Curiculum Vitæ

Stefan Edenborg (550225)

Liarumsv˛gen 87

290 10, Tollarp

Sweden

Tel +46-44-32 01 52. +46 707 195834

E-mail stefan@edenborg.com

Qualities

My professional experiences have rewarded me with major insights into the relationship between the arts and society. I really enjoy all kinds of challenges and I do not see the ‘difficulties’ until I have tried all of the possibilities. I believe one of my major skills in problem solving is my ability in assessing situations creatively, and I use those tested skills to find solutions where others may rely more on established traditions and old approved practices.

Highlights of my professional life in the arts:

1978 - 1988

After completing my education in music school, I worked as a musician with several small theatres:

~Blekinge l˛nsteater: musician

~Östgötateatern: musician

~Älvsborgs l˛ns teater: musician, composer

~Borås stadsteater: musician, composer

~Folkteatern i Malmö: musician

~Teater 23: musician, composer and director

~Teaterhögskolan i Malmö: musician

During these years I also participated in several small music ensembles, playing everything from jazz to entertainment music. I formed some of the bands myself.

During my years at Teater 23, I inaugurated and devised the programming of a Contemporary Chamber Music series. One of the highlights was a cello concerto by G. Fulda, performed by Tivoligardet with Hege Waldeland as soloist. I also directed several small operas; for example, “The Ugly Duckling” with music composed by Sergei Prokoffiev, and “The Diary of Anne Frank” composed by Grigori Frid.

1988 - 1996

During these years, I worked as a Producer at the Foundation of Musik i Skåne. While there, I initiated and distributed all kinds of music programmes mainly for the region of Scania but also for the rest of Sweden. This job presented me with excellent opportunities to identify the parameters needed to insure a joyful acquaintance with all sorts of music. To accomplish this work, I also had to develop all varieties of networks: local, regional, national and international.

One of the major challenges was to combine the right music with the right audience, and success developed from a lively contact with both: the artists and the audience. One of the priorities was to provide good music to younger audiences. A well motivated and interested audience always knows what they like, but young people and other groups that are not familiar with certain kinds of music need special attention. They respond best when their point of view is respected, and when they are addressed in a manner that they can accept and understand.

A great deal of my work circled around solving this in several ways. Thanks to my own background in theatre, I was able to use my experience to develop the forms for music listening. I tried to not put the music into a recognized context but rather, put context into music. I also learned several key methods for producing music and communicating its originality.

For an organisation that is expected to produce artistic experiences, communicating and developing these goals is of greatest importance. As a producer, I was given good opportunities to work together with artists to create ‘concept’ programmes. For instance, I put together famous Swedish artists from different disciplines which inspired them to collaborate in totally new ways. This, in turn, created many exciting programmes. I blended literature with theatre, jazz musicians with poets, dancers with choirs, and in this way, both audience and artists had a new chance to develop themselves. I have also developed several other more technical forms for concerts such as different types of concert series and collaborations between different organisations.

1995 - 96

One of the major single projects I initiated is “The International Film Music Festival of Malmö 1996” in celebration of the 100th anniversary of film. Despite the intervening 10 years, this Festival still stands as the largest of its kind. Three professional orchestras performed as ten silent movies were shown; Carl Davis and Gillian Andersen conducted, and all the major 70mm films were displayed on a large screen. Naturally, many smaller shows and performances completed the event. A unique 4-color catalogue discussed all the films, their histories, the actors, and the accompanying musical scores. Although this Festival was received as a tremendous artistic achievement, it unfortunately lacked commercial success. Working with that project was extremely beneficial for me as a manager. Together with my whole working team, I learned a great amount by witnessing the workings and the hard edge of the commercial limit.

Spring 1997

I was engaged as Manager for “Manifestation Skane,” a celebration of the founding of the new region of Scania. Of the many works I have been engaged in over the years, this was clearly the largest event. During just one day, 730 artists from all over Scania, amateurs to professionals representing all institutions and organisations, presented 105 different performances.

1997 - 2001

I was the Managing Director of both “Music for Children and Young People,” and ‘Chamber Music at the Foundation of Musik I V˛st (Music in the West) in Gothenburg.

As Managing Director for Chamber Music, I had two main responsibilities: the leadership of the Chamber Music Ensemble of Musik I V˛st, and the selection and programming of all kinds of chamber music for the region. The Foundation of Musik I V˛st provided high quality programmes for all the smaller communities in the region. The highlight of every season was the Chamber Music Festival of Stenungsund, the most important chamber music event on the West coast in Sweden.

I had the full responsibility for that for two seasons, and acted as Assistant Producer for another two seasons.

I also had the full responsibility as the Manager of the department with “Music for Children and Young People.” We initiated and executed both the production and the touring throughout the region. In this position I was able to develop new ways of presenting programmes, including a showcase where representatives from all cultural disciplines were given the opportunity to present their work to target groups.

In my artistic management I have developed new scenic performances where I combined other cultural disciplines with all kinds of music: for example, chamber music with dance, jazz and theatre, poetry and string quartet, etc.

During this period in Gothenburg, I also created some other projects such as undertaking the responsibility for the representation of the cultural life of the region at the ‘World Exhibition in Hanover 1998.’

2001 – 2004

Since September 2001, I have been the Executive Manager of Kulturhuset Barbacka (The Culture Centre of Barbacka) in Kristianstad. The Centre is a municipal institution where all cultural disciplines are represented. 75,000 people visit this Centre annually and approximately 30,000 people participate in our planned programmes. Half of the visitors come from schools, and the other half are so-called spontaneous visitors. As the Executive Manager, I have the full responsibility for the staff, the economy, and the artistic output. There is more information at http://www.kristianstad.se/kultur/barbacka

My major priority in this work is the role of arts and culture in the pedagogic environment because I believe the understanding and the using of arts is essential for all individuals.

Miscellaneous

During the last 15 years in my work as an Administrator of arts and culture, I have considered international exchanges as very essential at all levels. This focus has resulted in developing international relationships with artists’ organisations and different networks. Since 2001, I have been serving as the Secretary in the International Board of EUnetART, (European Network for Art Organizations for Children and Young People) http://www.eunetart.org. This is a multidisciplinary European network for organisations that work with or for children and young people, and there are more than 110 members in 28 countries.

I am also very familiar with all major computer programmes both on Mac and PC.

A few personal words:

I am the father of three children, and am in a committed relationship. My leisure time I prefer to spend at sea in my wooden boat. I am also the leader of the famous klezmer ensemble, “Kapell Klezmorim.”

Tollarp. 2005-01-20