Ida Gillner musician, artist, composer & performing artist

Ida Gillner is a freelance musician, artist, composer, and performing artist based in Gothenburg, Sweden. Her primary instruments are soprano saxophone, piano, and voice. She grew up in a musical family on Asperö, a small island in the southern Gothenburg archipelago. She began playing piano at the age of six, discovered the saxophone at nine, and later taught herself guitar in her early teens. After many years in municipal music school and stage experience from a young age, she graduated from the World Music program at the Academy of Music and Drama in Gothenburg in 2012, with soprano saxophone as her main instrument. Since 2016, she has worked as a full-time freelancer.

Rooted in the urban folk and world music scene, with a youthful love for pop and a more recent exploration of neoclassical music, Ida moves freely between genres and artistic expressions. She follows her artistic intuition and thrives on pushing musical boundaries through composition, improvisation, and cross-genre collaborations. Strong melodic expression and a personal, authentic approach are central to her music, which often shifts between playfulness and gravity—regardless of genre.

In recent years, Ida has gained recognition within Yiddish music and culture. In her project Shtoltse lider, she sets poems by women Yiddish writers to music. She also tours extensively with the tango ensemble Anna Heikkinen & Längtans Kapell. In 2021, she released her debut solo album, Anna, featuring original piano compositions.

Ida composes music for most of the projects she is involved in and also accepts commissions, particularly for theatre and performing arts. She appears regularly in stage productions for both children and adults—working in independent ensembles aswell as a project-based artist at established theatres. In addition to her artistic work, she is also active as a workshop leader and a guest lecturer in various contexts.

Awarded the City of Gothenburg Cultural Grant 2024.

Recipient of the STIM Scholarship 2024.

"Ida Gillner's music is not just mesmerizing, it penetrates the soul."

"Your music is an ocean, a universe, and a small warm nest to rest in — all at once."

"The saxophone is crying!"

Recipient of the City of Gothenburg Cultural Grant 2024
Motivation:

"Ida Gillner is a versatile musician whose main instruments are soprano saxophone, piano, and voice. She works within genres such as folk music and klezmer, but also performs classical music—always with a personal expression and a distinctive sound. She is active in several ensembles and composes music for her own projects and groups, as well as for theatrical productions. Regardless of genre or context, Ida Gillner demonstrates a rare sensitivity and enriches the music she engages with—she is a unique voice we will undoubtedly hear more from in the future."