Biography
Carsten Bo Eriksen, also known by his artistic name My Beautiful Decay 1973, is a Danish composer and pianist whose work spans the realms of Neo-Classical, post-rock, American minimalism, ambient electro-acoustic music, and field recordings. Fusing classical traditions with experimental electronic sounds, Eriksen’s music offers a distinctive approach to contemporary composition. He received his formal education at the Royal Academy of Music in Denmark, where he studied composition under the guidance of renowned professors Ib Nørholm, Ivar Frounberg, and Hans Abrahamsen. He further honed his craft at Berklee College of Music in Massachusetts. Additionally, Eriksen expanded his musical horizons by studying Balinese gamelan music in Ubud, Bali, Indonesia, under the tutelage of musician Pak Tama.
A pivotal moment in Eriksen's musical journey came in 2000 when he met the renowned composer Arvo Pärt in Copenhagen, a meeting that profoundly influenced his artistic direction. In 2004, Eriksen was awarded a prestigious three-year working grant by the Danish Arts Foundation, allowing him to deepen his creative exploration.
His music, which has garnered millions of streams across platforms like Amazon Music and Apple Music, is often compared to the works of Olafur Arnalds, Max Richter, Philip Glass, Brian Eno, and Johann Johannsson. However, Eriksen stands apart for his ability to merge the structural rigor of classical music with the freedom and innovation of experimental electronic music. Since 2015, Eriksen has collaborated with the American Contemporary Music Ensemble (ACME), and his performances have taken him across the US and Europe. He has been nominated for a Danish Music Award in the Classical category with his former ensemble, Nordlys, and has won the first prize for best electronic music at the Danish Arts Foundation.
Eriksen’s extensive career began in 1991, when he founded and produced several ensembles, including the acclaimed Nordlys and the art rock band Melonheads. His contributions to music have extended to organizing and participating in various festivals, such as the World Music Days (1996) and ARTRA (2000). Beyond his musical endeavors, Eriksen is a self-taught painter and video artist, having created and exhibited his visual work alongside his music.
In addition to his artistic pursuits, Eriksen has worked in key roles within the music industry. He serves as the Key Account Manager for Art and Culture with music rights at KODA and KODA Dramatik, working closely with major entities like Sony Music Publishing and Universal Music Publishing Group. He is also the founder and manager of Cosmopol Music Group, a small non profit umbrella organization dedicated to innovative and diverse musical works, and Earunit, a concert society focused on contemporary music.
Eriksen has served on the board of Musica Nova, Denmark’s concert society for contemporary music (1997-2000), and has been a member of KODA’s collective tape funds assets (2003 and 2013). He also served as a jury member for the Danish section of the International Society for Contemporary Music (ISCM) in 2000. His music has been featured at major venues in Denmark, including the Museum of Modern Art Louisiana, the National Gallery of Denmark (SMK), the Royal Library’s "Black Diamond" concert hall, Tivoli Concert Hall, and VEGA, as well as internationally in Germany at Otto Braun Saal in Berlin, the US at The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Le Poison Rouge in New York City and many more places. His compositions have been aired live on Danish National Radio and other European stations, and have been featured on curated playlists across major platforms such as Amazon Music, Apple Music, KK Box, and Spotify.