In memoriam: Susi Hyldgaard

Danish composer and pianist Susi Hyldgaard passed away in Denmark on Saturday, January 21st at 59 years old. Born in New York City on June 17th, 1964, Susi became an exceptional music creator that had been supportive and encouraging of the people and work of CIAM, and an CIAM Executive Committee member for many years.

Susi had led the largest association for composers and songwriters in Denmark DJBFA, which is now known as Autor.

CIAM Executive Committee member and Danish composer Anna Lidell remembered Susi with the following tribute:

“She never wanted power for power's sake, but took responsibility for the community and for the inspiration, the art. She was generous with her knowledge and her network when it served the organization. Something that I personally got to feel when she generously taught me as a chair.

Susi had her feet firmly planted at the grass roots, but challenged our business understanding with the program Music Business, which made us songwriters and composers understand how we can make a living from our art and thus keep creating. As she said at our meeting: "You know what friends, you are part of a business and you have to share the cake and we have to talk about it".

She understood the importance of music in the health sector and created knowledge and connections with the program Music and Health. Everyone wants a better healthcare system, and Susi understood how to convey the evidence-based research that shows that music has a unique effect on the human brain, body and mind, and that music can be used in the treatment of, among other things: anxiety, dementia, depression, Parkinson's, pain and stress.

Susi, thank you for being my mentor, my friend, my colleague. A fantastic human being. And thank you for everything you did for our community at the time DJBFA, now Autor.

Susi Hyldgaard, 1963-2023.”