EBU-IMZ Outstanding Achievement Award

Mikael Karlsson and Alexander Ekman triumph as EBU – IMZ Outstanding Achievement Awardees!

The 2023 EBU-IMZ Outstanding Achievement Award honours both a composer and a dance performer and choreographer from Sweden with this year’s award.

Once again, the Golden Prague International Television Festival was the perfect stage to celebrate the most achieved in the field of dance, film and performance. The European Broadcasting Union EBU and the IMZ are proud to give this year’s award to Mikael Karlsson and Alexander Ekman.

Describing the achievement never does the work of art justice. But there is something of a genuine inquiry, the lust for something new and the courage to create it, that has driven these two gentleman to exactly those hights that make art so enriching.

Both coming from Sweden, Mikael Karlsson and Alexander Ekman have two quite different approaches to art. Whilst one creates image with the movement of the body, through dance, the other focusses on music and composition entirely. But in art, there is always the need for a link of the seemingly unconnected. And so, the two set up to compose music with movement and movement with music. Creating multiple pieces together, they showed us what art is all about: exploration, creation and revelation.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream or Eskapist, are two exceptional examples, where the two showcase their artistic depth to the viewer. Or dive into the drama and aloof beauty of the Swan Lake from the Opera House, where the two worked not only on the sound and music, but managed to include the splash of water as an additional element to the performance.

The award of course not only honours the recipient’s collaborative works, but also their individual contributions:

Mikael Karlsson, a composer of exceptional talent, has studied classical composition at the Aaron Copland School of Music in Sweden. Having an open mind led Mikael to work in various different genres, including writing music for video games like the Battlefield series. Mikael Karlsson's profound musical contributions have garnered him numerous accolades, including the esteemed Wladimir and Rhoda Lakond Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters.

Alexander Ekman, also diversly active - as a dancer, choreographer, director, and set designer, began his artistic journey likewise in Sweden. His unique style blends dramatic storytelling with humour, captivating audiences and adding some light-heartedness to his performances. Alexander Ekman has continuously pushed the boundaries of dance, like through the collaboration with composers like Mikael Karlsson.

We from the IMZ would like to express our congratulations on the highly earned accolades. And in the words of Arild Erikstad: “We are looking forward to future creations that will undoubtedly continue to inspire us all.”