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The Swedish choral conductor, organist, music teacher and composer, Maria Löfberg, made her first attempts at composition in high school. After graduating, she enrolled at Geijerskolan, a music school in Värmland, obtaining her Master of Arts degree in Music (1988-1990) and a certificate making her eligible to work as a kantor (church musician) in Swedish churches. After some years spent gaining practical experience as a kantor, she resettled in Gothenberg and enrolled at the Musikhögskolan Göteborg (1992-1997), furthering her studies of counterpoint and composition in addition to church music, in which she obtained her Master of Music degree in 1997.
In 1999, Maria Löfberg enjoyed considerable success with her first major work, the Christmas cantata Nativitas, made possible through a grant from the Kyrkosångens vänner (Society of Church Singers). Since the advent of the turn of the 21st century, she has emerged as a major voice in Swedish religious music. He music has steadily been gaining popularity with choruses within Sweden and elsewhere, and the works that she has produced range from small settings for a cappella chorus up to choral works with full orchestra. Her Missa Laetatus sum, Psalm settings for low voice, and Missa brevis in D minor have achieved many performances and have spread Löfberg's reputation throughout Europe. She writes music, often sacred, for solo voice, choir, organ and chamber ensemble. Since 2007 she has been a member of the Association of Swedish Composers (Föreningen svenska tonsättare). Her prizes include: 2nd Prize in the Jyväskyllä composition competition for women's choir and symphony orchestra with Guido's Discovery (2011); Winner of the Allmänna Sången & Anders Wall Composition Competition with the choral piece Sandskrift (2014).
Maria Löfberg served as organist and composer at Morup's parish (SepteMa Maria Löfbergs Musik: August 2005-October 2015); and currently serves as organist, composer and choir director of Falkenbergs Motettkör at Falkenberg's parish, Halland County (Svenska Kyrkan: since December 2015). She currently lives in Glommen, Sweden. |
