Molly Kien is an American composer currently based in Stockholm, Sweden. She completed her Master’s degree in composition in 2009 at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm and holds a Bachelor’s degree in composition from Indiana University in Bloomington. She first came to Sweden in 2002 to study at the Gotland School of Music Composition following studies with Swedish composer Sven-David Sandström at Indiana University in Bloomington.
She has written works for ensembles such as the Swedish Radio Choir, KammarensembleN, the Gävle Symphony Orchestra, the Swedish Chamber Orchestra, Musica Vitae, Nordic Fusion 6, Pärlor för svin and the Royal College of Music in Stockholm’s Symphony Orchestra.
Molly Kien is a member of the Swedish Performing Rights Society (STIM) and the Society of Swedish Composers (FST). She has received scholarships from STIM, the Royal Swedish Academy of Music and SWEA.
nova project
Together with composer colleague Andrea Tarrodi, Molly Kien is working as a composer with the Swedish Chamber Orchestra’s Nova Project. The project is a collaboration between composers, the orchestra, and children in schools in and around Örebro, Sweden. Over the course of the 2009-2010 school year, Kien will be helping four classes write four orchestra pieces, each of which will be performed on a different concert during the Swedish Chamber Orchestra’s regular concert season.
composer of the year
Kien has been chosen as the composer of the year by Bergslagen’s Chamber Symphonic Players. She will be writing a piece for wind orchestra which will be performed at the annual summer festival.
plucked from nowhere
Molly Kien’s piece for harp and chamber orchestra, Song of Britomartis, originally written for Laura Stephenson and KammarensembleN, won first prize in the Alvarez Chamber Orchestra’s competition “Plucked from Nowhere” and will be performed next year by the orchestra in London. Read more about Plucked from Nowhere here.
orchestral
Song of Britomartis (2009) for solo harp and chamber orchestra
The Frozen Planet (2009) for chamber orchestra and school class
Color Room (2009) for chamber orchestra and school class
Landsendi (2007) for string orchestra
Alle (2006) for symphony orchestra
Nakata gör sin plikt (2005) for wind symphony
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choral
jag drack ett mörkt svart vin (for mixed choir, text by Bruno K. Öijer)
Deyr fé, deyja frændr (for mixed choir)
chamber music
The Magic Drum (2008) for percussion trio
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Hildegard’s Dream (2007) for clarinet, alto saxophone, trumpet, percussion, piano and cello
Flykting (2004) for soprano and mixed ensemble, text by Göran Sonnevi)
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Weaving (2003) for flute, piano, violin and cello
Sigh (2003) for string quartet
Drei Struwwelpeter Lieder (2001) for soprano, harp and cello
Daddy Longlegs of the Evening (1998) for clarinet, alto saxophone, bassoon, French horn, viola and cello
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String Quartet No. 1 (1997)
electroacoustic
Vandalia (2008)
Buffalo Gals (2007)
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Character Sketches (2006)
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That Old Shadow (2005) text by Adrian Kien
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