WORLD PREMIERE Spectral in Emmy Lindström's violin concerto for Malin Broman
On January 29 and 30, Malin Broman and the Nordic Chamber Orchestra will premiere Emmy Lindström’s violin concerto November Night in Jakobstad. Commissioning and highlighting new music—especially by female composers—is a key part of Broman’s vision as artistic director of the orchestra. And this particular piece of music is based on a ghost story.
THREE QUESTIONS FOR EMMY LINDSTRÖM
Your new violin concerto is called November Night in Jakobstad. How did you get the idea for the concerto?
The idea was born on a November night in Jakobstad in 2024! I was there as Composer in Residence at the RUSK festival, and we had been out for a late dinner after one of the concerts. Two friends and I were heading back to the hotel, and once there, a lot of strange things happened, and the idea for a ghost story emerged. I had been thinking for a while about what my violin concerto should be about, as I like to tell a concrete story with my music. Suddenly, the structure of the concerto felt obvious!
What actually happened that night?
The night was incredibly beautiful; soft, falling snow surrounded us and lit up the dark night. It was quiet, calm, and pleasant. But once we arrived at the hotel, we couldn't find the night entrance, and when we finally did, it was as if we ended up in an alternative part of the hotel that wasn't being used—as if we were backstage. We arrived at strange rooms and halls and, at one point, lost sight of each other. There was a ghostly presence that we all experienced, and the whole thing felt both surreal and, at times, frightening. Eventually, we came together again, found our way out of the "backstage" area, and found our rooms... but the mysterious feeling remained, and everything felt like a dream...
You are a violinist yourself. How was it writing a solo concerto for your "own" instrument?
When I was asked to write a violin concerto for Malin Broman, I was incredibly happy! She is a truly amazing violinist who is curious and eager to explore the instrument's possibilities. It gives me, as a composer, great freedom that we can dare to test and bounce ideas off each other. Being a violinist myself can probably be both an obstacle and an advantage, but primarily an advantage in that I know the strengths, weaknesses, and what can be done with the instrument. It allows me to optimize the part and write more idiomatically. At the same time, it makes you humble—there is so much fantastic repertoire for the violin, what could I possibly add? But I feel that Malin and I have found something very exciting in November Night in Jakobstad!
The program also features Beethoven’s Prometheus Overture and Symphony No. 4 in B-flat major, as well as Britta Byström’s A Walk to Beethoven’s First Symphony. The concert will be performed on January 29 at Tonhallen in Sundsvall and on January 30 at Härnösand Cathedral.
Participants:
Nordic Chamber Orchestra
Malin Broman, violin soloist and leader
https://musikvasternorrland.se/sv/vara-konserter/2026/broman-spelar-lindstrom/