Swedish Radio to host meeting of radio producers

The International Rostrum of Composers is an international forum of representatives from broadcasting organisations who come together for the purpose of exchanging and broadcasting contemporary music. The Rostrum was founded in 1954 as a flagship project of the International Music Council, the world's leading membership-based professional organisation dedicated to the promotion of the value of music in the lives of all peoples. This year's 59th edition of the Rostrum will be hosted for the first time in the project's history by Swedish Radio in Stockholm from May 22nd to 25th.

Contemporary music producers from 27 national radio networks from four continents will present works composed within the five years preceding the Rostrum. After the listening sessions, the assembly of delegates will select and recommend the most distinctive works in two categories: 'general' and 'young composers under 30'. These and other works will be presented in concerts and broadcast after the Rostrum by the participating and other interested radio stations.

The International Rostrum of Composers is one of the most important projects in promoting contemporary music, with its central purpose to provide contemporary musical creations the largest possible number of broadcasts worldwide. In its almost 60-year history, the IRC has revealed the emergence of many of the world's most gifted composers whilst they are still young. Famous composers such as Luciano Berio, Louis Andriessen, Thomas Adès and Anders Hillborg had their first international successes when they were presented at the Rostrum.

During their visit to Sweden, the Rostrum delegates will be offered opportunities for knowledge sharing during a meeting with the Head of Euroradio (EBU), Pierre-Yves Tribolet, and an 'open mic' session on the challenges and opportunities for new music in the radio environment. The itinerary for the week includes a concert featuring last year's IRC winner Francesco Filidei, an opera performance, an interview with Swedish composer Jesper Nordin and a presentation of the music life in Sweden by the chair of the Swedish Composers' Society, Martin Q. Larsson, and Lotta Lundell, Project Manager, Nordic Music Days 2012.