Musician, composer and accordion virtuoso Kimmo Pohjonen and cello-rock ensemble Apocalyptica have been nominated to the shortlist for this year’s Nordic Council Music Prize.

The nominees were announced at Festspillene festival in Bergen, Norway. The other nine nominees include mezzosoprano Tora Augestad (NO), bassist Svante Henryson (SWE), metal band Hamferð (FO) and electronic artist HVAD (DK). The winner will be presented in Reykjavik on October 27 by the Nordic Council, along with other Nordic prizes. The prize is worth DKK 350 000, approximately 47 000 euros.

The Music prize for creative and practical music was established in 1965. Since 1990 the prize has been awarded every other year to a living composer and every other year to an artist or group. The winner is selected by Nordic adjudication committee consisting of music experts. The committee includes a member from each of the five Nordic countries.

Finnish Nordic Council Music Prize winners in the past include Aulis Sallinen (1978), Magnus Lindberg (1988), Leif Segerstam (1999), Kaija Saariaho (2000), Kari Kriikku (2009) and Pekka Kuusisto (2013). Other Nordic artists to have won the prize are Björk (IS) and Mari Boine (NO).