The following is a list of notable events and releases that happened in Nordic music in 2012.
Events
31 March Norway's Sigrid Moldestad is awarded the Vossajazzprisen for 2012. Norwegian jazz musician and composer Karl Seglem performs the commissioned work Som Spor at Vossajazz. 5 May – Norwegian trumpeter Mathias Eick and his quintet receive the BMW Welt Jazz Award 2012. 6 May – Swedish singer Loreen wins the 57th annual Eurovision Song Contest, held in Baku, Azerbaijan. 6 June – The 20th Sweden Rock Festival opens in Norje, running until 9 June). 25 June – Peter Wichers leaves the band Soilwork for a second time. 24 September – Swedish band Dark Funeral appear in Washington DC, United States, making their first major appearance with their new vocalist Nachtgarm. He would leave the band after less than a year. 1 October – Anette Olzon leaves the band Nightwish. 9 November – Finnish band Amberian Dawn announce the departure of singer Heidi Parviainen, drummer Heikki Saari and guitarist Kasperi Heikkinen. 21 December – Päivi "Capri" Virkkunen is announced as the new vocalist of Amberian Dawn.
New works Hans Abrahamsen – String Quartet No. 4 Magnus Lindberg – Acequia Madre, for clarinet and piano Kaija Saariaho – Circle Map
Film and television music Hildur Guðnadóttir – Astro: An Urban Fable in a Magical Rio de Janeiro Imaginaerum (released 23 November), based on Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish's seventh studio album of the same name, co-written by the band's keyboardist and songwriter Tuomas Holopainen.
Albums released
January DayAlbumArtistLabelNotesRef.9 Todd Terje It's the Arps Olsen Records EP 27 Tord Gustavsen Quartet The Well AFM Records Stian Omenås Klangkammer 1
February DayAlbumArtistLabelNotesRef.1 Swallow the Sun Emerald Forest and the Blackbird Spinefarm Records 10 Dunderbeist Black Arts & Crooked Tails Engel Songs for the Dead EP13 Coldworker The Doomsayer's Call Listenable Records Final album before 2013 breakup14 Avatar Black Waltz eOne Music 15 Soen Cognitive Spinefarm Records Debut album
March DayAlbumArtistLabelNotesRef.23 Aura Noir Out to DieAura Noir To Release Fifth LP In March26 Borknagar UrdHigh Roller Records / Indie Recordings Naglfar Téras Century Media RecordsFeatures Dirk Verbeuren as a session musician 30 Atrocity Die Gottlosen JahreDouble live DVDAtrocity – To Release Double Live DVD
April DayAlbumArtistLabelNotesRef.18 In Mourning The Weight of Oceans Spinefarm Records Produced by Jonas Kjellgren Verjnuarmu Pimmeyvven Ruhtinas Universal Music 23 Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 5 & 7; Karelia Suite Decca Records, Deutsche Grammophon Conducted by Neeme Järvi
May DayAlbumArtistLabelNotesRef.7 Storm Corrosion Storm Corrosion Roadrunner Records Collaboration between Mikael Åkerfeldt and Steven Wilson
June DayAlbumArtistLabelNotesRef.1 Circus Maximus Nine Frontiers Records Jorn Bring Heavy Rock to the Land Frontiers Records
July DayAlbumArtistLabelNotesRef.23 Zonaria Arrival of the Red Sun Listenable Records
August DayAlbumArtistLabelNotesRef.24 Tarja Turunen Act I : Live in Rosario earMUSIC Live album recorded at El Círculo Theatre in Rosario, Argentina Trollfest Brumlebassen 27 Ensiferum Unsung Heroes Grave Endless Procession of Souls Century Media Records Katatonia Dead End Kings Peaceville Records
September DayAlbumArtistLabelNotesRef.7 Elephant9, with Reine Fiske Atlantis Rune Grammofon
October DayAlbumArtistLabelNotesRef.22Dark TranquillityZero DistanceCentury Media RecordsEP26SkálmöldBörn LokaNapalm Records Based on Norse mythology30RagnarokMaledictionAgonia Records
November DayAlbumArtistLabelNotesRef.2 NonExist From My Cold Dead Hands Moonlight Lucifer's Rising Impaled Records Tiamat The Scarred People Napalm Records
December DayArtistAlbumLabelNotesRef. 3 Basshunter The Early Bedroom Sessions Rush Hour Compilation album 5 Yngwie Malmsteen Spellbound Rising Force 12 The Project Hate MCMXCIX The Cadaverous Retaliation Agenda Mouth of Belial Productions 21 The Unguided InvaZion (EP) EP
Deaths 1 January – Anders Frandsen, Danish singer and television presenter, 51 4 January – Totti Bergh, Norwegian jazz saxophonist, 76 13 February – Tommi Kristian "Tonmi" Lillman ("Otus"), Finnish drummer (Lordi), 38 22 February – Eivin One Pedersen, Norwegian jazz accordionist and pianist, 55 15 March – Edvard Hagerup Bull, Norwegian classical composer, 89 15 June – Rune Gustafsson, Swedish guitarist and composer, 78 8 October – John Tchicai, Danish saxophonist and composer, 76 15 October – Axel Borup-Jørgensen, Danish composer, 87 3 November Anne-Lise Berntsen, Norwegian soprano, 69 Odd Børretzen, Norwegian author and folk singer, 85 15 November – Frode Thingnæs, Norwegian jazz musician, 72
References