Fredrik Karl Kristian Högberg, born 5 February 1971 in Vellinge, Sweden, is a Swedish composer and producer. He resides in the old courthouse in Nyland, Ångermanland (mid-Sweden).
Fredrik Högberg grew up in Svedala, southern Sweden, and studied at the Folk High School of Framnäs, Piteå 1987–1991. Högberg has studied composition mainly with professor Jan Sandström at Piteå School of Music (a part of Luleå University of Technology). He earned a licentiate degree in performing arts at Luleå University of Technology 2012. He teaches composition at Piteå School of Music since 2015.
Life and career
From the early 2000 Högberg has worked mainly with works that contains multimedia, like the music film Brassbones - a brass western (2001) and the concertos Ice Concerto (2012) and The Accordion King (2014).
Works like Dancing with Silent Purpose and Rocky Island Boat Bay are examples of Högberg's humorous approach to his musical creation, and his inclination to combine contemporary art music with elements of popular music.
Högberg's work is not seldom controversial; while working with the Ice Concerto Högberg shot burning pianos being dropped from 40 metres onto the ice of Ångermanälven. He was charged with environmental crimes, which were later dropped. 2016 he wrote the music (in collaboration with singer/songwriter Nicolai Dunger) for the critically acclaimed opera Stilla min eld, inspired by the circumstances of Eva Rausings death in Belgravia, London, 2012.
Fredrik Högberg has collaborated with soloists as, among others, Christian Lindberg, Anders Paulsson, Jörgen Sundeqvist, Niklas Sivelöv, Øystein Baadsvik, Ole Edvard Antonsen and Martin Fröst, and many international orchestras and ensembles which has led to several acclaimed works.
Högberg's production is published by Gehrman's musikförlag, Stockholm. His trombone music is published by Edition Tarrodi.
Högberg has won numerous awards and stipends. In 2006 he received one of the biggest grant to-date given to a Swedish composer, €200.000, to develop the first virtual opera house on the internet - iOPERA. In 2014 his piano concerto Ice Concerto was nominated to the Nordic Council Music Award.
Subadobe 1-4 - four pieces for solo trombone, 1992/94Subadobe 5 - solo trombone & backstage trombone, 1994Erotikmusik - for piano, 1995Cloud Balloon - for Clarinet in Bb, 1996Flight of the Dragonfly - for flute, 1996Malin the Worker's Waltz - for accordion, 2014Danser från Helikons källor (Dances from the sources of Helicon) - for brass quintet, 1995/2002Hubbeli-Bubbeli - for brass quintet, 1995John & Clint - for trombone och bass trombone, 1995Pulsmusikk - for optional Bb- or C-instrument and drumkit, 1997The Ballad of Kit Bones - western drama for trombone sextet, 1998The Bubble Tune - for accordion and organ, 1998/2003Kroum Song - for percussion ensemble, 1998Melancholy Tango - for brass quintet, 2000Play 'em High - western drama för trombone sextet and narrator, 2002 (Fredrik Högberg & Christian Lindberg)Déjà Vu - for clarinet, trombone, percussion, vibraphone, double bass and piano, 2004Dancing According To Me - for two accordion, 2006More is More - for string quartet, 2006Movements of Infinity "The Aquarium concerto" - tape & live hydrophonics, 1992 (Fredrik Högberg & Niklas Breman)Minds 'n Pictures - tape, video & soloists, 1993Tiden snöar från trädet (Time snows from the tree) - tape, 1994Sensualle - film music, 1995Plastmusikk - for optional instrument in C or Bb, backtrack and optional percussion, 1995Popmusikk - for optional Bb- or C-instrument and backtrack, 1996/99Visible Duet - for soprano, optional Bb- or C-instrument och backtrack, 2003Bogo Bogo - for oboe (or optional Bb- or C-instrument) and tape, 2004Ice Piano (Ice Breaker) - two pieces for piano and backtrack, 2010Brassbones - a brass western (2001) - composer, co-directorThe adventures of Kundraan - a symphonic tale in three parts based on the life and music of Christian Lindberg,2017 (post production director & creative editor)Head Concerto - for trombone and symphonic wind orchestra, 1995Concerto for Soprano Saxophone and Orchestra, 1998Concertino for Soprano Saxophone and String orchestra, 2000The Return of Kit Bones - Trombone concerto no. 1, 2001The Poem - Concerto for trumpet and orchestra, 2004–05Trolltuba - Concerto for tuba and symphonic wind orchestra, 2005Rocky Island Boat Bay - Concerto for tuba and orchestra 2006Hitting the First Base - Concerto for double bass and string orchestra, 2008Konzert für zwei Posaunen - for two trombones and chamber orchestra, 2008/2012Silent Purpose - Concerto for clarinet, string orchestra, backtrack and optional video projections, 2008Dancing with Silent Purpose - Concerto for clarinet, string orchestra and backtrack, 2010Ice Concerto - for piano, orchestra, backtrack and video projection, 2012The Accordion King - Concerto for accordion, orchestra and video projection, 2014Chords 'n Anger - for orchestra, 1993Strings & Sadness - for string orchestra/quintet, 1993Little Suite for Orchestra (dedicated to Winnie the Poh), 1993/94Music for Strings - for string orchestra, 1998Tre gnostiska danser (Three gnostic dances) - for orchestra, 1999/2000The Latin Kings & Orchestra, 2000 (Fredrik Högberg; lyrics: Dogge Doggelito)Higgins & Mr. Wrengengengengeng - a music tale/ballet for narrator and orchestra, 1993/2005Subtrain Eroticism - for chamber orchestra, 1994–95Subtrain Eroticism II - tape, percussion & trombone, 1996–97In-Vita - tape & four singers, 1997Excavating Ascent - tape, 1999Standing Waves - for orchestra, 1999Slice of Time - for percussion ensemble, 2003Erotica - mixed choir, 1992Chuang-tse och fjärilen (Chuang-tse and the butterfly) - chamber ensemble, choir & soprano, 1994Jag är rädd, andas på mig (I am afraid, breathe on me) - choir & tape, 1995Barents Hymn - choir & wind orchestra, 1998Svenskt Mantra (Swedish Mantra) - choir & tape, 2002Vocals and chamber ensemble
Melodram - for baritone and saxophone quartet, 2013Sagan om Vintern (A Winter Tale) - music tale for chamber ensemble & singers, 1997Choir and orchestra
Älvdans och himlasång (River dances and heavenly singing) - Music inspired by old folk tradition for choir, organ and orchestra, 2000Woman of Cain - A tale of a family in the dawn of civilization. Opera for soloists, choir and orchestra, 2001/2009 (libretto: Tove Alsterdal)Stilla min eld (Still my fire) - Opera about Hans Kristian Rausing and Eva Rausing, 2016 (libretto: Alexander Onofri & Kerstin Gezelius)Vocals and orchestra
Suite from The Woman of Cain - for soprano, baritone and orchestra, 2008 (lyrics: Tove Alsterdal)
