Composer,
organist, choir director, pedagogue
Born 1944 at
Riiskov, Denmark
Curriculum Vitae
Henrik Colding-Jorgensen received his degree as an organist from the Royal
Danish Academy of Music in 1966 and as an authorised music teacher in 1967.
During the early 1960s he studied composition with Vagn Holmboe complimenting
this with later independent study on instrumentation, electro-acoustics,
computer programming and more.
Henrik Colding-Jørgensen taught theory, ear training and organ
at the Copenhagen Music School from 1967 to 1970; and from 1969 until 1975
classes on music theory at the The Carl Nielsen Academy of Music, Odense. In
1975 he was appointed organist and choir director at Hundige and Kildebrønde
Churches south of Copenhagen, where he remains responsible for this large
parish’s musical requirements, including the girls choir singing in the two
churches.
His music includes a number of orchestral works - with or without choir
and soloists, - vocal and instrumental chamber music, choral music and works
for amateur musicians. Most recent chamber music is works for solo tuba, saxophonequartet,
cello solo, organ or choir. A series of chamber works and choral music has been
published in 2004 and 2005 by Edition Samfundet, Copenhagen. About the last
decade he has created a number of choral works, for mixed or equal voices. In
2007, some aleatoric and graphic compositions from 1979, 1980 and 1992 had
their colours restored and lines partly redrawn for inclusion in the "Notations21" collection, published 2008.
Henrik Colding-Jørgensen received a bursary from the Danish State Art
Foundation for the years 1969-72. He won composition prizes in 1969 (4
preludes), 1970 (Albert), 1973 (Magnus) and Concours
Internationale Musicale Opera et Ballet de Genéve 1985 (Nuup Kangerlua).
2 Songs by
Keats, a duo for
soprano and guitar, was performed for the first time at the Nordic Music Days
Festival (1990), Le Alpi Nel Cuore for orchestra at the opening of Louisiana
Museum of Modern Art’s new exhibition hall in 1991, Sourires, for solo
tuba, at the Nordic Music Days Festival 2000 in Finland, and Englens Hånd
(The Hand Of The Angel), for alto, bass, piano and accordion, at the Suså
Festival 2001.
Commissions (Selection)
Magnus (organ) 1972, Skovshoved Kirke - Altid
Noget Andet (ten, via d'amore) 1973, Lyngby Unge Tonekunstnere - Jeg ved
det godt (tape) with Karsten Bjarnholt, 1973, Danmarks Radio - Victoria
Gennem Skoven (contralto, orch) 1975, Randers Byorkester - At Elske
Musikken (To love music) 1976, The Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra - Ballade (tuba and orch) 1979, The Danish State
Art Foundation, Jørgen Arnstedt - Som En Rejsende (vcl, prc) 1992, Ny
Musik i Birkerød - Krystal, Metamorfose (stringquartet) 1993,
Frederiksborg Amtsmusikudvalg, Svend Erik Jensen - Signal Vestvolden (4
tpts) 1995, Culture Capital 96, Brøndby Kommune - Discours With Time; Musik
For Fredskrudtmagasin (fl, clar, vcl, sax, tbn, prc in interaction with
sculptures and installation) 1996, Culture Capital 96, Brøndby Kommune. Kyrie
Agnus Dei (SATB speech choir) 2002, Herning Kirkes Drengekor and The Danish
State Art Foundation. - Bach's Christmas (solo oboe, mixed choir and
organ, including eight chorales from Bach's Christmas Oratorio) 2007, commissioned
by Nuuk Nordic Choir, Greenland.
Henrik Colding-Jørgensen was a member of
the Danish Composer’s Association managing committee from 1981 until 1991 and participated in a number of other committees and boards.