The Senegalese singer Youssou N’Dour and the Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho were on Tuesday named the winners of the 2013 Polar Music Prize. They each will be awarded one million Swedish kronor, or about $150,000, and will be invited to a ceremony in Stockholm on Aug. 27.
The award committee said Mr. N’Dour, 53, who is known for mixing traditional song forms from Senegal with eclectic styles from Latin America and the United States, had been given the prize not just for his contribution as an entertainer but also because he had “worked to reduce animosities between his own religion Islam and other religions.â€
“His voice encompasses an entire continent’s history and future, blood and love, dreams and power,†the announcement said.
The committee called Ms. Saariaho, 60, a composer known for combining acoustic instrument with computer-generated electronic sounds, “a modern maestro who opens our ears and causes their anvils and stirrups to fall in love.â€
The Polar Prize was founded in 1989 by Stig Anderson, publisher, lyricist and manager of the Swedish quartet ABBA. It is typically shared by a pop artist and a classical musician.
