Ukrainian composer Valentyn Silvestrov's music performed at Nobel Prize ceremony in Sweden

The New Voice of Ukraine
·2 min read
Music by Valentyn Silvestrov was performed at the Nobel Prize ceremony
Music by Valentyn Silvestrov was performed at the Nobel Prize ceremony

Ukrainian maestro Valentyn Silvestrov's harmonies echoed through the hallowed halls of the 2023 Nobel Prize ceremony, a distinguished affair hosted in the Scandinavian capitals of Stockholm, Sweden, and Oslo, Norway, on Sunday, Dec. 10.

In the regal setting of Stockholm, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra lent its artistry to the celebration, performing the Evening Serenade from Silvestrov's 2002 composition, part of the Quiet Music cycle.

At age 86, Silvestrov stands as a luminary in contemporary Ukrainian music, pioneering the avant-garde movement as a founder of the Kyiv Avant-Garde composers in the 1960s. He has won several national and international accolades over the years, including the prestigious Shevchenko Prize. Forced into exile by Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Silvestrov now resides abroad, yet his musical resonance graces some of the world's most esteemed stages.

Read also: Ukrainian Nobel laureate speaks out about progress in Ukrainian civil rights

In the presence of the Swedish royal family at the Stockholm Concert Hall, laurels were bestowed upon Pierre Agostini, Ferenc Krausz, and Anne L'Huillier for Physics; Mundi Bavendi, Louis Bruce, and Alexei Yekimov for Chemistry; Drew Weissman and Katalin Kariko for Physiology or Medicine; Jon Fosse for Literature; and Claudia Goldin for Economics.

In Oslo, City Hall served as the backdrop for the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony, personally awarded by the head of the Norwegian Nobel Committee in the company of King Harald V of Norway.

The esteemed Peace Prize was conferred upon Iranian human rights advocate Nargis Mohammadi, who is currently incarcerated. In a poignant moment, her 17-year-old twins, Ali and Kiana, accepted the award on her behalf, delivering a heartfelt speech transmitted from their mother's prison confines.

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