Bornemark is behind classics such as "Sudda, sudda", "Är du vaken Lars" and the songbook "Gubben i lådan". Artist Sarah Riedel describes her as a pioneer who raised the status of children's culture.
"She worked persistently and courageously in a genre that was sometimes treated in a stepmotherly manner, always with finesse and a desire to make good music for all generations. She has been and will certainly continue to be a source of inspiration for many composers after her," says Riedel.
Gullan Bornemark was born in Härnösand in 1927 and became known as a pioneer in the development of children's singing in Sweden. Her path to that goal began when she resigned as a music teacher in 1951 and started Blåklockan, a musical playschool in Malmö that combined pedagogy and music. Bornemark ran it until 2007.
Her own children and her husband also helped out.
"People thought I was a bit crazy to resign from a permanent position. But I have stood on my own two feet ever since and have never received any grants. I worked at Blåklockan for 56 years, then my knees gave out," Bornemark said in an interview with Skapnytt in 2015.
Imprinted generations
Her songs and lyrics influenced several generations of children from the early 1960s onwards. Her breakthrough came with the songbook "Gubben i lådan" (The Old Man in the Box) in 1962. The songs became well known through records, radio and television. Songs such as "Herr Gårman" were used in the children's programme "Anita and the Televinken" to teach children traffic rules through music and rhymes.
Many have probably thought they were a bit educational or even silly. But it's also true that that wins out in the long run, says Kalle Lind, who met Gullan Bornemark.
She made a huge impression. She had a warmth, joy and energy that was completely unadulterated.
Praised abundantly
In the later years of her life, Bornemark was widely praised for her contribution to Swedish children's music.
After a 70-year career and more than 400 songs, she won a Grammis in 2019 for children's album of the year for "Mina egna favoriter".
"My favorites right now are my "memory songs" on the album. The kind that came about when I tapped my head and thought: 'I'll remember this, I'll remember this,' but then just plain forgot," Bornemark said in an interview with TT before the gala.
Born in Härnösand on November 28, 1927
Musician, composer, lyricist and music educator.
For almost 60 years, she ran the Blåklockan Music Playhouse in Malmö. The activity made her a pioneer in music education for children.
Famous songs: "The Old Man in the Box", "Sudda, sudda", "Min Ponny", "Är du vaken Lars", "Herr Gårman". Her most popular songs were published in 1979 in the collection "Pärlorna".
In 2015, she was inducted into the Swedish Music Hall of Fame, and in 2017 she was a summer host on P1. In 2018, she received the Music Publishers' Honorary Award.
In 2019, at the age of 91, she received her first Grammis for the album "Mina egna favoriter".
In 2023, she was appointed an honorary doctor at Lund University's Faculty of Arts.
"Her compositions combine solid craftsmanship, musical quality and pedagogical thought with ingenuity and humour," the faculty wrote in its citation at the time.
