The Japan Art Association regrets to announce that Herbert Blomstedt, Music Laureate of the 37th Praemium Imperiale, will be unable to attend the joint press conference in Tokyo on October 27 or the awards ceremony on October 28 due to health reasons.

At Mr. Blomstedt’s request, Stefan Forsberg, President of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music, will travel to Japan to attend both events and accept the award on his behalf.

Comment by Herbert Blomstedt

“I want to thank the Japan Art Association for this wonderful award. I feel particularly honored as Japan and the marvelous NHK Symphony Orchestra have played such a large part in my musical career. Sadly, the journey to Japan is long and demanding, and so I am unable to be there with you today, but I will be thinking of you all over the next couple of days.”

Stefan Forsberg (Born July 28, 1961, in Motala, southern Sweden)

After studying trumpet at the Academy of Music in Gothenburg, Forsberg began his career as a trumpet player with the Stockholm Wind Symphony, later becoming its Director. He subsequently served as Artistic and Programming Director of the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Swedish Radio Choir at Berwaldhallen.

Forsberg has held numerous leadership positions in Sweden’s cultural and performing arts sector. He has also served on the Polar Music Prize Committee, the Artistic Council of the Nobel Foundation, and the board of El Sistema Sweden. Since 2008, he has served as a Cabinet Chamberlain of the Royal Court of Sweden.

He has been involved in major royal and national events, including the 2010 wedding gala for Crown Princess Victoria and the 2020 Nobel Prize Award Ceremony.

In 2018, marking the 150th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Japan and Sweden, he visited Japan together with the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra and Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden.

Forsberg is also overseeing the compilation of a commemorative publication scheduled for 2027 to mark the centenary of Herbert Blomstedt’s birth.

Acceptance of the Award on Behalf of the Laureate

If a laureate is unable to travel to Japan and attend the awards ceremony due to unavoidable circumstances, such as health reasons, a family member or another person closely associated with the laureate may attend the ceremony and accept the award on the laureate’s behalf.
Previous examples include:

• 1999 – 11th Praemium Imperiale: Louise Bourgeois, Sculpture
• 2012 – 24th Praemium Imperiale: Henning Larsen, Architecture
• 2016 – 28th Praemium Imperiale: Paulo Mendes da Rocha, Architecture
• 2018 – 30th Praemium Imperiale: Pierre Alechinsky, Painting