Alexandra Nilsson / Solovkina (b. 1979) is a composer, sound artist and performer based in Stockholm, Sweden.
Her work stretches across acoustic and electroacoustic music, sound art, noise and performative practices. Lyrical as well as brutal, minimalist and maximalist, her art moves through the delicate and subtle expressions to the raw and forceful. She is interested in the borderline between acoustic and electronic sound worlds and researches materials acoustically, performatively, and contextually – always searching for transformations and transcendence of the material. With a background as a trumpeter in jazz and folklore, rhythm and improvisation are also important aspects of her practice.
In 2010 she received a Master´s Degree in composition at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm. Her Master focused on music for film and she is continuously interested in interactions between sound and image and narrative aspects.
She often collaborates with dancers, performers and visual artists, ongoing collaborations include:
SISTERLOOPS – performative sound art and noise duo with stage and media artist Marie Gavois
SHAPES OF SOUNDS – audiovisual duo with visual artist Jenny Soep
RADIO TWO – electroacoustic duo with trumpeter and improviser Susana Santos Silva
Her main ongoing solo project is FOSSIL, where she composes and performs with stones, mainly limestone and sandstone, and electronics.
She has composed for dance, film, theatre, chamber ensemble, art exibitions, orchestra, Big Band and soloists. Her music has been performed nationally at The Stockholm Concert Hall, Kalv Festival, Svensk Musikvår, Göteborg Art and Sounds Festival, Norberg Festival, GEIGER Festival, Fylkingen, as well as internationally at Nordic Music Days (FO), Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, (DE) Ausland (DE), NCCA (RU), Sonorium (JP) and Audio Rebel (BR).
2024-2025 she has been granted a two year scholarship and work space at Transit Kulturinkubator at Konstfack (University of Arts, Crafts and Design). She works on a regular basis at Elektronmusikstudion, (EMS) in Stockholm.
Education
2008-2010 Master´s Degree in filmscoring at The Royal College of Music in Stockholm.
2005-2008 Bachelor´s Degree in Jazz composition at The Royal College of Music in Stockholm.
2002-2004 Instituto Superior de Arte, Havanna, Cuba. Music studies.
1998-2000 Fridhem Folk High School. Studies in jazz and composition.
1995-1998 Södra Latin Music College, Stockholm.
Board and Jury assignments and Memberships
Swedish Arts Council – member of the reference group for concert and collaboration projects 2022 –
STIM – (Swedish Performing Rights Society) deputy board member 2017-2022
SKAP – (Swedish Society of Songwriters, Composers and Authors) board member 2014-2022
SOUND OF STOCKHOLM – (festival in Stockholm for contemporary and experimental music) vice chairperson 2019-2022
FYLKINGEN – ( artists´society and venue of new music and intermedia art since 1933) board member 2015-2016
KVAST – (Swedish Association of Woman Composers) board member and vice chairperson 2013-2015
FST – (Society of Swedish Composers) member since 2014
KONSTMUSIKSYSTRAR – (Society of Swedish Female Composers) member since 2016
VEMS – (Society of composers at EMS- the center for Swedish Electroacoustic Music and Sound Art) member since 2014
Selected Grants and Scholarships (In SEK)
2024-2025 work space at Transit Kulturinkubator at Konstfack
2023 Helge Axelsson Johnsons Stiftelse, 25 000.
2022 STIM, Composers´ scholarship, 50 000.
2022 Swedish Arts Grants Committee, 70 000. Working Grant.
2022 Swedish Arts Grants Committee, 21 600.
2021 FST Composers´ scholarship, 50 000.
2021 Swedish Arts Grants Committee, 57 200.
2021 Region Stockholm, 30 000. CRASH RIDE6- Collaboration project with Marie Gavois for SISTERLOOPS.
2020 Musikverket, 95 000. CRASH RIDE6-Collaboration project with Marie Gavois for SISTERLOOPS.
2020 Musikverket, 255 000. Stone Breath – Collaboration project with KAI-EN Butoh Company.
2020 Helge Axelsson Johnsons Stiftelse, 40 000
2019 Swedish Arts Council, 30 000. Commission by Stockholms Wind Orchestra in collaboration with Konstmusiksystrar.
2018 Musikverket, 96 200. Shapes of Sounds workshop project.
2018 Swedish Arts Grants Committee, 50 000. Working Grant.
2017 Swedish Arts Grants Committee, 80 000. Collaboration project with Susana Santos Silva
2016 FST Composers´ scholarship, 50 000.
2014 Längmanska Kulturfonden, 20 000. Collaboration project with Marie Gavois.
2013 Musikverket, 100 000. For Composers Collective Tonmakeriet.
2012 Swedish Arts Council, 30 000. Commission for Stockholms Saxophone Quartet.
2009 STIM, Composers´ scholarship 25 000.
2009 Byggnads Kulturstipendium, 15 000. Composers´ scholarship.
2009 Sandrews stipendium, 30 000. Composers´ scholarship.
2008 Helge Axelsson Johnsons Stiftelse, 20 000.
2007 SKAP 40 000. Composers´ scholarship.