Cikada
The Norwegian ensemble Cikada was awarded the Nordic Council Music Prize 2005.
Among Nordic composers with whom Cikada has co-operated are Rolf Wallin, Arne Nordheim, Cecilie Ore, Kaija Saariaho, Anders Nilsson and Magnus Lindberg. The concert programme also often includes works by Iannis Xenakis, Luigi Nono, Morton Feldman and John Cage.
Cikada was founded in 1989 and consists of nine musicians under the leadership of the conductor Christian Eggen. Under the Cikada banner there are three connected yet autonomous groups: Cikada Ensemble, Cikada String Quartet and Cikada Duo.
Their joint aim is to promote the newest instrumental music and at the same time to integrate electro-acoustic works into the repertoire. The Nordic Council Music Prize is worth 350,000 Danish kroner and was presented during the Nordic Council Session Reykjavik on 26 October 2005.