Ensemble Villancico
The Ensemble Villancico was formed in 1995 for the purpose of performing and spreading the renaissance music collection "Cancionero de Upsala", and is conducted by Peter Pontvik. The ensemble has given more than a hundred concerts, in 25 countries (Scandinavia, Germany, Italy, Spain, the Baltic states and Latin America).
In october 2001, the Ensemble Villancico was awarded the Ivan Lukacic prize of the Music festival in Varazdin, Croatia.
Now the ensemble is concentrating on the baroque period repertoire of Latin America. In 2000 the CD ¡A la Xácara! The Jungle Book of the Baroque (CAP 21658) was released. In November 2002, another CD with American baroque Music, 'Hy hy hy hy hy hy hy - The New Jungle Book of the Baroque' (CAP 21688), was released on Caprice Records.
Ensemble Villancico have earlier recorded the CD Cancionero de Upsala 1556 (1996), and the CD single Music from a pack of cards (1999) with songs by Claudin de Sermisy.
Peter Pontvik
Born in Copenhagen 1963. Studies in composition for René Marino Rivero and member of "Taller de música contemporánea" (Workshop for new music) in Montevideo, Uruguay. Musical science and conducting at the National Conservatory in Montevideo. Composition studies at the Royal University college of Music in Stockholm for among others Sven-David Sandström and Daniel Börtz. Studies in song for among others Mikael Bellini.
1989, first prize in the "18th International Competition for Choir Composition," Tolosa, Spain, for the work "Amen."
1991, The Royal Swedish Academy of Music's scholarship for higher studies abroad in composition for professor Wolfgang Rihm in Karlsruhe, Germany, as well as early music for professor Hans-Georg Renner.
Member of the Society of Swedish Composers, active as a freelance. Has written chamber music and works for choir for, among others, the Swedish Artist's Association, the Heinrich Isaac Ensemble (Germany), The Cultural Foundation of Sörmland and the Swedish National Concert Institute.
Founded the Ensemble Villancico in 1995. Since 2002 the artistic leader of the Stockholm Early Music Festival.
