The following is a list of notable events and releases that happened in Scandinavian music in 2017. (Go to last year in Scandinavian music or next year in Scandinavian music.) Events January 5 - Royal Danish Opera announces that its artistic director, Sven Müller, will leave his position in 2017, three years ahead of schedule. Müller is believed to have resigned because of financial cuts. 18 – It is announced that Finland's Esa-Pekka Salonen has withdrawn as music director of the Ojai Music Festival for 2018 because of his composition schedule, and will be replaced by Patricia Kopatchinskaja, ahead of her originally scheduled season in 2020. 21 – Hot Club de Norvège headline at the annual Djangofestival at Cosmopolite in Oslo, Norway. 28 At the annual Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu, Norma John is selected to represent Finland in the Eurovision Song Contest. At Norway's Spellemannprisen, Karpe Diem win the Best Album and Urban Music awards. February 4 – The Melodifestivalen 2017 kicks off with Semi-final 1 taking place in Gothenburg. 25 - At the 47th edition of the Dansk Melodi Grand Prix, "Where I Am", performed by Anja Nissen, is selected as Denmark's entry for the Eurovision Song Contest. 28 - At Sweden's Grammis Awards ceremony, Zara Larsson receives the Artist of the Year award and Kent win both the Album of the Year and Rock Album of the Year. March 2 - At the 2017 Icelandic Music Awards, Júníus Meyvant wins Best Pop Album of the Year for Floating Harmonies. Emmsjé Gauti is named Pop/Rock Performer of the Year, and wins in five categories overall. 9 - Esa-Pekka Salonen's Cello Concerto is premièred by Yo-Yo Ma and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. 11 The final of the 2017 Söngvakeppnin competition takes place in Iceland. Svala Björgvinsdóttir is selected as Iceland's representative in the Eurovision Song Contest 2017. The final of Melodifestivalen 2017 takes place at the Friends Arena in Stockholm. Robin Bengtsson is selected as Sweden's representative in the Eurovision Song Contest 2017. 28 – Under its new conductor Fabio Luisi, the Danish National Symphony Orchestra begins a tour of the United States. 29 – The 2017 World Figure Skating Championships open in Finland, using the theme tune "Light Up the Ice", sung by Diandra. 31 – The live final of X Factor (Denmark) is won by Morten Nørgaard. April 7 – The 44th Vossajazz starts in Voss, Norway, continuing until