Photos by Malte Bülow
BIOGRAPHY
Frederik Zeuthen (b. 1996) is a Danish composer, musician and music educator based in Copenhagen. He is currently studying an advanced postgraduate degree (solistklasse) in Composition at The Royal Danish Academy of Music under Bent Sørensen and Jeppe Just, and has previously studied his Master’s degree at Malmö Academy of Music in Sweden with teachers Bent Sørensen and Staffan Storm and his Bachelor’s degree at The Royal Academy of Music, Aarhus with teachers Niels Rønsholdt, Juliana Hodkinson and Simon Steen-Andersen.
“… så slog stemningen om, og Zeuthen opsøgte dramaet: Kraftige pointillistiske nedslag ledte, afbrudt af gejseragtige sammentrækninger med udstrakt klang, frem mod store, hektiske sløjfer af atonalitet og percussive jagtsekvenser i fælles flok. (…) Man anede en excentriker med veneration for en ellers outdated modernisme og sære klange.”
– Sune Anderberg, Seismograf (2026)
Zeuthen has composed for a variety of Danish and international orchestras and ensembles, including The Danish National Symphony Orchestra, Ensemble MidtVest (DK), Esbjerg Ensemblet (DK), Norrköping Symphony Orchestra (SE), Rudersdal Chamber Players (DK), Ensemble Storstrøm (DK), Mivos Quartet (US), Jönköping Sinfonietta (SE), Ensemble Airborne Extended (AU), Aarhus Chamber Orchestra (DK) and The Youth Ensemble DUEN (DK). His pieces has furthermore been premiered by internationally renowned soloists, such as Bjarke Mogensen (DK), Jonathan Swensen (DK), Christoffer Sundqvist (FI), Julian Arp (DE), Janne Thomsen (DK) and Natalie Clein (GB).
His music has commissioned and/or performed on festivals, such as Vienna Summer Music Festival, Aarhus Chamber Music Festival (as composer-in-residence), Rudersdal Sommerkoncerter (as composer-in-residence), Oremandsgaard Chamber Music Festival, Herning Opera Festival, PULSAR Festival, Connect Festival and Vendsyssel Festival (as composer-in-residence).
“Det er Frederik Zeuthens første kammeropera, bestilt af operafestivalen (…) og det er der kommet et sympatisk, impressionistisk, sansemættet og overbevisende værk ud af, der lover godt for den unge komponist. (…) Der er tale om en helstøbt komposition, der fungerer på de snævre præmisser, og som byder på tilstrækkelige musikalske og vokale sansninger, til at værket er interessant. Det inviterer og lokker indenfor for derefter at afdække et mørke dybere end natten og skoven. Pludselig er at stille, og vores nysgerrighed er fastholdt. Det er godt gået. Ham kommer vi til at høre mere til.”
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– Kurt H. Jørgensen, Herning Folkeblad (2020)
Zeuthen has furthermore scored several short films and documentaries, including the “Robert”-nominated documentary, En Dans For Livet (2021), with screenings in cinemas across Denmark and on Danish national TV (DR). In 2025 his score for the short film “Drømmedreng” was nominated for an Ekko Shortlist Award in the category “Best Original Score”.
Zeuthen is the recipient of the Carl Nielsen and Anne Marie Carl-Nielsen Talent Prize 2024, the Léonie Sonning Talent Prize 2022, Annik and Lars Leander Foundation’s Composer’s Scholarship 2023, The Royal Swedish Academy of Music (KMA)’s Local Scholarship, and was winner of the international DYCE Project (Discovering Young Composer’s of Europe) Composition Competition 2022, funded by the European Union.
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“Han laver en musik, der kan skabe en helt særlig atmosfære. Det er virkelig vellavet, og han kan sit håndværk. (…) Frederiks musik er noget, som kan leve rigtig længe, og som også vil tale til mennesker engang ude i fremtiden. De klassiske værker vi spiller er jo skrevet i en helt anden verden, end den vi lever i idag, men alligevel formår de at tale til os nutidige mennesker. Min mavefornemmelse siger, at Frederiks musik vil kunne gøre det samme.”
– Christine Pryhn, kunstnerisk leder for Rudersdal Sommerkoncerter (2025)