page_title: Frederik Magle
section_title: Life
hierarchical_section_title: Frederik Magle / Life
caption_attribution_description: English: Composer and organist Frederik Magle at the pipe organ console. Still photo from a video shot by Baltazar Hertel in the Copenhagen Concert Hall, September 10, 2011.
context_page_description: Frederik Reesen Magle is a Danish composer, concert organist, and pianist. He writes contemporary classical music as well as fusion of classical music and other genres. His compositions include orchestral works, cantatas, chamber music, and solo works, including several compositions commissioned by the Danish Royal Family. Magle has gained a reputation as an organ virtuoso, and as a composer and performing artist who does not refrain from venturing into more experimental projects – often with improvisation – bordering jazz, electronica, and other non-classical genres.
  His best-known works include his concerto for organ and orchestra The Infinite Second, his brass quintet piece Lys på din vej, composed for the christening of Prince Nikolai, The Hope for brass band and choir, his symphonic suite Cantabile, and a collection of improvisations for organ titled Like a Flame.
context_section_description: Frederik Magle was born in Stubbekøbing, the son of actress and writer Mimi Heinrich and organist, painter and sculptor Christian Reesen Magle (1925–96). He is the great-nephew of the composer Emil Reesen (his grandmother's brother). Recognized early as a child prodigy, he appeared on television and in the news media at the age of 9.
  Magle was educated as a private student of Leif Thybo (composition and music theory), and Ib Bindel (organ). He was taught piano, score reading, and music theory from the age of six. At the age of 16, he was admitted to the Royal Danish Academy of Music, where he was taught music theory by Yngve Jan Trede, but after one and a half years he decided to leave the music academy, explaining that he "could not both study at the conservatory and work independently as a composer at the same time." He later stated that the decision "was difficult, and there was a lot to think through," but that he did not regret it.
  He received the scholarship of countess Erna Hamilton in 1993. In 1994, as an organ soloist, he won the Danish qualification rounds and national final of the Eurovision Young Musicians competition. He was one of eight winners of the 24 national competitions that year to be selected for the European final, held at the Philharmonic Concert Hall in Warsaw, Poland on 14 June 1994. He performed Francis Poulenc's Organ Concerto, but was not placed in the top 3. The Polish organizers originally planned the qualifying round to be held elsewhere, but moved it to the Philharmonic Hall (which contains a pipe organ) to accommodate Magle's participation.
  Magle's father died in 1996, shortly before the first performance of Frederik Magle's Christmas cantata A newborn child, before eternity, God!, which is dedicated to him. Magle was awarded the Freemason's Arts Prize in 2001. In 2006 he took ownership of the classical music internet forum "Talk Classical".
  He has said that he often gets his ideas in dreams and always have a notebook next to him when he sleeps, in case he gets an idea for a "musical phrase or an orchestral build-up" during the night. This method is often found among great minds, and is similar to the Slumber with the Key method.
caption: Frederik Magle at the organ in Koncerthuset, Copenhagen
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