Stefan Parkman has made an excellent name for himself especially as a choral conductor. He held the positions of Chief Conductor of the WDR Radio Choir Cologne from 2014-2020, Danish National Radio Choir and Swedish Radio Choir, led the Royal Philharmonic Choir Stockholm and the Uppsala Cathedral Boy's Choir and has been Artistic Director of the Uppsala Academy Chamber Choir since 1983.
Stefan Parkman has been appointed as interim conductor of Yale Schola Cantorum and visiting professor of choral conducting in 2024/25. In 2023/24 he conducted the Dresdner Kammerchor in four programmes and on tour alongside his commitment as visiting professor at Dresden University of music.
The collaboration with choirs such as RIAS Chamber Choir, Rundfunkchor Berlin, MDR Radio Choir Leipzig, NDR Vocal Ensemble Hamburg, SWR Vocal Ensemble Stuttgart, Bavarian Radio Choir, Netherlands Radio Choir, Choeur de Radio France as well as various North American choirs consolidated his reputation as a specialist in vocal music. Stefan Parkman also led the Croatian and Hungarian Radio Choirs, Polish Chamber Choir and many other vocal ensembles.
In addition, he has conducted almost all the major Swedish ensembles and symphony orchestras, led the Stavanger Symphony, Danish National Symphony, Odense Symphony, Aarhus Symphony, Aalborg Symphony, South Denmark Philharmonic as well as Queensland Symphony.
Highlights of his career mark numerous first performances of Scandinavian A cappella pieces at major venues and festivals. Stefan Parkman had a special artistic relationship with the composer Sven-David Sandström (+2019) who has impressed the contemporary Swedish music scene and whose works Parkman is championing on international stages.
His album Nordic Choral Music with compositions by Nystedt, Nordgard, Sven-David Sandström, Rautavaara among others with the WDR Radio Choir and the Youth Concert Choir of the Dortmund Choral Academy was released by hänssler Classic in 2021. With the Academy Chamber Choir Uppsala and soloists of the WDR Radio Choir, Stefan Parkman has recorded Sacred Treasures with music by Schütz, Tunder, Buxtehude, Vesi and Quagliati from the famous Düben collection for the Swedish label Footsprints in 2020.
His extensive discography includes furthermore recordings for Chandos, Dacapo Records and Coviello Classics with the Rundfunkchor Berlin featuring Rodion Shchedrin’s The Sealed Angel and the Echo Klassik award-winning recording of Ernst Pepping’s Matthew Passion to name but a few.
The Swedish conductor held the Eric Ericson professorship in choral conducting at the Uppsala University from 2010 to 2021 and is Director Cantorum since 2010. He is also vice president of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music and frequently teaches at masterclasses, seminars and workshops in Sweden and abroad. In 1997 Stefan Parkman was made Knight of the Dannebrog Order by Queen Margrethe II of Denmark. For his excellent engagement as choral conductor he received the The Litteris et Artibus Medal from the hands of H. M. The King Carl XVI Gustaf in 2012.
Season 2024/25
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On 27 February 2024 Stefan Parkman conducts the Dresdner Kammerchor in Dresden with a programme of Eriks Esenvalds, Jaakko Mäntyjärvi and Einojuhani Rautavaara.
Stefan Parkman conducts the Croatian Radio Choir with Polar Lights in Zagreb on 6 February 2024. The A cappella programme features music by Stenhammar, Mäntijärvi, Nystedt, Lange-Müller, Johanson, Rautavaara, Bergerheim, Edlung, Alfven, Sven-David Sandström, Jan Sandström and Nils Lindberg.
Stefan Parkman is at rostrum of Dresdner Kammerchor, instrumentalists and soloists on 28 December 2023 to conduct a programme featuring Schütz: Weihnachtshistorie among others.
Stefan Parkman conducts the Dresdner Kammerchor in Dresden on 5 December 2023 in an A cappella concert with music by Michael Praetorius, Max Reger, Eric Whitacre and Eriks Esenvalds.
Stefan Parkman conducts the Dresdner Kammerchor at Musica Sacra Maastricht Festival in Maastricht on 17 September 2023 featuring music by Heinrich Schütz, Giovanni Gabrieli among others.
On 7 May 2023 Stefan Parkman conducted the world premiere of Sven-David Sandström: Te Deum as well as
Verdi: Quattro Pezzi Sacri and Ralph Vaughan Williams: Dona nobis pacem with the Philharmonischer Chor Berlin, Uppsala Academic Chamber Choir, Staatsorchester Frankfurt (Oder) and soloists in Berlin Philharmonie, on 27.05. in Norrköping, 28.05. in Uppsala with Norrköping Symphony Orchestra.
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Stefan Parkman conducts Aalborg Symphony Orchestra, Aarhus Ungdomskor, Det Ny Kammerkor and soloists with J.S. Bach: St John Passion in Aalborg on 5 April 2023.
Stefan Parkman conducts Mozart's Requiem in Sonderborg, Aabenraa and Schleswig in three concerts on 22, 23 and 24 March with Sonderjyllands Symfoniorkester, various local choirs and soloists.
Stefan Parkman conducts J.S. Bach's St. John's Passion with the Aalborg Symfonieorkester, Coro Misto, The New Chamber Choir Aalborg and soloists in Aalborg on 31 March.
Gjeilo, J Sandström, Jansson, Jersild, N Lindberg, Nystedt, Norgard, Rautavaara
WDR Rundfunkchor
Jugendkonzertchor Chorakademie Dortmund
hänssler Classic (2021)
Felix Mendelssohn, Jaakko Mäntyjärvi
Academic Chamber Choir of Uppsala
Footprint Records (2012)
Rundfunkchor Berlin
Coviello Classics (2008)
Echo Klassik
Rundfunkchor Berlin
Coviello Classics (2005)
Danish National Symphony Choir
Chandos (2003)
Danish National Symphony Choir
Athelas Sinfonietta Copenhagen
Chandos (2002)
Royal Philharmonic Choir of Stockholm
Gävle Symphony Orchestra
Sterling (2000)
Danish National Symphony Choir
Chandos (1999)
Lidholm, Nilsson, Edlund, Carlsstedt, Sandström, Olsson, Rosenberg, traditionals
Academy Chamber Choir of Uppsala
Chandos (1999)
Rundfunkchor Berlin
Wergo (1998)
Werle, Lidholm, Hakanson, Edlund
Academy Chamber Choir of Uppsala
Hakan Hagegard (baritone)
Chandos (1998)
Academy Chamber Choir of Uppsala
Bengt Forsberg (piano)
Chandos (1997)