Benjamin Staern, born 6 December 1978 in Gothenburg, Swedish composer. Son of Gunnar Staern.
Staern studied in his childhood cello, piano and percussion at the local music school in Malmö. During his studies in musicology at Lund University and before he felt that composition proved to be an interesting path to pursue. The following year he was accepted at the composition department at Musikhögskolan in Malmö, where he studied during the years 1998 to 2005 with professors Rolf Martinsson, Hans Gefors, Kent Olofsson (electronic music), Björn-Tryggve Johansson (instrumentation and counterpoint), Per Mårtensson and Lars Sandberg. During his diploma studies his main professor was Luca Francesconi. He was awarded a Diploma of Fine Arts and Music at the latter mentioned academy.
Staern's music has been performed at festivals for new music, such as Ung Nordisk Musik, Stockholm New Music and Sirenfestivalen in Gothenburg. In August 2006, his work The Threat of War was performed twice by the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra in Stockholm Concert Hall, conducted by Michael Christie
Staern also received grants from the Swedish Royal Musical Academy, Helge Ax: son Johnson, Annik och Lars Leander, Rosenborg/Gehrmans composition study scholarship and STIM.
Following an invitation from New European Ensemble's artistic director, Christian Karlsen, Benjamin Staern became the first composer-in-residence of The Netherlands-based group. He has up till now written two large works for them Tranströmersånger and the chamber symphony Bells and Waves. The residency is said to lead to 3-4 works.[1] Bells and Waves was awarded - Most Significant Chamber Work of the Year - by the Swedish Music Publisher's Association in November 2011.[2]
