischer Rundfunks, Komische Oper SO, Konzerthausorchester Berlin, Wiener Symphoniker, BBC Wales, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, NDR Radiophilharmonie, Estonian National SO, BBC Scottish SO, Orchestre Colonne, Aurora Chamber Orchestra, Serbian Radio SO, Oulu SO, Sveriges Radios SO, Royal Stockholm PO, Malmö SO, Gothenburg SO, Gävle SO, Helsingborgs SO, Norrköpings SO, Norrlandsoperans SO, Västerås Sinfonietta, Musica Vitae, Malleus Incus, Brooklyn Rider, Meta4.
Conductors:
John Storgårds, Daniel Harding, Andrew Manze, Dima Slobodeniouk, Robin Ticciati, Alondra de la Parra, Rumon Gamba, Johannes Gustavsson, Santtu-Matias Rouvali, Michael Sanderling.
Scholarships, awards, nominations, festivals etc
2004 – 2006 Swedish Royal Academy of Music, Scholarships
2006 – 2009 Composer-in-Residence Gävle Symphony Orchestra
2008 52nd International Festival of Contemporary Music at the Venice Biennale (Arena – Solo Version)
2009 Lucernaris “top-ten recommended” work at Rostrum
2009 18th International Review of Composers Belgrade (Transit Underground)
2011 – 2012 Featured composer with the Helsingborg SO and Västerås Sinfonietta
2019 BBC Proms at Royal Albert Hall (Nigredo: Dark Night of the Soul)
2023 Featured composer of the Stockholm Concert Hall’s Composer Weekend Festival
