Fabian Svensson
Fabian

Welcome to the website of composer Fabian Svensson.

Fabian’s music has been described by the New York Times as “dazzling” and by the Los Angeles Times as “an odd merger of Bartók and Radiohead.” He strives to create works integrating such seemingly disparate qualities as incessant energy, austere beauty, and wry humour. Unusual instrumentations are a recurring feature of his music.

News:

Japanese Premiere of Five Obsessive Movements

[Dec 2023] The Nagoya-based ensemble Musica QuLacoza, which is the only ensemble in the Tōkai region specializing in contemporary music, will give the Asian premiere of Fabian’s Five Obsessive Movements at a concert at the Hitomi Hall on January 8th, alongside works by Tiensuu, Webern, Palestrina/Kozakura, Gervasoni and Živković. The piece is scored for melodica, toy piano and string quartet, and was first performed in Reykjavík in October 2022.
Ensemble website

Selected for the ISCM Festival

[Jun 2023] Fabian’s piece Nothing Happens for accordion and string trio has been selected for the 2023 ISCM World New Music Days! The festival is an annual international showcase of new music, this year taking place in South Africa (Johannesburg and Cape Town), from November 24th to December 3rd. It will be the first ISCM festival ever to be held in Africa — and incidentally, this will also be the first time Fabian’s music is performed on the continent. Fabian will attend the festival, thanks to support from The Swedish Arts Grants Committee.
ISCM website

Korean Premiere of Clip Clop

[Dec 2022] The third edition of the Toy Music Festival in Seoul takes place this December. Fabian’s Clip Clop is one of the programmed works this year, and will be performed by the Seoul Toy Piano Ensemble in Sharon Art Hall on December 22nd. This marks the first time Fabian’s music is performed in Korea. Fabian will attend the festival, thanks to support from The Swedish Arts Grants Committee.
Clip Clop is scored for three stylophones, toy piano, bass melodica and percussion, and was premiered in Hamburg in 2019.
Festival website

Five Obsessive Movements Premieres in Reykjavík

[Oct 2022] Once again, Fabian’s music will be performed at the Nordic Music Days festival, which this year takes place in Reykjavík, Iceland. Fabian has written a work especially for the festival, called Five Obsessive Movements and scored for melodica, toy piano and string quartet. It will be premiered at a concert at Gamla Bió on October 12th by Siggi String Quartet, with guests Ásthildur Ákadóttir and Erna Vala Arnardóttir.
Festival website