The winners of the 2004 Polar Music Prize were announced Wednesday the 15th of October 2003 at The Royal Swedish Academy of Music in Stockholm. The two men honoured are from very different musical and social backgrounds but are both held in the utmost esteem in their fields.

The first Citation was for the Award to Blues legend B.B.King: "The Polar Music Prize for 2004 is being awarded to the American composer, singer and performer Riley B. King for his significant contributions to the blues. King’s total dedication to his music, a rich recording history and tireless touring lasting more than half a century have made him one of the most prominent figures within the blues. Through his achievements in spreading the blues throughout the world, he has, as a leading proponent of his music proved of fundamental importance to the development of modern popular music."

At the other end of the musical spectrum György Ligeti was honoured: "The Polar Music Prize for 2004 is being awarded to the Hungarian-born composer György Ligeti for stretching the boundaries of the musically conceivable, from mind- expanding sounds to new astounding processes, in a thoroughly personal style that embodies both inquisitiveness and imagination."

During the announcement at the Academy, a short film with live performances of B.B. King was shown and pianist Mr. Fredrik Ullén played Ligeti’s "Etudes no. 13, L´escalier du diable".

Highlighting the esteem in which the Polar Prizes are held in Sweden, the winners will receive the prize from His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden at a gala ceremony in Stockholm to be followed by a celebratory banquet at Grand Hôtel on Monday the 24th of May. Her Majesty Queen Silvia and Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Victoria will be amongst the many other dignitaries attending. As from 2004, the prizegiving ceremony will be held at the Stockholm Concert Hall, which is also where the Nobel Prize ceremony takes place.

The event, which is broadcast on national television (TV4), attracts international media, members of the international music business, celebrities, artists, musicians, government ministers, politicians and other leading members of society and industry.On Saturday the 22nd of May, B.B. King and his band will perform at the Stockholm Concert Hall.

The Polar Music Prize was founded in 1989 by the late Stig Anderson who was one of the true greats in the music industry. As the publisher, lyricist and manager of ABBA, he played a key role in their enormous success. It is an international music prize and awarded to individuals, groups or institutions in recognition of exceptional achievements in the creation and advancement of music. The prize breaks down musical boundaries by bringing together people from all the different worlds of music, and is completely independent of commercial interests, thereby guaranteeing its integrity. The prize is now in its thirteenth year and is awarded in the amount of one million Swedish Crowns (approximately equivalent to US$ 125.000 or € 110.000) to each prizewinner.

Past winners have included: Sir Paul McCartney, Dizzy Gillespie, Witold Lutoslawski, Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Quincy Jones, Mstislav Rostropovitch, Sir Elton John, Joni Mitchell, Pierre Boulez, Bruce Springsteen, Eric Ericson, Ray Charles, Ravi Shankar, Iannis Xenakis, Stevie Wonder, Bob Dylan, Isaac Stern, Burt Bacharach, Robert Moog, Karlheinz Stockhausen, Sofia Gubaidulina, Miriam Makeba and Keith Jarrett. In 1992, the Baltic States were also awarded the prize to encourage them in their work for protection of copyright.
Further Information: www.polarmusicprize.com.