About Nicolai Kornerup

Nicolai Kornerup is an established Danish pianist and composer with a background in classical, rhythmical and folk music.

Throughout his life Kornerup has been intrigued by astronomy and especially by the contrasts it encloses – the universe being so far away, yet many human beings feel a close connection to the moon and stars. This ambivalence - being close and yet a far - has been an inspiration and a drive flowing throughout his entire musical path.

Growing up as an only child with his single working mom, Kornerup spent a lot of his early childhood listening to classical music in his Granny’s music room. In these memories lies a nostalgia, so pure that it seems constructed, a dream about how the past might have - or should have - been. Music became a way of shaping the surroundings and yourself into something else, a way of extracting or manipulating emotions and drawing in new worlds.  

Kornerup’s album, Circles, is in many ways the story of Kornerup’s introvert search for what’s been lost contra a more extrovert need to convey hope in the present.

While playing the piano often was his escape in the early years, this instrument has become a trusted companion in his, very present, career as a musician, composer and producer, working with artists in genres spanning from classical to pop over jazz and folk.

His extensive and diverse resumé reveals a profound passion for music in general and a lifelong love for classical and folk, added a touch of strings, in particular.

With his band, Mames Babegenush, he toured the world with 5 album releases, performing in places such as Carnegie Hall in New York, Roskilde Festival in Denmark, Bergen International Festival, Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival and several other tours in North and South America, Asia and Europe.

He has been awarded and nominated several music awards and prizes and received the Carl Prisen award for Best Composer in 2018.

Kornerup works as a composer, producer and arranger for multiple international artists in various genres. Naming a few is Kwamie Liv, Soleima, LiveStrings, Perfume Genius, Rasmus Walter, Thomas Dybdahl, The Danish Radio Big Band, AyOwA, Gitta Maria Sjøberg and Andrea Pellegrini.

Furthermore he has acted as composer, songwriter and arranger for the Danish X-factor production since 2018.