Ylva Nyberg Bentancor

Ylva Bentacor born in 1967, has always had her sights set on music. Starting with piano lessons as a child, she later explored a range of musical styles—leading the rock band Svea and playing in the reggae group Bushtrain during her teenage years. She went on to study composition with Maurice Karkoff in Stockholm and Poul Ruders in Copenhagen, and in 1992 began formal studies at the Stockholm Academy of Music with Sven-David Sandström, Magnus Lindberg, Lars Ekström, and Pär Lindgren.

Her broad musical interests continue to shape her compositions. While she distances herself from strict modernist traditions, her openness is not eclecticism for its own sake, but rather a reflection of her many deep-rooted stylistic and ideological influences. She describes her process as intuitive and exploratory—“the plan must be open; the music must be allowed to lead itself forward.”

Ylva has composed for a wide range of ensembles and genres, including electroacoustic music, though always with an acoustic sensibility. Her work often features distinctive instrumentation—such as nyckelharpa, flamenco guitar, and accordion, the latter becoming something of a signature sound. Notable works include X so this (for the Norwegian dance company Open Dance), Som äpplen, Sanningar for mezzo and ensemble, and Skuggor och dagrar for solo accordion.

Her music is marked by a physical, direct presence—written close to the sound of the instrument and close to the text—conveying a kind of intimate simplicity with powerful, immediate impact.

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